Who Is Barry Pollack? Julian Assange’s Lawyer Now Defending Venezuelan Leader Maduro In US Court | World News

New York: Veteran Washington lawyer Barry J. Pollack, known for representing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, will lead the defense of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in a sweeping U.S. criminal case that could raise pressing questions about his sovereign immunity and the legality of his capture.

Standing next to Maduro in Manhattan federal court on Monday, Pollack watched the former Venezuelan president accept a four-count indictment accusing him of orchestrating a complex conspiracy to smuggle cocaine into the United States with the help of armed guerrilla forces, cartels and international gang networks.

At Maduro’s hearing earlier this week, Pollack signaled that the defense strategy would include challenging the operation that brought Maduro to U.S. soil. He described Saturday’s extraordinary military raid as a “military abduction” and said legal arguments over the lawfulness of the capture were likely to play a central role in his work.

He also suggested that the Venezuelan leader’s legal team could raise challenges related to his sovereign immunity as the head of a foreign government.

Pollack is a high-profile trial attorney with more than three decades of experience handling complex federal cases that often intersect with national security, public corruption, and political controversy. Washington DC firm Harris St. He is a partner at Laurent & Wechsler LLP. His career has taken him to some of the toughest courtrooms in the United States.

His stellar CV includes work that has made international headlines. In 2024, he negotiated a rare plea deal for Julian Assange; This deal allowed the WikiLeaks founder to plead guilty to a single charge under the Espionage Act abroad and be released from a British prison before returning to Australia. This settlement brought a dramatic end to years of legal battles and established Pollack as a lawyer capable of representing sensitive and politically charged legal areas.

Legal commentators have described Pollack as an “excellent and deep-thinking lawyer” who “lives, breathes and sleeps trials” and is known for his unremitting focus on jury strategy and courtroom preparations.

Throughout his long career, he has represented corporate executives, high-level officials, and individuals in nationally notable federal investigations and lawsuits.

One of Pollack’s notable courtroom victories came in the wake of the Enron scandal, where he secured the complete acquittal of a former Enron executive accused of fraud following the company’s collapse; It is one of the few such victories among scores of lawsuits tied to the collapse of the energy giant.

Beyond the headline cases, Pollack also has a history of philanthropic work changing lives. He led legal teams that overturned wrongful convictions, including the case of Martin Tankleff, who spent 17 years in prison before evidence of his innocence emerged. Pollack’s efforts in this case earned him recognition, including the Defender of Innocence Award and the Gideon Champion of Justice Award.

Leadership roles extend beyond individual cases. He has served as president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and is a member of both the American College of Criminal Lawyers and the American Board of Criminal Lawyers. This honor reflects his standing among his peers as one of the nation’s pre-eminent criminal defense attorneys.

The legal questions raised by Maduro’s defense team, particularly regarding the legality of his transfer to U.S. custody and his immunity from prosecution as a former head of state, could turn this case into a major test of international law and U.S. jurisdiction.

Pollack’s selection suggests Maduro’s defense will be strong, strategic and built on decades of experience defending high-risk clients under intense public scrutiny.

Legal experts and international observers will be watching closely as the case progresses in Manhattan.