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10 Sep, 2024 by Michelle noriega
I have been a client for almost three years now, and if it weren’t for Frank, I wouldn’t have not known where to go. His referral to Dan was well worth it. Dan is very helpful and so understanding and very knowledgeable about my cases. He is also very detailed oriented about information I may need to know and is always positive knowing we will succeed. Everyone at this firm is so patient and so kind and that’s what matters. I must say you will be job good hands if you need a great lawyer. I recommend this office 100%!! Keep up the great work, team!!👍👍
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14 May, 2024 by Tim lindsay
20 Mar, 2024 by Moe zd
I had 3 other lawyers trying to drop some charges and avoid jail time. Which none of them could accomplish it seemed like they were all scared of the prosecutor. I hired Frank and saw immediate results although I served the jail time he got the orders I needed dropped. In an expediated manner The best thing I loved about Frank is that he listened instead of worrying about my money. He’s a beast in the court room and definitely well respected by all the judges. He’s very confident in his work and it speaks for its self. I highly recommend him for anyone going through anything. He’s caring respectful and does everything he tells his clients he’s going to do with no hestitation. His gloves are always on and ready to step in to any court room He really saved my life and My family and I are really great full for this man. Thank you Frank from the bottom my heart I appreciate you 🙏💪👌
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25 Dec, 2021 by Anonymous
Worst lawyer in New Jersey… Better off getting a public defender. Had the interest of lining his own pockets rather than the best interest of his clients.
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28 Sep, 2021 by David
Mr Zisa has represented myself and a few family members. We where all satisfied with the great service he provided us. His staff is also great. I really recommend him.
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10 Aug, 2021 by Andy
I spoke to Mr Zisa yesterday about a real connundrum where I have a family member who refuses to leave a home owned by my Alzheimer's stricken mother. The funds from the house are sorely needed for her care, but the family member is frustrating efforts to sell the property and refuses to pay rent. Mr Zisa gave me more than an hour of his time for free, listened gave excellent ideas on the way forward and even called me back with further useful information. I really appreciated his concern and empathy, not to mention his knowledge of the relevant subject matter law. I will likely hire him as my counsel
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05 Oct, 2023 by Valerie kirk
Paul Faugno is a brilliant attorney. I am beyond grateful for all his hard work. I wish I can give him 100 stars. Highly recommend!
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26 Aug, 2023 by Dj talent
Mrs.Alston here just saying the best lawyer money can buy.
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06 Aug, 2023 by Mike faugno
Amazing lawyer!
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17 Sep, 2024 by Lisha moore
The Kim Law Firm was very supportive of me when I wasn’t even sure what I should do next about my case. Everyone on the team especially Yulia, Mr. Kim, and Mark. They listen intently and with care for your matter and it doesn’t hurt when they win for you and champion for you when you can’t champion for yourself.
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12 Aug, 2024 by Kevin caldwell
I would highly recommend the law firm of Shapiro, Croland, Reiser & Co if you are in need of expert legal services. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Glenn Reiser who has great expertise and experience in legal representation. The services were very reasonable in cost with exceptional professionalism and communication.
I was very happy with the outcome and results of their law services. Thank You!
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24 Jul, 2024 by Elizabeth lawson
Glenn Reiser and his firm Shapiro, Croland, Reiser, Apfel & Di Iorio, LLP fell way short in their handling of my case.
In our initial consultation, Glenn and his brother Stuart promised to build our case and would listen to our concerns and follow our needs by letting us be “in the driver’s seat”. Well, it just came out that Stuart's motto from another review that was left for the firm two months ago follows the old adage "a bad settlement is better than a good lawsuit". The other plaintiff and I let them know from the beginning that in order for a fair settlement to be reached the path to be taken would be for us to go to trial and have an impartial judge make the decision. We knew this from knowing the defendant's mindset that mediation would be a waste of time. If we knew then that this was this attorney’s viewpoint, we would not have chosen them. Although it is true this may work for most cases it was not the way to go for us.
“A bad settlement is better than a good trial,” is the kind of thing a trial lawyer says to a client/plaintiff when recommending a settlement offer that is less than full compensation for the wrong (that is, 99.9% of settlements) when the wronged client balks at the settlement but the trial lawyer thinks it is, on balance, a (relatively) good deal. This certainly was a fitting mantra for them as a bad settlement is exactly what they got us.
As Abraham Lincoln noted "A good settlement is better than a good lawsuit" and when mediation didn’t work with our first attorney where the defendants stretched out the billing hours and refused to even come up with a counter offer, we knew for sure that a trial was the only way for us to get a fair deal. Reiser’s following the adage of a bad settlement is better may work when you are up against insurance companies but was not applicable to our case, considering the unusual mindset and untruthfulness of the defendants in our case.
