Tony Balkissoon is a Canadian attorney who has quietly built an impressive career in civil rights law. Many people first hear his name because of his marriage to NBC News journalist and Saturday TODAY co-anchor Laura Jarrett, but his own professional story stands firmly on its own. From courtroom victories for the wrongfully imprisoned to a senior leadership role at a respected criminal justice college, his work reflects a lasting commitment to fairness and justice.
This article brings together verified information about his early life, education, legal career, marriage, family, and current role in New York City.
Quick Bio
Early Life and Family Background
Tony Balkissoon was born and raised in Ontario, Canada, in a family that believed deeply in public service. His father, Bas Balkissoon, served as a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2005 to 2016, representing the riding of Scarborough–Rouge River . Before that, the elder Balkissoon spent years as a city councillor in Scarborough and Toronto.
The family’s roots trace back to Trinidad and Tobago, with Indian ancestry, which gives him an Indo-Trinidadian heritage . Growing up in a household shaped by politics and community service clearly influenced his values. Unlike his father, however, he chose to serve the public through law rather than through elected office.
Education
University of Toronto
His academic path began at the University of Toronto, where he studied Engineering Science. He earned a Bachelor of Applied Science degree and graduated with honors, showing early on that he had both discipline and intellectual range .
Harvard Law School
He then crossed the border to attend Harvard Law School, one of the most competitive law programs in the world. There he earned his Juris Doctor and graduated cum laude in 2010, according to an official announcement from John Jay College . His time at Harvard changed his life in another important way too, because it is where he met his future wife.
Legal Career
Early Career and Federal Clerkships
After law school, he worked as an associate at a large international law firm, where he litigated high-stakes intellectual property disputes . This period gave him strong technical and courtroom skills.
He also gained prestigious federal clerkship experience. Reported profiles note that he clerked for Judge Manish S. Shah of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and later for Judge Ann Claire Williams of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit .
Loevy & Loevy
In October 2016, he joined Loevy & Loevy, one of Chicago’s most respected civil rights law firms. His official John Jay biography notes that he won multi-million-dollar jury verdicts for men who were wrongfully imprisoned for decades . He was also part of a team that secured a settlement for a mother whose daughter died in a deteriorating Baltimore jail .
MacArthur Justice Center
Before entering academia, he worked at the MacArthur Justice Center. In that role, he litigated civil rights and criminal justice cases in the U.S. Supreme Court and federal appellate courts, handling some of the most important issues in American justice .
John Jay College of Criminal Justice
In 2020, he joined John Jay College of Criminal Justice, part of the City University of New York, as Vice President and Executive Counsel . He served in this leadership role for about four years, advising the college’s president on litigation, governance, regulatory compliance, collective bargaining, and intellectual property matters .
While at John Jay, he also led major initiatives at the college, including its annual Smart on Crime Innovations conference . His name appeared in the college’s accreditation self-study work as a committee co-chair as well, showing how central he had become to the institution’s leadership .
Neufeld Scheck Brustin Hoffmann & Freudenberger
In January 2024, Tony Balkissoon moved to Neufeld Scheck Brustin Hoffmann & Freudenberger, LLP (NSBHF), a national civil rights firm based in New York known for record verdicts and settlements in wrongful conviction cases, where he currently serves as Counsel. Court filings describe him as a relatively senior counsel at the firm, reviewing work alongside its partners.
His work back in civil rights litigation has already drawn attention. In late 2025, NSBHF announced a $19.1 million settlement for exoneree Daniel Saldaña, who spent 33 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, and the legal team on that case included attorney Tony Balkissoon.
Marriage and Family Life
The couple’s story is one many law students would recognize. Tony Balkissoon met Laura Jarrett at Harvard in 2008, when both were second-year law students. They dated for about four years before marrying in June 2012 in Chicago . Their wedding drew remarkable guests, including then-President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, because Laura is the daughter of Valerie Jarrett, a senior adviser to President Obama .
The pair waited several years to start a family. Their son, James, was born in July 2019, and their daughter, June, arrived in July 2022 . The family now lives in New York, where Laura works as NBC News’ senior legal correspondent and a co-anchor of Saturday TODAY .
Public Presence and Social Media
Unlike many people connected to television personalities, he keeps a very low public profile. There are no widely known or verified public social media accounts linked to him, and he rarely appears in interviews on his own .
That said, viewers occasionally catch glimpses of him through his wife’s family posts and TODAY segments. In one segment, he shared how proud their son James felt seeing his mother on television . Colleagues and journalists describe him as someone who prefers to let his work, rather than publicity, speak for him.
Latest News and Recent Updates
The most recent verified updates around him focus on his return to civil rights litigation at NSBHF and his family life. His firm’s November 2025 announcement of the $19.1 million Saldaña settlement listed him among the attorneys on the winning team. Media coverage of Laura Jarrett and her husband in 2025 and 2026 has also highlighted how the couple balances two demanding careers with raising two young children .
There are no verified reports of new business ventures or companies connected to him. Readers should be cautious of websites that publish invented net worth figures or personal details, as none of these claims have been confirmed by reliable sources.
Legacy and Impact
His legacy is being written quietly, through the people his work has touched. Men and women who spent decades behind bars for crimes they did not commit have received justice partly because of lawyers like him, and his current role at NSBHF places him at the heart of one of the country’s most successful wrongful conviction practices.
He also represents something meaningful for many young professionals: proof that you can build a serious, high-impact career without chasing fame. His journey from an engineering student in Toronto to a civil rights litigator, college executive, and now senior counsel at a leading civil rights firm shows how purpose can evolve over time.
Conclusion
Tony Balkissoon has built a life grounded in education, service, and quiet excellence. From the University of Toronto to Harvard Law School, from federal clerkships to landmark civil rights cases, his career reflects genuine dedication rather than self-promotion.
While many know him as Laura Jarrett’s husband, his own achievements deserve equal attention. Whether guiding a public college’s legal affairs or fighting for the wrongfully convicted at NSBHF, his work continues to serve justice in practical, lasting ways.]
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FAQ
Who is Tony Balkissoon?
He is a Canadian attorney who currently serves as Counsel at Neufeld Scheck Brustin Hoffmann & Freudenberger, LLP in New York City. He is also widely known as the husband of NBC News journalist Laura Jarrett.
What does Tony Balkissoon do for a living?
He is a practicing civil rights lawyer. After litigation work at Loevy & Loevy and the MacArthur Justice Center, he spent about four years (2020–2024) as Vice President and Executive Counsel at John Jay College, then joined NSBHF in January 2024, where he now litigates wrongful conviction cases.
Where did Tony Balkissoon go to college?
He earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering Science from the University of Toronto and a Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Harvard Law School .
Who is Tony Balkissoon’s father?
His father is Bas Balkissoon, a former Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario who represented Scarborough–Rouge River from 2005 to 2016 and was born in Trinidad and Tobago .
When did Tony Balkissoon marry Laura Jarrett?
The couple married in June 2012 in Chicago, four years after meeting as second-year students at Harvard Law School in 2008 .
Does Tony Balkissoon have children?
Yes. He and Laura Jarrett have two children: a son named James, born in July 2019, and a daughter named June, born in July 2022 .
