Marisa M. Halm focuses on primarily on criminal defense, post-conviction advocacy and habeas corpus. Marisa also represents clients in education and juvenile matters. Like her colleagues at Koch, Garg & Brown, Marisa is a staunch and compassionate advocate for her clients. She approaches their representation in a holistic manner with a focus on re-entry and the minimization of collateral consequences. Seasoned in the field of education law & administrative advocacy, Marisa comes to KGB after representing justice involved youth and young adults in education and other civil matters for a non-profit law firm for over 10 years; she worked in small private firm handling education and other civil matters for 5 years prior.

Marisa is the recipient of the Connecticut Law Tribune’s 2022 Game Changer award for her work representing clients against state and local agencies engaging in discriminatory and unfair practices. In Alicia B. v. Dannel Malloy, et. al., 3:16-cv-00065-(SRU) (D. Conn.). Marisa secured individual and systemic relief for black expelled students. This lawsuit helped to establish monitoring and oversight of disproportionate discipline of students of color across Connecticut’s school districts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Marisa worked alongside national partners to improve the conditions of confinement being experienced by youth and young adults in the custody of the Department of Correction. She helped to negotiate a pre-litigation settlement to improve her clients’ access to education, mental health services and out of cell time.

Marisa is a seasoned presenter and has delivered countless trainings to youth, service providers, and lawyers alike on the topics of education, school discipline, and re-entry from incarceration. Marisa also taught and oversaw students as a part of the UCONN School of Law’s clinic at the Center for Children’s Advocacy for over 10 years.

Marisa earned her J.D. from the UConn School of Law in 2006 and her B.A., cum laude, from Mount Holyoke College in 1994. She is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association and the Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.

Marisa is licensed to practice in Connecticut and the Federal District Court of Connecticut.