Michael A. Hardy was an American civil rights attorney from Brooklyn, New York who was involved in numerous civil rights and police brutality cases during his career[1][2] of 36 years career as a practicing member of the New York State Bar from 1988 to 2024.[3] He is credited by American Bar Association as editor of "Constitutional Policing: Striving for a More Perfect Union,"[4] a 2023 published examination of "policing in America."[5] He participated in the Tawana Brawley case[6] and the Eric Garner case.[7][8] Hardy is best known for serving as legal council for civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton.[9][10][11]