If you've been charged with a criminal offense, you're probably scared, angry, and confused. You know you need a good criminal defense lawyer, but how do you pick one? Friends and relatives may have lawyers, but do you really want someone who does accident cases or real estate closings? The Internet has dozens of Web sites claiming to be "experienced criminal defense lawyers." The following is a guide for what to look for and why we're the right lawyers for you.
Experience
On their Web sites, most lawyers claim to be "experienced criminal lawyers." Compare them to our law firm. Each of our associated criminal defense lawyers has more than 30 years of experience as a Queens criminal lawyer, with combined experience of over one hundred years! All of that experience is concentrated in criminal law, not divorce or real estate or accident cases. Martin Kane concentrates on state criminal cases, David Cohen on federal cases, and David Kliegman on appeals and post-conviction motions, so you'll have a real expert in your particular case.
Martin Kane has handled thousands of criminal cases, many of which are referred by other lawyers who appreciate his experience and expertise. In front of judges and juries, Mr. Kane has tried hundreds of cases with a high percentage of acquittals. His track record includes several high profile murder cases. David Cohen and David Kliegman have equivalent experience in their areas of practice.
Criminal law is a specialized branch of law that requires the highest level of training and experience. There is no such thing as a minor criminal case. The Law Office of Martin D. Kane has the training, experience, local knowledge, and commitment to obtain the best possible outcome for your criminal case.
Location Does Matter
The Law Office of Martin D. Kane is a Queens criminal defense law firm, period. We have been located directly across from the Queens Criminal Court since 1971 and that's our only office. We are not a storefront or "satellite" office used as a maildrop. The great majority of our cases are in Queens Criminal Court and the surrounding counties of Brooklyn, New York, Bronx, and Nassau.
How does this help you? Most importantly, we are familiar with the PEOPLE who any defense lawyer must negotiate with. The judges, assistant district attorneys, and support programs have names and faces that we see face to face on a regular basis. Defending a gun case, a drug case, a domestic violence case, a DWI case or any other criminal case in Queens Criminal Court requires unique expertise and familiarity in that Court. We know because we're there almost every day.
Quality Representation
Take a look at the attorney profiles of the Law Office of Martin D. Kane.
Martin Kane has been a leading Queens criminal defense lawyer for over 35 years. He is a graduate of Columbia University (B.A.) and New York University School of Law (J.D.), both rated among the very best schools in the country. The thousands of cases he has handled include many high profile trials, including murder, rape, bank fraud, Medicaid fraud, insurance fraud, and most major crimes. Interviews and articles concerning his cases have appeared in Time, Newsweek, the New York Times, the New York Daily News, the New York Post and all the New York TV outlets.
Just as important are the many acquittals and dismissals we have won in DWI, domestic violence and gun possession cases. These so-called "less serious' charges constitute a major part of our practice. We take them very seriously, as do our clients, whose lives are disrupted by these charges. If not handled properly, they can result in a lifelong criminal record, loss of licenses and livelihood, unexpectedly large fines and expenses, forced separation from their families, and even significant jail sentences.
In our practice, all facets of a state criminal case are handled solely by Martin Kane from beginning to end. Nothing is delegated to less experienced attorneys. That includes client interviews, research, in-office witness interviews, pleadings and motion preparation and all court appearances. Conferences with prosecutors and judges, which are vitally important, are prepared for and attended only by Martin Kane. Investigators are necessary in only a small fraction of cases but, if needed, we use the best, most experienced private investigators.
The most frequent complaint we hear from our clients about other attorneys is their failure to respond promptly to telephone calls and their failure to fully address client's concerns about the case. At the Law Office of Martin D. Kane, we are careful to fully discuss any questions the client has about any aspect of the case and we respond to telephone calls as quickly as possible.
Legal Fees
Most people are concerned about the high cost of quality legal representation in a criminal case. Because we concentrate our practice solely in criminal law and are right across the street from Queens Criminal Court, we can keep our fees reasonable while providing excellent legal representation.
You should be aware that most of the legal work in typical criminal cases does not take place in the courtroom. It involves interviews, legal research, motion and trial preparation, telephone calls, conferences and more conferences. An attorney who charges a ridiculously low fee to simply appear in court and take whatever plea is offered is not serving your best interests. Often, if the case is not disposed of immediately, you will be charged additional fees.
At the Law Office of Martin D. Kane, you will be informed up front exactly what our fees will be. You will not be charged for "additional appearances" and we go to court as many times as necessary to obtain the best possible result. Our fees are fair and reasonable, we offer payment plans, and we accept Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.