Best New York Criminal Defense Attorneys

Julie Rendelman is a New York criminal defense lawyer with more than 20 years of trial experience. She spent over a decade as a prosecutor in the Brooklyn District Attorney's office before opening her own Midtown practice.

That background shapes how she reads a case. Rendelman defends murder and manslaughter charges, drug crimes, assault, and gun cases throughout the city.

Her work has been featured by CNN, The New York Times, and the New York Daily News. The firm also holds a 10.0 Avvo rating and a spot among the National Trial Lawyers Top 100. Consultations are free.

For more than 25 years, Tilem & Associates has run a boutique litigation practice in White Plains, just north of the city. Despite its small size, this New York criminal defense firm carries a heavy caseload across the metro area.

The attorneys take everything from homicide and narcotics charges to routine traffic tickets and DWIs. They also handle personal injury, business, real estate, and family law.

It suits clients who want a single firm for multiple legal needs. Tilem holds a 10.0 Avvo rating and a place on the National Trial Lawyers Top 100.

A top-rated reputation and round-the-clock access set the Law Offices of Robert Tsigler apart in Manhattan. The firm answers calls 24/7 and keeps fees reasonable for the level of representation.

Tsigler's team defends serious matters: assault, weapons offenses, drug cases, and sex crimes. It also takes white-collar work, including CARES Act and PPP fraud, plus civil rights claims.

Clients facing high-stakes charges get a defense built for trial.

Sutnick & Sutnick is a Hackensack criminal defense firm serving Bergen County and clients across New Jersey and New York. The practice includes a New Jersey certified criminal trial attorney, a credential held by only a small share of the state's lawyers.

Warren and Laura Sutnick bring more than 30 years of combined experience. Cases span drunk driving, violent crimes, sex offenses, and record expungement. The office also serves Spanish-speaking clients.

Carl Spector has defended Bergen County clients for more than 30 years from his Glen Rock office. He handles DUI and DWI cases, drug possession, and traffic violations across northern New Jersey.

His website offers free legal guides on impaired driving and shoplifting, which help people understand their situation before they ever call.

Federal charges call for a different kind of defense, and that is where The Fast Law Firm focuses. Led by Elena Fast, a Super Lawyers-rated attorney and former prosecutor, the Midtown firm takes high-stakes federal and state cases.

Its work covers fraud, drug trafficking, sex crimes, violent crimes, and criminal appeals. The team responds quickly after an arrest, at any hour.

Michael A. Arbeit runs a Long Island criminal defense practice from Freeport, serving Nassau County, Suffolk County, and the broader New York metro area. He defends misdemeanor and felony charges, traffic and DWI offenses, theft, and larceny.

Arbeit is available 24/7 and makes immediate jail visits upon a client's arrest.

With more than 30 years of experience, Luke Scardigno is a Queens criminal defense attorney based in Kew Gardens. He focuses on DWI defense, domestic violence, and family law, along with shoplifting and orders of protection.

Scardigno works directly with each client rather than passing cases to staff. He also serves Spanish-speaking clients and offers payment plans.

Michael Paul has practiced criminal defense in Queens for over 35 years, working out of Jackson Heights. He represents individuals and businesses in violent crime, theft, and property cases, plus traffic offenses.

Paul also handles real estate matters and offers flexible payment plans for clients across Woodside, Astoria, and Elmhurst.

Recent wins tell the story at Scott Cerbin Criminal Defense. The firm secured a 2024 gun-possession dismissal in Brooklyn Supreme Court and a 2023 murder mistrial.

Cerbin has spent more than 20 years defending clients across all five boroughs. He handles weapons, drug, and sex-crime charges, along with serious felony cases, from his Brooklyn Heights office.

Vasiliou Law gives Astoria and Queens clients one office for several needs. The team defends criminal and DUI charges and also handles immigration, divorce, child custody, and estate planning.

A multilingual staff and direct attorney contact make it a practical pick for first-time defendants.

Four decades of practice anchor the Law Offices of Victor Knapp in Kew Gardens. Knapp defends DWI, drug, and serious felony charges, and has handled high-profile Queens matters such as the Howard Beach case.

He also takes family law and personal injury work.

Spodek Law Group brings more than 50 years of combined experience and hundreds of strong client reviews to its criminal defense work. The highly reviewed firm takes federal and state cases nationwide, from drug charges to healthcare fraud and white-collar matters.

White-collar defense is the core of Stahl Gasiorowski, a small firm with offices in Manhattan and Mountainside, New Jersey. For over 30 years it has fought federal and state charges, from healthcare and securities fraud to RICO. Founder Robert Stahl is a former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.

For over two decades, Sullivan & Brill has defended New Yorkers against serious criminal charges from its lower Manhattan office. The firm handles homicide, weapons, and assault cases, along with criminal appeals and asset forfeiture.

From Huntington Station, Laurence A. Silverman & Associates serves Long Island with more than a century of combined legal experience. The firm pairs criminal defense with family law, handling DWI, custody, and support matters in English and Spanish.