Another bone of contention is that despite Glenn's high fees, his law firm is run very spartanly which looking back should have set off numerous red flags. For starters, Glenn doesn't have an assistant. So, everything that is done will be billed at his high rate. Glenn doesn't have DocuSign; he doesn't accept any form of electronic payment in which he has you mail a check to him every month. It was also very unsettlingly how he'd reach out asking if I mailed the payment in the tone of someone who was expecting that I would renege on the bill. He seemed to be always having his hand out. I wholeheartedly suspect he most likely consciously drove up billing hours wherever he could.
Glenn also failed to inform us that a legal malpractice case was filed against him and his firm back in April 2023. Although Mr. Reiser boasts that this case is frivolous and the client a nut job (then why was he your client?) the case, even though Glenn has tried to get it thrown out, is still pending so the courts still believe it has merit see; CASTRO v. REISER et al
Glenn also displayed incompetence at times by not answering and ignoring important questions we posed to him in our emails. We asked for copies of our case files which he agreed to send to us however, he never did.
During our second day of trial, the judge said everyone preferred being back in court in-person after the pandemic. Glenn jokingly responded to the judge he was getting tired standing during the questioning.
Glenn not only charges his full rate driving to court and back, but he charges his full rate waiting for court to begin. Not even the experts we had appearing in court did that.
In my sincere opinion, Glenn's high fees aren't worth the subpar service he provides. I would seriously think twice before choosing this firm if you are looking to receive a good and fair settlement from your case.
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27 Jul, 2022 by Robert burnett
The Neary law firm is top notch. Brian Neary and Blaine Benson are the best at what they do .They are ULTRA professional and will do exactly what they promise. They are experts in there field head and shoulders above any of there competitors. Available super qualified and properly connected if anyone wants a firm that is A++ the Neary firm is for you. I've dealt with many attorneys and the Neary firm will provide proper counsel and advice, support all anyone with legal issues they will exceed your expectations. ...RB
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10 Feb, 2021 by Anonymous
Defended my case well, even though he was always late to the proceedings. But then when I tried to appeal the outcome ignored my calls and emails. My appeal was eventually heard but that part was sloppily handled. He charges too much for a mediocre performance. If you're going to spend a lot of money on an attorney, look for someone more reputable.
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18 May, 2019 by William silvi
Brian fought above and beyond for me .He is honest and super intelligent. When it comes to trial law , he has no equal. If you get in trouble mr. Neary will level the playing field and get you what’s right. It’s amazing how god put 12 feet of fearless in a 5 foot man.God bless Brian Neary.
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28 Apr, 2024 by Robert
Hired for a simple 20 minute virtual court session, spoke one word exactly, left her computer three times to work on other cases causing the judge to roll his eyes and waste tons waiting for her return.
Most important! After three months delaying the requested fee itinerary for the $1000.00 retainer, she illegally added multiple unperformed fees totaling $1010.00. She did this deliberately to prevent upholding her own client rule stated on her site that any unused retainer payments will be refunded. During a personal live phone conversation with Toni Russo, I needed to prove more than once her negligence in fiduciary role I paid her for, proving she worked no more than exactly 12 minutes. She refunded me $500.00 and has been sending non stop bills accumulating interest based on the $10.00 she conjured up illegally. Currently i am working with the NJ Office of Attorney Ethics and US Bar Assiciation.
Do NOT communicate with Toni Anne Russo on any matter!!
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26 Feb, 2023 by Anonymous
I wanted to work with her partner but was assigned to her. She was off putting, and I felt like she was not representing me for what I needed. As a result, I found another lawyer.
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13 Oct, 2022 by Anonymous
Unfortunately I was too deep into the process to switch attorneys. I physically handled and negotiated my case. Made copies, provided responses to other attorneys because Russo did not reply timely. The responses that were provided by the firm had another clients information. At one point I was emailed another clients entire divorce settlement. I was also mailed a copy of the same parties personal information. She drags everything out as long as possible to keep collecting, review your bills carefully as I found over $1K in discrepancies for meetings or phone calls which never took place. I was billed for services performed by the paralegal (Amanda) where they tried to attach the attorneys hourly rate. Overall terrible experience, other attorneys do not respect her which was evident.
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22 Mar, 2023 by Aida burgos
Excellent, highly recommended. Very polite and understand person. They got back to us quickly and made it a seamless operation, especially as we were facing time constraints. I highly recommend and will work with this law office again. Thanks, team!
