Who is the Best Criminal Lawyer in NYC?

If you have been charged with a crime in NYC, you likely want to hire the best NYC criminal lawyer to handle your case. After all, the stakes of a criminal case are very high. Your freedom, record, and reputation are on the line.

New York City has many outstanding criminal lawyers, and at the end of the day, it is impossible to label one person as the best criminal lawyer in New York City. Just like it is with writers, chefs, or jazz musicians, once a person reaches a certain level of experience, that person knows his or her craft. The difference between experienced professionals ultimately comes down to a matter of style and taste.

Which Style of Lawyering is Best for You?

As a prospective client, you should decide which style of lawyering you want for your case. Do you want a lawyer who is an aggressive bulldog towards the court and opposing counsel? Do you want a slick dealmaker who uses soft persuasion to get his adversaries to accept the defense’s point of view? Do you want an academic, bookworm type of lawyer who can argue unique, untested legal theories? Criminal lawyers come in all these varieties and many more, including mixes of different styles.

Experienced, exceptional criminal lawyers of all these varieties exist in New York City. To some clients, an aggressive bulldog type of lawyer is the best criminal lawyer for them, while others may think that lawyers who are more collaborative and make very emotional appeals to the prosecution and court are the best.

To determine the best NYC criminal lawyer for you, you should speak with lawyers whom you think have the style that you want in your advocate. Look for videos of those lawyers. Do they present themselves in the way that you want? Speak with those lawyers. Do they communicate with you in a way that gives you confidence? Ultimately, you put a lot of trust in your lawyer. You should select a lawyer whose style will make you confident that you are in good hands.

Experience

Although the best NYC criminal lawyer for you is a lawyer whose legal style aligns with your preferences, fundamentally the lawyer must have extensive experience practicing criminal law. In other words, you need to make sure that your lawyer has the necessary skills and expertise to strategically handle your case.

Criminal law is very complicated, and it takes many years of constant practice before a lawyer knows the ins and outs of practicing criminal law. 

A great thing about New York City—for both clients and lawyers—is that, since NYC is so big and filled with so many people with legal needs, lawyers can specialize in specific areas of the law. For instance, because there is such a large market of people needing legal services for specific kinds of issues, lawyers can establish a successful practice in a niche area of the law, such as real estate law, criminal law, tax law, animal rights law, and so on. Conversely, in a rural town with a small population, a lawyer may need to be a jack-of-all-trades lawyer and handle any sort of case that walks through the door. 

Because lawyers in NYC can focus on specific areas of the law, they are able to become very good at a specific area of law, which is great for clients because they can hire lawyers who focus on their legal issues. Ultimately, this helps ensure that people’s legal rights are protected. The key takeaway, though, is that if you have a criminal case, you can and should hire a lawyer who focuses on criminal law. 

Accordingly, you should find out about the criminal law experience of the lawyer whom you are interested in hiring. How many years has that lawyer practiced criminal law? How many criminal cases has that lawyer handled? Does the lawyer have experience with high-stakes, stressful charges like murder? Did the lawyer graduate from a reputable law school? Does the lawyer have positive reviews from other clients who attest to the lawyer’s skill?

Finding a Lawyer Whom You Trust

As discussed, the best NYC criminal lawyer is a person who is experienced in criminal law in New York City and has a style that aligns with your preferences. Even with those factors in mind, it can be very difficult to make the final decision about which lawyer to retain for your case.

After vetting the lawyer you are interested in, the decision about whether to hire that lawyer—like with many other decisions—can often come down to whether you trust the lawyer. Even if a lawyer has plenty of criminal experience and has a style that works for you, ultimately you must feel good about who you are hiring. If, after speaking with a prospective lawyer, you feel secure, confident, and well-informed, then that says a lot. 

Throughout the course of a criminal case, you may have to make very important decisions, such as whether to go to trial or take a plea offer. These decisions can have life-altering consequences. It’s critical that, as your criminal case unfolds, you trust the person who is advocating for you and providing you with advice. 

Although you can look for some information to determine whether to trust a lawyer, such as testimonials and fee transparency, your gut instinct is important. No guide or Google search can tell you when your gut should trust a lawyer; your gut is instinctive, and it’s usually right. 

So, if you are looking for the best NYC criminal lawyer, find a lawyer whom you instinctively trust, who is experienced, and who has a style that matches your preferences.

Let NYC Criminal Lawyer Cody Warner Help

If you have been charged with a crime in New York City and are looking to retain a criminal lawyer, give NYC criminal lawyer Cody Warner a call for a free consultation. He can discuss your case with you and propose a strategy for the best path forward. Contact our office today.