Best Lawyers in New York, United States
New York City is one of the most active and complex legal markets in the world. With a dense network of courts, regulations and high-stakes legal matters across every industry, navigating the legal system here requires more than just any attorney—it requires the right one.
Whether you're dealing with a corporate dispute, a criminal charge, or a personal legal issue, experience matters. So does reputation. That’s why this directory exists.
The Best Lawyers New York directory offers a streamlined, trustworthy way to start your search. Every attorney in New York listed has been recognized by their peers for professional excellence and the platform is designed to help you filter by legal need, review credentials and take the next step with confidence.
How the Directory Works
This page serves as a targeted directory for users looking to find a lawyer in New York. Each attorney listed has been recognized in the most recent edition of Best Lawyers—a distinction based entirely on peer nominations and evaluations.
You can search by:
- Practice area: filter by the type of legal help you need
- Location: narrow results to your city
- Attorney name: if you’re looking to verify someone you’ve already heard of
Each attorney profile includes a clear summary of their experience, focus areas and credentials—giving you the information you need to make a confident decision.
Legal Help by Practice Area
New York City residents’ and visitors’ legal needs are wide-ranging and so are the attorneys listed in this directory. You can quickly narrow your search by legal focus. This directory includes attorneys who concentrate on some of the most in-demand areas of law in New York, such as:
- Business and commercial law
- Criminal defense and investigations
- Employment and labor disputes
- Real estate and construction law
- Divorce, custody and family matters
- Immigration issues
- Personal injury and malpractice
- Estate planning and probate
Why These Attorneys Are Listed
Every attorney on this page has earned a place through Best Lawyers’ rigorous annual peer-review process—one of the most trusted selection methods in the legal profession.
It’s recognition by fellow attorneys who know the work and understand what excellence looks like. Attorneys are nominated by peers and then evaluated on legal skill, professional conduct and client outcomes. Thousands of lawyers participate each year, providing confidential assessments within their specific practice areas.
To be listed, an attorney must:
- Be nominated by another legal professional
- Receive consistently high marks from peers in their practice area
- Maintain a strong track record of ethical behavior and client success
Only those who stand out among their peers are selected. And only those chosen in the most recent edition of the Best Lawyers awards appear in this directory, ensuring that every listing reflects current, active recognition.
Attorneys also manage their own profiles, so the information you’re reviewing is not only credible, but current. You’ll find clear details about each attorney’s practice focus, background and achievements—everything you need to make an informed decision.
This page is built to support your search. Whether you're starting from scratch or narrowing down a list of top attorneys in New York, this directory is a practical, no-frills tool to help you move forward.
Start Your Search
If you're trying to find a lawyer in New York, this directory offers a trusted, peer-reviewed way to start. Whether you're hiring for the first time or looking to verify someone's standing, the attorneys listed here have been selected for a reason.
Begin your search by selecting your legal focus. Then explore profiles, compare qualifications and connect with an attorney in New York who’s already earned the trust of the legal community.
Select a city or practice area from the list below to find the best legal talent for your needs.
Cities
Practice Areas
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Barbara Mendelson is a partner in the Financial Services Group in the New York office. Her practice involves advising foreign and U.S. banks in a variety of complex regulatory matters, including sales and acquisitions of U.S. banking and nonbanking firms, Dodd-Frank Act issues, applications to federal and state bank regulators for expansion of activities and new products, Bank Secrecy Act and OFAC matters and over-the-counter and exchange-based trading of various instruments and derivatives. ...
Alan N. Sutin is Chair of the firm's Technology, Media & Telecommunications Practice and Co-Chair of the Global Intellectual Property & Technology Practice. An experienced business lawyer focused on commercial transactions with significant intellectual property and technology issues, Alan brings a practical, business-oriented approach to advising companies as they expand their use of new leading-edge technologies. He advises clients in connection with transactions involving the develo...
Charles E. Williams III, is a Partner in the Construction and Real Estate Law practices at Peckar & Abramson. He focuses his practice on construction, real property and government relations issues and commercial litigation, including the representation of sureties. Charles has tried numerous cases in New York State courts and has frequently represented clients in actions in the federal courts in both New York and New Jersey. In addition, Charles has conducted numerous seminars for both cl...
Daniel J. Ratner is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Individuals and Labor Law - Union. Daniel J., who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 1997. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Daniel J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Richard M. Strassberg is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: General Practice and Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Richard M., who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Richard M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Joseph A. Guay serves as the firm's Real Estate Section leader. His practice is focused in the areas of real estate, business and commercial lending with a strong emphasis in hotel and resort development and hospitality law including hotel acquisitions and dispositions, development and finance, mixed-use development projects, hotel management agreements, branded residential projects, restaurant agreements and general hotel operation matters throughout the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean...
Sheldon Chanales is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Sheldon, who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Sheldon is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.