Faris Ilyas (they/them) is a legal fellow with the Research and Advocacy team of the Sex Workers Project.  Faris is passionate about supporting survivors of the criminal legal system who have experienced gender-based violence.  As a legal fellow, Faris is involved with SWP’s New York-based efforts to decriminalize sex work and promote other reforms aimed at uplifting people in the sex trades.  Prior to coming to SWP, Faris interned with the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, where they provided legal assistance to incarcerated TGNCI (transgender, gender non-conforming, and intersex) people, and with the Exploitation Intervention Project of The Legal Aid Society, where they assisted with post-conviction advocacy on behalf of sex workers, victims of trafficking, and victims of domestic violence.  Faris received their J.D. from NYU School of Law in 2022.