Erin McCampbell Paris focuses her practice on Appellate and Constitutional Litigation, representing individuals and companies in complex criminal and civil matters. In helping her clients to secure hard-won victories, she draws on her extensive litigation experience, as well as her experience as a former law clerk to federal district and circuit judges.
Erin’s passion for criminal defense began in law school, when she was mentored by two of the nation’s top death penalty lawyers. Since that time, Erin has put what she learned to good use. As an appellate lawyer, her thoughtful briefing and oral argument have secured reversals of convictions, reductions of sentences, and remands for critical hearings.
In complex prosecutions, Erin gets involved at the trial level. Her skillful advocacy has helped her clients to win game-changing motions, such as motions to dismiss, motions to suppress evidence, motions to preclude or admit evidence, and sentencing motions. By way of example, since 2018, Erin has co-represented a defendant in the high-stakes prosecution of the former operators of the website www.backpage.com. In this test-case for website operator liability, the trial court dismissed dozens of Travel Act and money laundering charges against her client.
Erin is equally passionate about protecting constitutional rights through affirmative civil litigation. She has helped clients bring successful challenges to state and municipal government regulations, ensuring that her clients and their companies can operate free from unconstitutional governmental overreach.
Erin began her career clerking for federal judges, including the Honorable Robert E. Cowen, Senior Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit; the Honorable Dora L. Irizarry, District Judge for the Eastern District of New York; and the Honorable Kiyo A. Matsumoto, District Judge for the Eastern District of New York.
Erin is a member of the First Amendment Lawyer’s Association, the Second Circuit C.J.A. Panel, the Appellate Practice Section of the Bar Association of Erie County, and the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York.
Erin lectures and provides commentary on developments in constitutional law and appellate practice.
Erin has served on non-profit boards, including the Board of Directors for the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York-Western New York Division, Second Generation Theatre, and the Orchard Park Presbyterian Church.
Erin was awarded her Juris Doctor degree from Washington and Lee University School of Law, where she graduated cum laude. She served as Senior Articles Editor of the Law Review and received the Law Review-Law Council Award for Best Student Note. She earned a Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, from the State University of New York at Albany.
Erin is admitted to practice in the State of New York, the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Second, Third, Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, and Ninth Circuits, and the Southern and Western Districts of New York.