Matters
What people hire for
- On the registerTaken from the New York attorney register. That file has the office, the phone, the law school, and the year admitted. It does not say what the lawyer practices. Do not treat a blank matter as a specialty.Not in the register
- Housing & tenantNonpayment, holdover, repairs, and HP actions are filed in Housing Court, borough by borough. Right to Counsel does not cover every tenant. This list is private counsel, not a city-assigned lawyer.71 lawyers
- ImmigrationInterviews and hearings in New York split across 26 Federal Plaza, 201 Varick Street, and 290 Broadway. Removal defense is not the same engagement as a family petition.76 lawyers
- Personal injuryNew York no-fault and the serious-injury threshold decide a lot of car cases before anyone talks about a verdict. The borough of the crash still decides venue.162 lawyers
- Criminal defenseEach borough has its own District Attorney and its own criminal court. A Manhattan defense lawyer is not automatically the right call for a Queens docket.139 lawyers
- Family lawCustody and support often start in Family Court. Divorce is Supreme Court. They are not the same building, and they are not the same paperwork.129 lawyers
- Estates & probateSurrogate's Court is county by county: New York, Kings, Queens, Bronx, and Richmond. Probate in the wrong county is a wasted filing.123 lawyers
- EmploymentThe New York City Human Rights Law is broader than federal Title VII. Many claims stop at the City Commission on Human Rights or the State Division of Human Rights before anyone files in court.86 lawyers
- Business & commercialThe Commercial Division is not every contract fight. Small-business disputes, shareholder fights, and a Commercial Division case are three different retainers.98 lawyers
- Real estateCo-op boards, condo liens, and a residential contract are a different practice from a commercial lease. In this city the building type changes the lawyer.48 lawyers
- Civil rightsClaims against the City and the NYPD are often filed in the Southern or Eastern District, not only in state court. Notice-of-claim deadlines are short.43 lawyers
- BankruptcyThe Southern District bankruptcy court sits at One Bowling Green. The Eastern District covers Brooklyn and Long Island. Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 are not interchangeable.123 lawyers
- Elder lawMedicaid planning and Article 81 guardianships live in different parts of the system. Guardianship is a Supreme Court proceeding. It is not a power of attorney with a fancier name.47 lawyers