Some cases are harder to win than others on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and as recurring guest star Nia Vardalos proved in SVU‘s explosive two-part crossover with Law & Order, defense attorney Minonna Efron is not to be messed with.

Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and her elite squad along with the steadfast 2-7 navigated a seriously mind-boggling case during the epic two-part crossover event after uncovering a black market baby mill being financed by a eugenics-focused white supremacist. The human trafficking scheme was a wide-scale conspiracy run by Sarah Tandon, the owner of a bogus charity that sourced embryos from Christian fertility clinics to impregnate Ukrainian surrogates in exchange for U.S. citizenship. Tandon recruited defense attorney Minonna Efron as her representation, who instantly pointed the finger at Tandon’s longtime investor, a billionaire eugenicist with stock in Tandon’s insidious supply of embryos.

While A.D.A. Sonny Carisi (Peter Scanavino) and the 2-7 A.D.A.s were able to ultimately secure justice in the end, anytime Minonna Efron shows up, the squads start crossing their fingers for a guilty verdict, as Vardalos always delivers a grand-slam performance.

Why you recognize SVU guest star Nia Vardalos

Nia Vardalos has built a decades-long acting career defined by sharp timing and compelling emotional range, all qualities that translate seamlessly with each of her SVU guest appearances.

Vardalos first gained widespread recognition as the creator and star of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, a breakout performance that led to a multi-film franchise and several other iconic roles. Before rising to fame with My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Vardalos starred in television projects like Team Knight Rider, Boy Meets World, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Beyond her film work, Vardalos has maintained a steady primetime presence, appearing in various series with guest credits on shows like Grey’s Anatomy, The Good Guys, Cougar Town, and Jane the Virgin. In addition to these glimmering credits, Vardalos has played defense attorney Minonna Efron on Law & Order: SVU since 2013, where she’s always given the squad a run for their money in the courtroom.

Nia Vardalos plays defense attorney Minonna Efron on Law & Order: SVU

Aside from making an appearance in Law & Order and SVU‘s two-part crossover, Vardalos has actually recurred as the cutthroat defense attorney Minonna Efron since Season 14 of SVU. Vardalos made her SVU debut in the 2013 episode “Criminal Hatred,” representing a homophobic client accused of a series of murders. Efron proved to be a formidable foe against former SVU A.D.A. Rafael Barba (Raúl Esparza), poking holes in his prosecution at every turn.

Efron’s defense strategy is rooted in clinging to concrete evidence rather than theoretical intent. Time and time again, she’s defended her clients with the argument that a jury cannot condemn a suspect solely due to their inner thoughts and opinions. Efron showcased this hardened approach twice in Season 15, first during a tense he-said-she-said case (“Rapist Anonymous”) and later while representing an accused pedophile (“Thought Criminal”).

Carisi Turns Off the Lights in the Courtroom to Prove a Suspect Wrong | NBC’s Law & Order: SVU

Several years later, the lawyers went up against the tenacious Efron in SVU Season 24’s “The Presence of Absence” when the defense attorney represented a woman accused of sexually abusing her best friend while trying to ensure they’d actualize a dream of being pregnant at the same time. After Efron leveraged the pair’s sexual history from college to spin the narrative, Carisi was forced to get creative in establishing guilt in the courtroom, securing a win in that case.

With Vardalos’ latest appearance on Season 27 of SVU, she continues to give the squads plenty of reason to make sure they’ve collected all the facts for their steadfast lawyers, never knowing what Minonna Efron might throw at them next.