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04 Jun, 2018 by Ralph
I would not hesitate to endorse Chris I was going thur a very bad time with my son. Chris took care of everything and helped me very much. If you are looking for a kick ass lawyer Chris is your man. God bless him.
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13 Aug, 2015 by Anonymous
Chris is not a recommendable lawyer! He gave us high hopes at the beginning of the case and flipped the table on us pushing for a plea deal after he collected sufficient amount of money! He's all about the money and not interested in winning your case. Dont let his demeanor fool you... you are better off with a public defendant!
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03 May, 2022 by Anonymous
Patrick has made my divorce more difficult and challenging then it ever needed to be.My husband and I both requested mediation right from the start and 18 months in and many 10s of thousands of dollars in legal fees we are nowhere at all in the progress of the case and do not yet have a mediator.
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28 Mar, 2015 by Kerrilynn
Mr Harrington was so good to me. He handled a divorce case for me and he knew this was a difficult time for me and my children and was very compassionate and protective. Oatrick also has the patience of a saint ! I would call him worrying about the silliest things and he was ALWAYS responsive and helpful. He gave me WONDERFUL advice and his quick thinking with helping me with an amendment to my custody agreement when I moved later saved me from a world of trouble and pain. I fully endorse this lawyer and if he has received any bad reviews they must be from people that are just bitter and unfair. Sometimes no matter how hard a lawyer tries, he can't make someone happy. In my case he did. He even was concerned about my emotional well being. When we were in court for the final divorce decree I saw my ex husband and I was upset. He sat right next to me and said, "are you okay?" Never leaving my side that day. It is 5 years since my divorce and I still think of his kindness and how grateful I am for his help.
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27 Jul, 2013 by Anonymous
He was negligent and worked against me with my ex husbands attorney. He just wanted to get it done. Did not help advise or anything. And he never even gave me a complete divorce decree. Divorcing an an abusive husband and having disabled children he did not advocate for us at all.
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16 Feb, 2015 by Anonymous
Mr. Bart Gelormino was very nasty and very rushed at the closing. He was an hour late and seemed like he was very disorganized and actually he was dressed very unprofessional. He became extremely rude and spoke with a foul mouth for no reason. It was very embarrassing to everyone at the closing table. I would never recommend the use of his professional service.
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15 Apr, 2022 by Anonymous
Walter and Mike are the worst criminal lawyers. Will keep asking for money and won’t help you. Worst outcomes ever. Don’t waste your time and money. He is the feds lawyer.
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What a Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Do for You
A criminal defense lawyer provides legal representation to individuals or organizations accused of criminal conduct. If you're facing criminal charges, a defense lawyer will work to protect your rights, build a defense strategy, and ensure you receive a fair trial. Their primary goal is to reduce or dismiss charges, secure an acquittal, or negotiate a favorable plea deal.
Criminal defense lawyers have extensive knowledge of criminal law and court procedures. They investigate your case, identify weaknesses in the prosecution's evidence, and represent you in court, ensuring that you have the best possible defense.
When Should I Hire a Criminal Defense Lawyer?
It’s crucial to hire a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible if you are facing any criminal charges. Some situations in which you should seek legal representation include:
- Arrest or police questioning: If you've been arrested or are under investigation, hiring a lawyer early on can prevent self-incrimination and protect your rights during police questioning.
- Felony charges: Crimes such as murder, assault, drug trafficking, or robbery carry severe penalties, including long prison sentences. A defense lawyer is essential in these cases.
- Misdemeanor charges: Even for less serious offenses like DUI, theft, or simple assault, a lawyer can help reduce penalties, negotiate alternatives to jail, or get charges dismissed.
- Plea negotiations: If you’re considering a plea bargain, a lawyer can evaluate the deal, advise you on its consequences, and negotiate for more favorable terms.
- Probation or parole violations: If you’ve been accused of violating probation or parole, a lawyer can defend you against additional penalties or revocation.
- Juvenile offenses: For minors charged with criminal acts, a criminal defense lawyer can protect their future by minimizing legal repercussions or keeping the case in juvenile court.
What Does a Criminal Defense Lawyer Do?
Criminal defense lawyers provide comprehensive legal services to protect their clients’ rights throughout the criminal justice process. Their duties include:
- Case evaluation and investigation: Reviewing the evidence, interviewing witnesses, and investigating the facts to develop a strong defense strategy.
- Legal advice: Advising you on your rights, the charges you’re facing, and potential defense strategies, including whether to take a plea deal or go to trial.
