Discussing the pervasiveness and impact of online sex trafficking and how to fight it, Proskauer hosted a seminar titled “Combating Online Sex Trafficking: Confronting Challenges, Forging Cooperation.” It is estimated that 50% of sex trafficking takes place online.

The event brought together global players in the fight against human trafficking including François Delattre, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations; Per-Anders Sunesson, Swedish Ambassador-at-Large for Combating Trafficking in Persons; Cyrus Vance, New York County District Attorney; Monique Villa, CEO, Thomson Reuters Foundation; Yves Charpenel, Deputy State Prosecutor, the Supreme Court in France, and President, the Scelles Foundation; Valiant Richey, Prosecutor, King County, Washington; Mary Mazzio, Producer and Director, “I am Jane Doe”;  and Angel Nguyen, Vice President of Compliance and Financial Crimes Solutions, Enigma.

The panel, moderated by veteran journalist and former New York Times columnist Bob Herbert, explored ways to increase awareness and understanding of the prevalence of online sex trafficking and the harm it engenders. The panel also addressed the need to encourage the private sector, law enforcement, policy makers, and victim advocates to work together to develop and implement more effective strategies to combat one of the most widespread international criminal activities and brutal forms of violence against women and girls.  In addition, Mr. Herbert interviewed a survivor of internet-facilitated sex trafficking, who shared her story of being trafficked as a child in Queens, New York. Over 200 people attended the event, and more viewed a live-streamed video.

Proskauer represents a number of trafficking victims as part of our pro bono program.  The Firm also serves as Counsel to the New York State Anti-Trafficking Coalition, and organizes events like this one in order to facilitate discussion and action. We were honored to co-sponsor this event with Sanctuary for Families, the Scelles Foundation, Thomson Reuters Foundation, and the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations.

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Photo of William C. Silverman William C. Silverman

William C. Silverman is a partner responsible for leading Proskauer’s global pro bono efforts, which provide assistance to individual clients and nonprofit organizations in litigation as well as transactional matters. He focuses on identifying and securing pro bono opportunities and partnerships for Proskauer…

William C. Silverman is a partner responsible for leading Proskauer’s global pro bono efforts, which provide assistance to individual clients and nonprofit organizations in litigation as well as transactional matters. He focuses on identifying and securing pro bono opportunities and partnerships for Proskauer lawyers and ensuring widespread participation in these projects.

Bill has robust private and public sector experience and a strong criminal and civil background. He has worked extensively on government investigations and white collar criminal matters, as well as complex civil litigation in federal and state courts. He also served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York, where he led criminal investigations, conducted trials and handled Second Circuit appeals.

Throughout his career, Bill has dedicated himself to the promotion of equal access to justice through pro bono service, particularly in the area of family court, anti-trafficking, and immigration.

Bill spearheaded a partnership among several law firms, corporations and the New York City Family Court to provide free legal advice to pro se litigants. The New York City Family Court Volunteer Attorney Program now has more than 400 volunteer attorneys from 40 major firms and corporations. Bill also helped build a coalition of organizations in a successful effort to secure additional Family Court judges in New York. He is now part of an effort spearheaded by Chief Judge Janet DiFiore to simplify the New York Court System from 11 trial courts to three.

Bill serves as counsel to the New York State Anti-Trafficking Coalition. In that capacity he has been a strong advocate for changes in the law and public policy to protect victims of human trafficking and bring perpetrators to justice. He also represents individual clients in this area, including a successful federal lawsuit brought on behalf of a trafficking victim against her traffickers. For his work, he was named by domestic violence nonprofit Sanctuary For Families as one of “New York’s New Abolitionists.”

Bill has spoken at numerous conferences and events, including New York Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman’s Hearings on Civil Legal Services and the American Bar Association’s Equal Justice Conference. In 2014, he attended a meeting at the White House with Vice President Joe Biden and other policymakers on the need for access to legal services in immigration proceedings.

Bill has been recognized for his public service with the Abely Pro Bono Leadership Award from Sanctuary For Families and Columbia Law School (2019); the Special Leadership Award for All-Around Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility & the Law from City & State Reports (2015); the Commitment to Justice Award for Outstanding Partner from inMotion (2008); and the Matthew G. Leonard Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Achievement from MFY Legal Services (2007).

Outside of his work at the firm, Bill serves on various committees and non-profit boards. Bill is currently chairman of the Fund for Modern Courts, a non-partisan citizen organization devoted to improving New York State courts, and is formerly chairman of Legal Information For Families Today (LIFT), an organization devoted to unrepresented litigants in Family Court.