ATLANTA,GA
DULUTH, GA
ATLANTA,GA
DULUTH, GA
If you survived sex trafficking or were compelled to work through threats or coercion, you deserve a clear explanation of your legal options.
Our Atlanta trial attorneys help survivors evaluate civil claims against traffickers and, when the law permits, businesses that participated in and benefited from trafficking. We have represented survivors in federal sex trafficking litigation and prosecuted trafficking offenses in Georgia courts.
You do not have to decide to file a lawsuit before speaking with us. We explain what a civil case can and cannot accomplish, what information would be needed, and what the process may involve. The first consultation is free, and we move at a pace that permits you to make an informed decision.
Sex trafficking and forced labor are related but legally distinct. Each can involve different evidence, responsible parties, and legal theories. The sections below direct you to the right page rather than asking you to sort through one combined discussion.
Sex trafficking cases may involve people compelled into commercial sexual activity through force, fraud, or coercion, as well as commercial sex trafficking involving a person under 18. Civil lawsuits can address the conduct of traffickers and, where the law permits, other participants or beneficiaries. Finch McCranie has pursued federal civil sex trafficking claims against businesses, including hotel defendants.
Our Sex Trafficking Lawyers page explains civil claims, our courtroom experience, and the legal process. Two focused resources address Hotel Sex Trafficking Lawsuits and Child Sex Trafficking Lawsuits.
Labor trafficking may occur when someone is compelled to work through threats of serious harm, abuse of legal processes, physical restraint, or other coercive means. The setting can be a home, construction site, restaurant, agricultural operation, or another workplace. A wage violation or unfair job alone does not automatically establish trafficking. The circumstances, conduct, and statutory elements must be evaluated.
Our Labor Trafficking Lawyers page addresses forced labor, coercive recruitment and employer conduct, the difference between trafficking and wage claims, and potential civil remedies.
Choose the most relevant practice area: Sex Trafficking Lawyers | Labor Trafficking Lawyers.
Human trafficking is not defined by crossing a border or being physically moved. It concerns exploitation that meets the elements of particular trafficking laws. In U.S. federal law, the two primary categories are sex trafficking and forced labor. The legal tests differ, especially when sex trafficking involves a person who was under 18 at the time.
Trafficking may involve threats, coercive control, fraud, exploitation of a vulnerable situation, or commercial sexual exploitation of a minor. It can occur in ordinary-looking workplaces and businesses. It should not be confused with human smuggling, which generally concerns unlawful transportation or entry rather than the exploitation addressed by trafficking law.
A criminal prosecution is brought by the government and focuses on criminal responsibility. A civil lawsuit is brought by a claimant seeking a legal remedy. Under 18 U.S.C. § 1595, qualifying survivors may seek damages and reasonable attorney fees against perpetrators and certain beneficiaries of trafficking ventures. The evidence and legal standards for a claim against a business differ from those for a claim against the direct trafficker.
A civil case generally begins with a confidential legal intake and fact review. Attorneys may then investigate potential defendants, preserve records, evaluate filing deadlines, file a complaint when appropriate, obtain evidence through discovery, and pursue settlement or trial. Related criminal proceedings can affect timing, and an attorney should explain the effect in any particular case.
A civil trafficking claim is not the same as a criminal prosecution. A successful claim may provide legally available damages for the harm caused and a means of holding legally responsible defendants accountable. Under federal law, some cases can include claims against a person or business that benefited from a trafficking venture under the applicable statutory requirements. Civil damages are never automatic, and no single case result determines what another survivor may recover.
Potential defendants can include direct perpetrators and, where the facts and law support a claim, business owners, operators, managers, recruiters, or other parties. The existence of a business relationship is not enough by itself. In beneficiary cases, the law requires proof of the defendant’s qualifying participation, benefit, and knowledge. A careful investigation identifies which people or entities actually controlled the relevant activity and what evidence supports liability.
Meet the attorneys handling these matters:
Our attorneys bring courtroom experience from both complex civil cases and criminal trafficking prosecutions. On July 15, 2025, a federal jury awarded $40 million in a case we tried for a child sex trafficking survivor against United Inn, a DeKalb County hotel: $10 million in compensatory damages and $30 million in punitive damages. David Bouchard served as lead trial counsel and Oto Ekpo as trial co-counsel. This result arose from a sex trafficking case, not a labor trafficking matter; it does not predict the outcome of another case.
Read the firm’s published account of the $40 million verdict.
In our first conversations, we explain our experience, listen to the facts needed for an initial assessment, and discuss whether litigation fits the survivor’s priorities. The process may involve multiple conversations rather than one rushed meeting. We address possible defendants, deadlines, records, privacy, testimony and the uncertainty involved in a lawsuit.
We do not charge for initial trafficking consultations. We handle qualifying trafficking lawsuits under contingency-fee agreements, meaning our fee is tied to a financial recovery. We explain the specific fee and responsibility for expenses in a written agreement before representation begins.
Read the federal civil remedy directly: 18 U.S.C. § 1595.
Sex trafficking addresses commercial sexual exploitation under legal standards that distinguish adults from minors. Labor trafficking addresses compelled labor or services through specified unlawful means. The evidence, responsible parties, and applicable claims can differ.
Review sex trafficking claims or learn about forced labor claims.
Potentially. A criminal conviction is not a prerequisite to every civil trafficking action. Criminal investigations or cases may affect the timing of related federal civil proceedings.
Potentially. Federal law permits claims against certain people or businesses that benefit from participation in a trafficking venture while meeting applicable knowledge and other requirements. The fact that trafficking occurred at a location does not alone establish liability.
The most useful first step is to discuss the facts with a lawyer who can evaluate the relevant statute. There is no single symptom, industry, or short checklist that decides whether a legal claim exists.
Deadlines depend on the claim and circumstances. Federal § 1595 generally provides a period measured from the cause of action, with an additional age-based provision where the alleged victim was a minor. Other claims may follow different rules.
Litigation may involve discovery, testimony, and court filings. In some circumstances a court may permit the use of initials or a pseudonym. That protection is not automatic; an attorney can explain the available procedures and limits.
No. A consultation is for learning about options and the process. Whether to proceed is a separate decision.
For emergencies, contact 911. The National Human Trafficking Hotline can provide information and referrals. Its confidentiality practices include exceptions required by law and for certain safety concerns.
Finch McCranie offers an initial consultation at no charge for trafficking matters. Call the Atlanta office at (404) 341-5356 to request a conversation about a possible civil claim. You do not need to commit to filing a lawsuit to ask questions. The firm’s contact form sends information by unencrypted email, so do not include sensitive or confidential details in a form, text message, or voicemail. Contacting the firm does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship.
Civil Claims Involving Commercial Sexual Exploitation
Forced Labor and Coercion-Related Civil Claims
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For support and referrals outside the legal intake process, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or visit its Get Help page.
