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Kristen Gibbons Feden      

MSNBC Legal Analyst, Nationally Acclaimed Litigator & Victim's Rights Advocate

Kristen M. Gibbons Feden is a nationally acclaimed litigator, speaker and MSNBC Legal Analyst. While her now-famous closing argument in the second trial of Commonwealth v. William H. Cosby put her in the international spotlight, Gibbons Feden has always been dedicated to fighting for victims of sexual abuse both in and out of the courtroom.

Gibbons Feden began her work with victims as a prosecutor in Montgomery County, where she served as Captain of the Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse Units and member of the Sex Crimes Unit. In that role, she successfully litigated scores of cases to verdict, including trials involving sexual and physical abuse, domestic violence, and homicide. While a prosecutor, Gibbons Feden received multiple commendations for her courtroom successes and efforts on behalf of survivors. By taking many cases to trial that others would not, Gibbons Feden demonstrated her dedication to survivors, time and time again.

Outside of the courtroom, Gibbons Feden provides a powerful voice for victims nationwide. Gibbons Feden uses her experience and training in law enforcement to passionately fight for people and groups who have suffered unfair discrimination by police or government. She is regularly called upon for expert commentary on high-profile matters by attorneys and international and national media outlets, including CNN, CBS, ABC, Fox, NPR, and the BBC. Gibbons Feden serves as an MSNBC Legal Analyst, offering commentary about various trials and investigations.

Gibbons Feden has traveled internationally speaking out and fighting for changes in the law and in our societies’ understanding of the dynamics of sexual violence and the effects of sexual trauma on survivors. She has been recognized by numerous victim’s rights organizations around the country for this work.

Gibbons Feden is also a proud member of various Boards and Court Appointments, including being a Board Member of AEquitas, a national resource center for law enforcement investigating and prosecuting sex trafficking and other sex crimes; the Vice President of the Montgomery County’s Victim’s Services Center; and a Member of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Criminal Procedural Rules Committee. Her expertise is also frequently called upon by various advocacy groups to present and provide keynote speeches. Gibbons Feden is also an adjunct professor at the Temple University Beasley School of Law and teaches in the top-ranked Temple LL.M. program in Trial Advocacy.

Speech Topics

Together We Move: Social Movements & The Minnesota v. Derek Chauvin

Kristen discusses the impact of activist movements that have galvanized marginalized communities to stand together against the violence and social injustice that plagues our country. Kristen analyzes these issues through the lens of the State v. Chauvin, for which she provided National television coverage throughout the trial.

Fighting to Be Fearless: How Women & Marginalized Communities Recognize & Defeat the Credibility Gap

With a vision of justice for all, Kristen discusses how achieving credibility in school, the workplace, and various institutions may be impacted by gender and racial differences. She deftly explains how credibility is the composite of judgments and decisions made at the highest levels of professional leadership that, while nominally merit based, are frequently subject to unconscious biases that disproportionately affect women and people of color. Interwoven throughout Kristen’s discussions are her own personal and professional experiences, including motivational strategies and effective solutions for overcoming the credibility gap, being viewed as an effective and competent lawyer, and paving the way for others.

The Role of Culture & Credibility in Oppression and Rape

Kristen seamlessly connects the glass ceiling in the workplace that artificially suppresses the advancement of women and minorities with the acceptance of “rape myths” in the legal sphere. She discusses how historical institutions are formed around a culture that diminishes minorities and elevates white-male power structures. Kristen then examines how this leads to “meritorious” measurements that are anything but meritorious, reinforce minority suppression and bar marginalized communities from finding opportunity and justice.

Bringing William H. Cosby to Justice: The Frist Conviction in the #MeToo Era

Kristen, one of lead prosecutors in the Commonwealth v. Cosby trials, engages audiences in a discussion about prosecuting what many have described as the first major trial of the “Me To” era. She goes into the nuts and bolts of the trial, while stepping back at times to look at societal and cultural issues impacting this high-profile trial.

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