- Negotiating plea bargains: Working with prosecutors to negotiate a plea deal that could reduce charges or minimize penalties.
- Court representation: Representing you in all court hearings, including bail hearings, pretrial motions, trials, and sentencing hearings.
- Filing motions: Filing motions to dismiss charges, suppress evidence, or reduce bail, depending on the specifics of your case.
- Trial preparation and defense: Preparing a defense strategy and presenting arguments, evidence, and witnesses during trial to contest the prosecution's case.
- Appeals: If you are convicted, a defense lawyer can appeal the conviction or sentence, arguing errors in the trial process or legal rulings.
How Are Criminal Defense Lawyers Paid?
Criminal defense lawyers generally charge clients in one of three ways, depending on the complexity of the case and the lawyer’s experience. Payment structures include:
- Flat fee: For straightforward cases (e.g., minor misdemeanors), some lawyers charge a one-time flat fee that covers all aspects of the defense.
- Hourly rate: For more complex or ongoing cases, lawyers may charge by the hour, with rates varying based on the lawyer’s experience and geographic location.
- Retainer fee: In cases where extensive work is expected, the client may pay a retainer fee upfront. The lawyer then bills against that retainer for their work on the case.
The cost of criminal defense services can vary greatly, so it’s important to discuss fees during your initial consultation.
How Much Does a Criminal Defense Lawyer Cost?
The cost of hiring a criminal defense lawyer depends on several factors, including the severity of the charges, the complexity of the case, and the lawyer’s experience. General cost guidelines are:
- Misdemeanor cases: For relatively minor offenses, such as a DUI or petty theft, a flat fee may range from $1,500 to $5,000.
- Felony cases: More serious charges, such as assault or drug trafficking, can range from $10,000 to $100,000 or more, depending on the complexity and duration of the case.
- Hourly rates: For cases billed by the hour, lawyers may charge anywhere from $150 to $500 or more per hour, depending on their expertise and the case's location.
- Additional expenses: You may also be responsible for other costs, such as filing fees, expert witness fees, or the cost of private investigators.
Be sure to clarify the lawyer’s fee structure and any potential additional costs during your consultation.
Top Questions to Ask a Criminal Defense Lawyer
Before hiring a criminal defense lawyer, you’ll want to ensure that they’re a good fit for your case. Here are key questions to ask:
-
What is your experience with cases like mine?
Make sure the lawyer has a strong track record with the specific type of criminal charges you’re facing, whether it’s DUI, drug offenses, or violent crimes. -
What is your fee structure?
Ask how the lawyer charges for their services and whether you’ll be responsible for any additional costs. -
What are the potential outcomes of my case?
A good lawyer should provide an honest assessment of your case and the likelihood of dismissal, a plea bargain, or conviction. -
How many cases have you taken to trial?
While many criminal cases settle with a plea deal, it’s important to hire a lawyer with courtroom experience in case your case goes to trial. -
Who will handle my case?
Ask if the lawyer will be personally involved or if other attorneys in the firm will handle most of the work. -
How do you communicate with your clients?
Be clear on how often and through what channels you can expect updates on your case.
How to Check the Credibility of a Criminal Defense Lawyer
To verify the credibility of a criminal defense lawyer, take the following steps:
- Check their standing with the state bar: Confirm that the lawyer is licensed and in good standing with your state’s bar association. Look for any past disciplinary actions or complaints.
- Read online reviews and testimonials: Platforms like Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, or Google can provide insights from previous clients about the lawyer’s communication, professionalism, and case outcomes.
- Ask for references: A reputable lawyer should have past clients or other professionals who can speak to their competence and work ethic.
- Review their case history: Look at the lawyer’s website or professional profile to see their experience with criminal cases, including high-profile or complex cases.
- Look for trial experience: If your case might go to trial, make sure the lawyer has a strong history of courtroom advocacy and success.
What Should I Prepare for My First Consultation?
To make the most of your first consultation with a criminal defense lawyer, bring the following:
- Details of your case: Be prepared to provide a detailed account of the charges against you, including any documents related to your arrest, police reports, and court dates.
- Criminal history: If you have any prior criminal convictions, inform your lawyer so they can understand how that may affect your current case.
- List of witnesses or evidence: If there are any potential witnesses or evidence that may support your defense, share this information during the consultation.
- Questions for the lawyer: Prepare questions about their experience, legal strategy, and fees to ensure you understand how they will handle your case.
- Bail or release documents: If you’ve been released on bail, bring any paperwork related to your release conditions or restrictions.
By being well-prepared, you can help your lawyer quickly assess your situation and begin building an effective defense strategy.
