MEET OUR TEAM
James Henning, Founder & Partner
James Henning is a graduate of CUNY Hunter College and Brooklyn Law School.
As a law student, James developed a passion for criminal law and post-conviction work. In his first year as a licensed attorney, he represented a man who had been convicted of homicide and sentenced to natural life in prison only to be exonerated after revelations that exculpatory evidence was withheld from him. Since that time, James has had the privilege to serve as lead counsel or co-counsel to several more exonerees. He is admitted to practice in New York, New Jersey, and the Federal Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.
James founded The Law Offices of James Henning & Associates, PLLC, to provide passionate, diligent, and effective representation to the wrongfully accused, prosecuted, convicted, and/or imprisoned.
In his free time, James enjoys traveling, playing and watching sports, live music, and spending time with friends and family. James lives in Brooklyn with his wife Sarah, who helps keep The Law Offices of James Henning & Associates, PLLC, running as the office manager and resident Jill of All Trades. They also live with their cat Stevie and their dog Pepper, who is often found romping around the law office during the day.
CARISSA CAUKIN, Partner
Born and raised in Florida, Carissa Caukin moved to NYC on her own when she was just 19 years old. She is a former child abuse and sex crimes prosecutor from the Bronx DA's office, and also worked in human trafficking and domestic violence specializing in cybercrime. She received her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from John Jay College and subsequently graduated cum laude from New York Law School. She is a certified forensic interviewer.
During law school, Carissa worked at the NYLS Post-Conviction Innocence Clinic and knew she wanted to help exonerate the innocent and use her legal career as a vessel to help as many people as she can. She is proud to have the opportunity to change case law, and pave the way for the next innocent person to have a chance at getting exonerated. Carissa loves showing her clients that even though decades have passed, the injustice they faced still matters and a new generation of young people are ready and willing to fight for them.
In her free time, you can find her skateboarding, practicing Muay Thai, snowboarding, or surfing.
FINN MAYOCK, ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY
Finn Mayock grew up in Connecticut, and has lived in Brooklyn for over 10 years. He graduated Brooklyn College, magna cum laude, in 2020. He then went on to graduate Brooklyn Law School, cum laude, in 2023 as a Richardson Scholar and Sylvia L. Goldstein Endowed Scholar, where he served as the Executive Notes & Comments Editor of the Journal of Law and Policy. He is admitted to practice in the 2nd Department Appellate Division, and the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.
Finn began working in criminal defense in college as an investigative intern for Brooklyn Defender Services. In law school, he worked at the Missouri State Public Defenders in both children’s defense and capital trial defense for death penalty eligible cases; Legal Aid Society in the general criminal division; and of course, as an intern at the Law Offices of James Henning & Associates. He was a summer associate at Thompson Coburn Hahn & Hessen LLP, focusing in financial services litigation. During law school, Finn also served as a Step III Review Officer at the New York City Office of Labor Relations, where he heard and issued rulings on disputes between union employees and city agencies.
After graduating law school, Finn worked as a financial services litigation associate at Thompson Coburn LLP where he practiced primarily in New York’s Commercial Division. He then rejoined the Law Offices of James Henning & Associates to resume his wrongful conviction and civil rights practice.
Fun Finn Facts: He worked in the fashion industry before law school, is a tortured Manchester United fan, and father to two evil cats named Fuzzy and Zoe.
CHRIS CHUANG, ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY
Chris Chuang has been an associate attorney with James Henning and Associates since 2024. He holds a Juris Doctor degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Class of 2024, and a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media studies from Johns Hopkins University, Class of 2008. In addition to the wrongfully convicted, he has represented indigent clients in state and federal court, and undocumented clients in federal immigration court.
Before becoming an attorney, Chris was an award-winning documentary filmmaker and graphic designer. His film and television projects have covered subjects like war journalists, American icons, destructive cults, and civil rights legends. He was inspired to pursue a career as an attorney after seeing how storytelling and empathy could be used to fight on behalf of the marginalized and the oppressed. He is thrilled to wake up every morning and find creative ways to fight for the underdog alongside the brilliant team at James Henning & Associates.
Chris was born and raised in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Since 2009, he has lived in Brooklyn. When he’s not exploring the city with his wife and kid, he dabbles in cooking and photography.
Michael “swell” jones, paralegal
Michael “Swell” Jones is a seasoned paralegal with 35 years of experience in criminal, civil, and administrative law. Holding a paralegal certificate in New York and some college education, he has dedicated his career to legal research, case development, and brief writing.
Swells’ passion for law stems from deep personal experience with injustice in the legal system. His journey has been long and challenging, but he remains grateful, as it led him to the work he finds most fulfilling – standing at the forefront when an innocent person is exonerated and reunited with their family.
Soft-spoken yet well-connected, he is known for his meticulous legal research, strategic thinking, and unwavering commitment to justice. No matter the size or complexity of the case, he is always ready to take on the challenge with precision and dedication.
During his free time, Swells enjoys exercising, playing handball, and watching sports or just relaxing. He loves traveling and experiencing new places and things. Swells is the proud owner of Bengi, a lovable mix of Poodle and Shih Tzu. Whether in the courtroom or on the court, he brings the same dedication and enthusiasm to everything he does.
sarah gorski, manager
Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Sarah Gorski moved to Brooklyn in 2016 after obtaining her Master’s Degree from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia. Her time in Brooklyn has been filled with a wide variety of jobs, all of which contributed valuable experience and skills leading her to the management role at the Law Offices of James Henning & Associates.
Originally trained as an actor, Sarah has a deep understanding and appreciation for what makes people unique. She sees the best in people and strives to understand where they come from, how they were raised, and what makes them tick. It is this empathetic approach to human interaction that allows her to connect with clients, witnesses, and families on a deeper level, and curates trust between them and the office. She is the one you’ll connect with on the phone when you call the firm, and she promises a pleasant reception each time. When she’s not connecting with her clients, you can assume she’s preparing a color-coded spreadsheet or finding something to (re)organize to keep the office running smoothly.
Outside of the office, Sarah lives with her husband James (who happens to be the founding partner of the Law Offices of James Henning & Associates), their cat Stevie, and dog Pepper, who can often be found chasing a tennis ball around the office during the day. Sarah is a proud shareholder of the Green Bay Packers. She’s grateful and humbled to be part of this powerful, impactful team.
Pepper, law dog
Originally from Arkansas, Pepper came up to Brooklyn with her brother in 2024 and landed at Sean Casey Animal Rescue. On a rainy day in September, two people took a spin to the shelter to see if they would connect with any of the adoptable dogs. One blissful walk around the block later, it was clear that Pepper had chosen her forever family. She has taken the role of Office Law Dog very seriously and enjoys spending the days forcing her teammates to throw tennis balls all around the office. When she’s not at work, Pepper can be found attempting (yet failing) to play with her feline sister Stevie, terrorizing her friends at Acme Dog Run in Brooklyn, or curling up into a little pretzel for a snooze.