Finch McCranie LLP Home
Atlanta Personal
Injury Attorney
Lawyers for Survivors of Sex Trafficking and Labor Trafficking
We specialize in sex and labor trafficking litigation. For years, Finch McCranie’s lawyers have successfully represented sex and labor trafficking survivors in courtrooms across Georgia. Our lawyers have both convicted traffickers in the criminal justice system and recovered monetary damages for survivors in the civil justice system. We are uniquely qualified to handle your sex trafficking or labor trafficking case because of our extensive experience successfully handling trafficking cases in Georgia.
We treat every trafficking survivor we meet with respect, professionalism, and courtesy. If a survivor decides to hire us to file a lawsuit on their behalf, we approach their case with diligence, care, and zeal.
If you have a trafficking claim that you would like to discuss with us, please contact us at (404) 658 – 9070.
Our lawyers have had significant success representing sex trafficking survivors in federal cases against businesses that benefit from sex trafficking while turning a blind eye to it. In those cases, our clients have obtained life-changing recoveries.
Our lawyers have also prosecuted sex and labor traffickers in criminal cases in the Georgia state court system.
Does it Matter Whether I Hire Experienced Lawyers to Handle My Trafficking Claims?Yes. Experience matters. Laws on sex and labor trafficking can be complicated. We have unique expertise in trafficking litigation because we have attorneys who have prosecuted traffickers in criminal cases and recovered monetary damages for survivors in civil cases. We have the experience, relationships, and resources to navigate the legal system to get you the help you deserve.
As a Trafficking Survivor, How Do I Know if My Claim Has Merit?We recommend that you talk with one of our qualified lawyers to determine whether you have a meritorious case.
How Much Does it Cost for Me to Talk to Someone at Your Firm About My Rights as a Survivor of Trafficking?Nothing. We do not charge anything for initial consultations. If you decide to retain our firm to represent you in a trafficking lawsuit, we still do not charge you anything. We only recover a fee for our services if you recover monetary damages at the end of the litigation. In other words, we recover a contingency fee, which means our fee is contingent on you recovering damages in the litigation.
Will My Identity Be Publicized if I Bring a Lawsuit as a Survivor?Typically, survivors bring lawsuits under their initials or a pseudonym to preserve their privacy.
When Should I Talk to Someone at Your Firm About My Rights as a Survivor of Trafficking?We encourage you to contact a lawyer about your rights as a trafficking survivor as soon as you are ready to do so. There are statutes of limitations governing the legal claims that trafficking survivors may bring. If you wait too long to contact a lawyer, your claims may be time barred by the statutes of limitations. Also, the longer you wait, the harder it can be to find eyewitnesses and recover evidence in support of your case.
How Do You Approach Initial Consultations With a Trafficking Survivor?We tell you about ourselves, our firm, and our work successfully representing survivors in trafficking litigation. We ask you questions about yourself and your experiences. We recognize that it may take multiple meetings to get to know you and your experiences. We do not rush the consultation process.
One of our primary goals in the early meetings is to educate you on the litigation process. Litigation has upsides and downsides. Good and bad. We want every trafficking survivor we meet with to understand the pros and cons of filing a lawsuit, and to make an informed decision about their options.
Do You Recommend That Every Trafficking Survivor File a Lawsuit?No. The decision whether to file a lawsuit is very personal. We recommend that you only make the decision after consulting with qualified lawyers and talking with people you trust who know you well and have your best interests in mind.
Who Can Be Held Liable for My Trafficking?Perpetrators and beneficiaries. Many survivors are unaware that they have the right to sue not only the people who trafficked them, but also businesses that turned a blind eye while benefiting from the trafficking.
Have You Successfully Sued Businesses for Trafficking?Yes, we have successfully brought civil lawsuits against businesses that benefited from a victim’s trafficking when they knew or should have known that they were benefiting from the victim’s trafficking.
What Types of Businesses Have You Sued for Trafficking?We have sued numerous hotels for sex trafficking, including national chains and local hotels. We have investigated potential lawsuits against apartment complexes, websites, massage parlors, strip clubs, lounges, and other businesses where trafficking occurs.
How Long Does a Trafficking Lawsuit Take?It varies. As a general rule, trafficking litigation moves slowly. We have resolved some sex trafficking lawsuits in 12 – 18 months. We have also worked on sex trafficking lawsuits that have lasted more than three years. If you hire us to represent you in a trafficking case, you can trust that we are going to go the distance for you, no matter how long the case lasts.
What Types of Evidence Do You Need to Bring a Successful Trafficking Lawsuit?Every trafficking survivor has a different and unique experience. As a result, the evidence will be different in every case. That said, we have found that the most important evidence in most trafficking cases comes from the survivor, friends and family of the survivor, neighbors, law enforcement, non-profits and other community organizations, witnesses to the trafficking, employees of the business that benefited from the trafficking, and documents from the business that benefited from the trafficking.
Under the Law, is There a Difference Between Minor Sex Trafficking and Adult Sex Trafficking?Yes, anyone under the age of 18 who is induced to perform sex acts in exchange for something of value is a victim of sex trafficking. It does not matter whether the commercial sex occurs due to force, fraud, or coercion. To give an illustration: If a 16-year-old exchanges a sex act for lodging, that minor is a victim of sex trafficking. By contrast, to bring a case for a sex trafficking victim over the age of 18, there needs to be evidence of force, fraud, or coercion.
Reflecting on My Experience Being Trafficked is Painful and Traumatic. How Involved Would I Need to Be in the Trafficking Litigation?After our initial meetings with you, we would prepare the complaint, serve and respond to discovery requests, interview and depose witnesses, and prepare and file all motions to be reviewed by the court. Most of the work in a trafficking lawsuit takes place from our office and does not require your day-to-day involvement or participation. If you are going to be asked questions in a deposition about your lawsuit, we will spend time with you in advance helping you to prepare for your deposition. Some clients want regular updates on their trafficking case, others don’t. We follow our client’s wishes in that regard.
It Seems Like Trafficking is More Common in Atlanta Than in Other Places. Is That True?Trafficking occurs nationwide. But according to publicly available statistics published by the FBI, the greater metro-Atlanta area has consistently ranked in the top ten cities for underage sex trafficking in the country. While this may be because Atlanta has the world’s busiest airport, it likely also stems from the fact that Atlanta hosts numerous major sporting and cultural events each year. These events bring many tourists to Atlanta, some of whom patronize the commercial sex business. Traffickers seeking to benefit from the Atlanta’s tourism industry may position themselves and their victims at hotels, apartments, massage parlors, and other establishments before major sporting events.
Where Can I Read More About Sex and Labor Trafficking?The Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign (DHS.gov/Blue-Campaign) is a helpful educational resource. It dispels numerous pervasive myths and falsehoods about trafficking. For example, it is a myth that trafficking does not regularly occur in the United States. It does. Likewise, it is a myth that trafficking victims are only immigrants, born outside the United States, or socioeconomically disadvantaged. Trafficking victims come from every walk of life, race, gender, and nationality.
Thank you for your interest in our firm. If you have a trafficking claim that you would like to discuss with us, please contact us at (404) 658 – 9070.
