City
New York
New York is the largest legal market in the country, and also one of the most fragmented. Each of the five boroughs is its own county with its own courthouses, and the court most people end up in for a lawsuit or a divorce is the New York Supreme Court – which, despite the name, is the state’s main trial court, not its highest. Criminal cases, Family Court custody and support matters, Housing Court and immigration court each run on separate tracks. The attorneys profiled below know which building a case belongs in and how that court actually moves.
Every profile here passes the same standard as the rest of the platform. We check each attorney against New York’s official attorney registration records, confirm what’s publicly checkable, and look past the version of a firm’s story that its own marketing tends to round up. What we publish is reporting, not advertising – coverage that’s earned, never purchased. Where a placement is sponsored, it’s labeled plainly and kept structurally separate from the editorial work around it.
New York’s profiled attorneys span criminal defense, family law and divorce, immigration, and business and commercial litigation, along with DWI defense, real estate and tenant representation, employment, bankruptcy and estate planning. Firms range from Midtown and Financial District practices to neighborhood offices in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island.
If you’re comparing counsel in New York, use the practice-area filter to narrow the list below, and read past the headline – the details of how a firm actually works a case are usually where a good match shows itself.
Everything published here is legal information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship with any firm listed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which court will my New York case be in?
It depends on the kind of case. Most lawsuits and all divorces are filed in the New York Supreme Court, which despite its name is the state's main trial court, not its highest. Criminal cases go to Criminal Court or to Supreme Court for felonies, custody and support disputes outside a divorce go to Family Court, and landlord-tenant cases go to Housing Court. Each of the five boroughs is a separate county with its own courthouses.
How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in New York?
Generally three years from the date of the injury under CPLR section 214. Claims against New York City or another public entity are very different: a notice of claim usually must be filed within 90 days, and the lawsuit within one year and 90 days, so these cases need an attorney quickly.
Does New York reduce my compensation if I was partly at fault?
New York uses a pure comparative fault rule under CPLR section 1411. Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of responsibility, but you can still recover something even if you were mostly at fault. That makes the fault split one of the most important numbers in a New York injury case.
What kinds of cases are most common among New York attorneys profiled here?
Criminal defense, family law and divorce, immigration, and business and commercial litigation lead, followed by DWI defense, real estate and tenant representation, employment, bankruptcy and estate planning. New York has one of the broadest practice-area mixes of any city on this platform.