Karen Pauline Agnifilo

Karen Friedman Agnifilo is a graduate of the University of California Los Angeles, and the Georgetown University Law Center. 

She spent much of her career as a New York City prosecutor, working in the Manhattan District Attorney's office as an Assistant DA (1992-2006), Executive ADA and Trial Division Chief (2010-2014), and Chief Assistant to the DA (2014-2021). As Chief Assistant, she served as Acting DA when the DA was out of the jurisdiction. 

During her tenure at the Manhattan DA’s Office, Ms. Friedman Agnifilo played a lead role in prosecuting high-profile violent crime cases. She also worked to set up new units focused on human trafficking, hate crimes, antiquities trafficking, terrorism, cybercrimes and identity theft, and to create Manhattan’s first Mental Health Court. In addition, she served for four years as the Deputy Chief of the Sex Crimes Unit.  

From 2006 to 2010, Ms. Friedman Agnifilo was General Counsel on Criminal Justice Policy in Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s office.

In 2021, Ms. Friedman Agnifilo entered private practice. She is now an attorney with Agnifilo Intrater, a high-profile law firm headed by her husband, Marc Agnifilo, and his partner Zach Intrater. According to the firm’s website, “Her. practice focuses on criminal defense in state and federal courts, leveraging her extensive experience prosecuting serious violent crimes, including complex homicide cases, from accusation to investigation to arrest and trial. In addition to criminal defense, she also represents plaintiffs in civil and employment matters and individuals in Title IX matters. She also specializes in internal investigations relating to misconduct, discrimination, and sexual assault.” 

Ms. Friedman Agnifilo is a frequent television news guest and commentator and she is a former legal analyst for CNN. She is also the co-host of a weekly podcast where she discusses current legal issues and litigation strategy and she is the legal advisor for the television show Law and Order.