Sean Combs Attorney Says Modern Digital Trails Undermine Justice

Sean “Diddy” Combs attorney Teny Geragos cried when the verdict came down this month.

“We faced every obstacle and overcame it,” she said.

A founding partner of Agnifilo Intrater while she’s still in her early 30s, Geragos was a key member of Combs’ legal team, giving the opening statement at his sex trafficking trial. “Sean Combs is a complicated man, but this is not a complicated case,” she told the jury.

Combs was acquitted earlier this month of the most serious charges, escaping a life sentence. Geragos, the daughter of famed lawyer Mark Geragos, is now working on minimizing Combs’ sentence on two prostitution-related convictions.

She told Bloomberg Law how it felt when the verdict came down and which Sally Rooney novel she’s finally getting to. (Bloomberg Law subscribers can sign up to get New York Brief in their inboxes every morning, with a weekly Q&A.)

Q: Which of your past cases keeps you up at night?

TG: All of my past cases keep me up at night, even the wins and the dismissals. One thing about this job is that it is very difficult to clear your mind completely and get a good night’s rest—our minds are always racing and strategizing how to best help the client you have now and the problems they are facing. Doing that means reflecting on past cases and what worked or did not work.

Q: What’s the biggest challenge facing attorneys in 2025?

TG: For criminal defense attorneys, the overwhelming volume of digital discovery in criminal cases and the fundamental unfairness it creates in our justice system.

The intersection of technology and legal practice is reshaping everything, particularly in criminal defense. We’re dealing with massive amounts of digital evidence—phones, social media, encrypted communications—that require new expertise and endless resources. For the government, executing search warrants and reviewing this material is manageable—they have agents and investigators reviewing the material for them, and they do not have to worry about the cost constraints.

For defense lawyers, and for clients who are already strained financially, properly defending yourself costs more and more now with the amount of digital evidence and time that it takes to properly prepare for a case.

We’re now required to review massive amounts of digital evidence, often with inadequate time or resources to do it properly. A single defendant’s case might include hundreds of hours of body cam footage, cell phone extractions with tens of thousands of messages and photos, surveillance videos, social media data, and financial records.

Q: Your biggest mistake in early years of practice was?

TG: I’m not sure I can call it my biggest mistake but the thing I’ve learned in a decade of practice is to trust my instinct. As a young female lawyer, I often questioned my own instincts in cases, but as I’ve accomplished more, I’ve learned that one of my best assets is my own instinct.

Q: When’s the last time you stepped foot in a courtroom?

TG: The day we received the verdict in United States v. Sean Combs. I don’t think it’s any secret that I started crying. I felt relieved, proud, and most of all, happy for my client and his family. We faced every obstacle (an incarcerated client, horrific press, a possible life sentence, the federal government) and overcame it.

Q: How much do you consider the specific judge or panel you’re in front of when prepping?

TG: They are the audience—how can I really reach that person with my arguments? That is always the question.

Q: What book is on your bedside table?

TG: I have read 4 novels since we got the verdict in Combs—quickly making up for my lack of fiction reading in the past year and a half. Fiction keeps me sane and grounded and I’m glad to have a nighttime escape again. I’m halfway through Normal People by Sally Rooney right now.

Q: Is it better to be a bulldog in the courtroom or underestimated?

TG: It is better to be fully yourself, and more than anything, to be confident. The best attorney in the courtroom is the one who knows the facts the best, reads the room, respects the courtroom, and never stops zealously advocating!

Q: It’s the court lunch break at the Southern District of New York and you’re famished. Where are you going?

TG: Congee or Shrimp/Beef Rice Noodle Roll from Yin Ji Chang Fen.

Q: Favorite courthouse around Foley Square and why?

TG: Over the past two months, the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse has felt like a second home to our team. Each morning, the court marshals greeted me with a smile and their positivity was unwavering. They went above and beyond to ensure a safe trial, and made me feel very welcome in the courthouse.