Kristen Fontaine is an attorney with Barket Epstein Kearon Aldea & LoTurco, LLP.
Kristen joined the firm after working as a Senior Appellate Court Attorney with the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department, the busiest appellate court in the country. She handled dozens of complex appeals with wide-reaching implications for the protections and civil rights of New Yorkers, many of which involved issues of first impression. Due to her strong legal writing skills, Kristen was trusted to review and refine the writing of junior court attorneys.
Prior to working at the Second Judicial Department, Kristen served as a law clerk for the Hon. Michael A. Toto, the assignment judge for Middlesex County, New Jersey. During her clerkship, Kristen gained broad experience by working on a range of civil and criminal matters, deepening her understanding of courtroom procedure and judicial decision-making.
Kristen graduated from Boston University School of Law, where she was a note editor on the Public Interest Law Journal. While in law school, Kristen completed two internships with the Hon. O. Rogeriee Thompson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Kristen also interned with the Massachusetts Committee for Public Counsel Services Innocence Program, and then joined her law school’s Wrongful Convictions Clinic to continue advocating for the exoneration of wrongfully convicted individuals.
Kristen is a member of the New York City Bar Association, where she serves on the Civic Education Task Force. Kristen is an active volunteer with a variety of civic education organizations throughout the city and beyond, including We the People and Generation Citizen.
Kristen is passionate about appellate litigation and has a distinct ability to distill complex legal concepts into clear, concise, and compelling arguments. She is committed to driving meaningful change and is a strong advocate, leader, and coalition-builder.
