Category Archives: PLS Team

Halinka Zolcik – Accredited Representative

Halinka Zolcik Accredited RepresentativeTel.: 518-694-8699 x 2106 hzolcik@plsny.org Halinka joined the Albany office of PLS as an immigration law graduate/immigrant justice corps fellow in September 2017. Halinka received her JD from the University of Wyoming College of Law in May 2017. Before attending law school, she worked for a criminal law district court judge forContinue reading “Halinka Zolcik – Accredited Representative”

Karen L. Murtagh – Executive Director Emeritus

Karen L. Murtagh Executive Director EmeritusTel.:(518) 445-6052kmurtagh@plsny.org Karen Murtagh has litigated issues concerning prisoners’ due process rights at disciplinary hearings, prison conditions, deliberate indifference, the First Amendment and the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA). She has tried cases in both the Court of Claims and Federal Court and has argued numerous cases before New YorkContinue reading “Karen L. Murtagh – Executive Director Emeritus”

Aleta Albert – Director of Advocacy

Aleta Albert Director of Advocacy (607) 273-2283  ext. 1202 aalbert@plsny.org   Aleta Albert, Director of Advocacy. Aleta has worked at Prisoners’ Legal Services since 1985. She has held a number of positions since beginning her employment and is currently the Director of Advocacy. She processes and responds to intake letters from inmates.  She handles production and copy editing for Pro Se asContinue reading “Aleta Albert – Director of Advocacy”

Megan Welch – Staff Attorney

Megan Welch Staff Attorney (607) 273-2283 ext. 1209 mwelch@plsny.org Megan joined PLS in October of 2018 after received her J.D. from CUNY School of Law in May of 2018. Prior to law school, she worked as an 8th and 9th grade science teacher, and received her Masters of Education from Brooklyn College in 2014, andContinue reading “Megan Welch – Staff Attorney”

Hallie Mitnick – Senior Staff Attorney

Hallie Mitnick Senior Staff Attorney (607) 273-2283 ext. 1204 hmitnick@plsny.org Hallie joined PLS in September of 2015.  She works in PLS’s civil rights practice litigating and advocating on behalf of a wide variety of clients including people with disabilities and people in solitary confinement.  Her past work included clinical work at the Innocence Project clinicContinue reading “Hallie Mitnick – Senior Staff Attorney”

Krin Flaherty – Executive Director

Krin Flaherty Executive Director (607) 273-2283 ext. 1205 kflaherty@plsny.org In April 2026, the PLS Board of Directors selected Krin Flaherty for the position of Executive Director.  To this role, Krin brings experience as a Staff Attorney from 2006-2012 primarily working on access to mental health and medical care and disciplinary issues and related litigation.  KrinContinue reading “Krin Flaherty – Executive Director”

Matthew McGowan – Senior Staff Attorney

Matthew McGowan Senior Staff Attorney (518) 438-8046  ext. 1801 mmcgowan@plsny.org Matt joined the Albany office of PLS as a staff attorney in 2013. He works throughout PLS’s core practice areas, with a particular focus on challenges to administrative disciplinary hearings, youth and late-stage adolescent advocacy, parole and sentencing matters, and records access issues. His pastContinue reading “Matthew McGowan – Senior Staff Attorney”

Rebecca Calvetti Madan – Immigration Paralegal

Rebecca Calvetti Madan Paralegal, Upstate Immigration Court (716) 844-8266 rcmadan@plsny.org Rebecca graduated from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH with a B.A. in English/World Literature. She subsequently spent five years in warmer climes, working as a Montessori Primary Teacher after getting her AMI certification in Atlanta, GA. In 2012, she decided that she missedContinue reading “Rebecca Calvetti Madan – Immigration Paralegal”