Criminal Defense · New York
Top Criminal Defense Lawyers in New York
Criminal defense lawyers represent people under investigation or charged with offences, from traffic and misdemeanour matters to serious felonies. This list compares 55 criminal defense lawyers practising in New York on verified licences, years in this area, focus and sourced reputation.
- Updated 14 Oct 2026
- Ranking v1.0.0
- How we rank
- lawyers considered
- 55
- 33 verified licences
- 60%
- average years in practice
- 13
The ranking
Score out of 100- 1
Ethan Nakamura
VerifiedSenior Associate
Kensington & Thorne LLP34 yrs in practice3.3(17)Criminal DefenseSpeaks English, Portuguese
- 2
Patrick Hargrove
VerifiedAssociate
Rowe Law Group21 yrs in practice4.4(16)Criminal DefenseEstate Planning - 3
Hugo Takahashi
VerifiedSenior Associate
Linden & Calder LLP36 yrs in practice4.2(3)Criminal DefenseSpeaks English, Arabic
- 4
- 5
Rachel Rourke
VerifiedPrincipal Lawyer
37 yrs in practiceCriminal DefenseBusinessSpeaks English, Mandarin
- 6
Helena A. Mensah
VerifiedPrincipal Lawyer
Kensington Law Group16 yrs in practice4.8(6)Criminal Defense - 7
Daniel Weller
VerifiedOf Counsel
Rowe & Quill LLP10 yrs in practice4.7(22)Criminal DefenseImmigrationSpeaks English, Arabic
- 8
Noah Stavros
Out of dateAssociate
Redfern & Calder LLP29 yrs in practice4.3(2)Criminal DefenseSpeaks English, Korean
- 9
Anika Mbeki
VerifiedFounding Attorney
Holt & Quill LLP22 yrs in practiceCriminal DefenseChild CustodyEmployment+2 more - 10
- 11
- 12
Lucas A. Abernathy
Out of datePrincipal Lawyer
Holt Law Group18 yrs in practice4.4(22)Criminal DefensePersonal InjurySpeaks English, Urdu, Mandarin
- 13
- 14
Benjamin Dunmore
VerifiedPrincipal Lawyer
Sterling & Wyatt LLP7 yrs in practiceCriminal DefenseEstate Planning - 15
Patrick S. Castellano
Out of dateFounding Attorney
Kensington Law Group32 yrs in practice5.0(1)Criminal DefenseSpeaks English, Urdu
- 16
Amara S. Vasquez
VerifiedManaging Partner
Ashby Law Group11 yrs in practice3.9(22)Personal InjuryCriminal Defense - 17
Tomasz Iyer
VerifiedAssociate
Linden & Calder LLP15 yrs in practiceCriminal DefenseSpeaks English, Mandarin
- 18
- 19
Tomasz Nakamura
Out of dateOf Counsel
Wyatt Law Group25 yrs in practice4.8(24)BusinessCriminal DefenseSpeaks English, Arabic, Hindi
- 20
- 21
Patrick S. Ashford
VerifiedSenior Associate
Wyatt Law Group27 yrs in practice3.8(16)BusinessCriminal DefenseEmployment+1 moreSpeaks English, French
- 22
Clara Stavros
VerifiedPartner
Prescott & Calder LLP22 yrs in practice4.4(20)EmploymentChild CustodyCriminal Defense+1 moreSpeaks English, Hindi
- 23
- 24
Noah Sullivan
VerifiedAssociate
Prescott & Vance LLP14 yrs in practiceDivorceCriminal DefenseSpeaks English, Urdu
- 25
Diego R. Feldman
VerifiedPartner
Ashby Law Group30 yrs in practice4.8(2)BusinessCriminal DefenseSpeaks English, Vietnamese, Spanish
How we rank
Each lawyer gets nine component scores from 0 to 100. The bar shows how many of the 100 available points each component contributed. Weights are fixed for every lawyer in this list and published in full; payment plays no part.
Expertise50%
- Credentials20%
- Relevant experience15%
- Specialization15%
Standing35%
- Verified reputation15%
- Professional recognition10%
- Relevant track record10%
Service & data15%
- Client experience5%
- Profile & data quality5%
- Data freshness5%
New York legal resources
- New York State Bar Association
Statewide bar association; lawyer referral and public resources.
- New York City Bar Association
Legal referral service and free legal clinics.
- New York State Unified Court System
Court information, forms and the attorney registration search.
Choosing a criminal defense lawyer
Experience in the specific court and with the specific type of charge matters. Ask whether the lawyer has handled trials, not only plea negotiations, and whether they previously worked as a prosecutor or public defender. Contact a lawyer before speaking to investigators.
Frequently asked questions
Should I talk to the police without a lawyer?
You generally have the right to remain silent and to have a lawyer present. It is usually wise to speak to a criminal defense lawyer before giving any statement.
What if I cannot afford a lawyer?
If you are charged with an offence that can lead to imprisonment, you may be entitled to a public defender or legal aid. Ask the court about eligibility.