Admitted: 1983, New York; 1989, U.S. District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit; 1994, U.S. Supreme CourtLaw School: J.D., cum laude, Cardozo Law School

Biography: Member, Cardozo Law Review, 1980–1981. Adjunct Professor, New York Law School, 2004–2007. Recipient, Innovative CLE Program Award for research, development and presentation of “Effective Trial Communication Techniques: The Application of Advertising, Drama and Psychology to Trials,” New York County Lawyers’ Association, October 21, 2003. Author: “Deported Defendants: Challenging Convictions From Abroad,” The New York Law Journal, June 14, 2006; “Opening Within the Rules,” The New York Law Journal, July 17, 2002; “May Jurors Question Witnesses?” The New York Law Journal, September 25, 2003; “Interrogations and Confessions,” Criminal Defense Techniques, Chapter 3 (Matthew Bender, 1988); see further articles and lectures on this site.  Also, more accomplishments are listed below in greater detail.

Born: Norfolk, Virginia; January 22

Cases: People v. Calderone, 151 Misc.2d 530 (New York City. 1991); United States v. Lynch, 162 F.3d 732 (2d Cir. 1998); other cases are discussed on this site, in particular under Convictions Attacked.

– More than 32 years of experience as a criminal trial and appellate lawyer in both federal and New York State courts; – Former adjunct professor of law, teaching trial advocacy;

– Received Martindale-Hubbell’s Highest Rating (“Preeminent™”) and was listed in SuperLawyers starting in October 2011; has an Avvo rating of “Superb” along with their “Client’s Choice Award” because of the excellent reviews he has received on their site: www.Avvo.com;

– Specializes in trying to vacate old convictions that cause immigration problems (See “Convictions Attacked,” above.) and in representing aliens who are facing criminal charges

– Award-winning lecturer on trial-communication techniques, criminal law, and the relationship of criminal law to immigration law (See “Prior Lectures” and “CLE – Trial Communication,” above.)

– Published author in the area of criminal law, trial techniques, post-conviction work and immigration law (See “Published Articles,” above.)

– Former faculty member, Cardozo Law School Criminal Appeals Clinic and Intensive Trial Advocacy Program

– Has handled every type of case — from complex white-collar to murder — in both state and federal courts

Labe Richman has been a criminal trial and appellate lawyer for more than 30 years. Martindale-Hubbell®, the nation’s premier lawyers’ rating service, has given him the highest rating (“Preeminent™”) in the areas of both proficiency and ethics. He has also been labeled a “SuperLawyer” by Thompson West and has been listed in the NYC Metro Super Lawyers list since 2011. This NY criminal defense law firm has handled a wide variety of cases, from murder to white-collar. These cases include bank, mail, wire and securities fraud, RICO, murder, extortion, assault, theft, weapons possession, drug possession and trafficking, money laundering, arson, shoplifting, grand larceny, assault, forgery, burglary, robbery, prostitution, gambling, environmental crimes, immigration, copyright and computer crimes. He has represented doctors, lawyers, business owners, consultants, brokers and other professionals.  He also is extremely conscientious when it comes to protecting a client’s reputation and makes sure that matters are sealed if possible with the courts and law enforcement agencies.

Labe also specializes in reopening old convictions that cause immigration problems (See “Convictions Attacked,” above) and has made numerous motions based on the relatively new case of Padilla v. Kentucky. He makes a significant effort, when representing aliens in criminal cases, to consider the immigration consequences of the conviction in his legal strategy (That is why this website may be accessed using the address: NYCriminalandImmigrationLaw.com). He has a substantial practice in both federal and New York State courts.

Mr. Richman was an adjunct professor of law at New York Law School, where he taught trial advocacy. He has lectured on trial-communication techniques and other subjects at the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, Rutgers Law School, Seton Hall Law School, Cardozo Law School, Columbia Law School, the Office of the Capital Defender, New York County Lawyers’ Association, the New York State Bar Association, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the New York State Defenders Association’s Immigration Defense Project, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, the Public Law Institute (“PLI”) and the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. His research, development and presentation of the comprehensive lecture Effective Trial Communications Techniques: The Application of Advertising, Drama & Psychology to Trials has won the Innovative Program Award from the New York County Lawyers’ Association Continuing Legal Education Institute. He is also a lecturer and faculty member in Barry Scheck’s Intensive Trial Advocacy Program at Cardozo Law School. To obtain more information about his award-winning presentation, click on “CLE – Trial Communication,” above.

When possible, Mr. Richman attempts to employ these sophisticated techniques in his own trials, using powerful visuals and harnessing cutting-edge techniques, such as computer graphics, to communicate his client’s defense in court.

He combines his trial experience with a strong background in legal writing and appellate work. He makes every effort to represent clients in an aggressive, creative, but studious way. A list of his appellate victories is available on this web site by clicking on “Convictions Attacked,” above. His appellate experience has been helpful to immigrants who need a creative legal attack on prior convictions that are causing deportation problems. [His success in this area is significant, but the client must understand that prior success does not mean that any particular client will succeed with their appeal or post-conviction motion. Past cases do not necessarily predict future success].  As noted above, in this regard, he has developed an expertise in the new case of Padilla v. Kentucky and has lectured nationally on this subject.

Labe Richman graduated, cum laude, from Cardozo Law School, where he served on the Law Review. He was a faculty member of the Cardozo Law School Criminal Appeals Clinic and was a contributing author to Matthew Bender’s Criminal Defense Techniques. He has also published articles on trial practice and on criminal and immigration law in the New York Law Journal. [Those articles are available on this site by clicking on “Published Articles,” above]. He is a graduate of the National Criminal Defense College’s Trial Institute and the National Institute for Trial Advocacy’s Teacher Training at Harvard.

Mr. Richman won a dismissal of a high-profile case against an attorney from Kazakhstan who was charged with extorting New York City’s mayor, Michael Bloomberg. In complex cases, he has represented several doctors; attorneys; securities, real estate and mortgage brokers; and a merchant banker. As a white-collar-crime specialist, he has been a consultant on criminal trial issues for TheStreet.com. He has also had a great deal of experience and success with street crime and drug cases, winning acquittals or hung juries in burglary, robbery, assault, drugs, weapons and money-laundering cases. Again, past success does not guarantee that he will win your case.

The New York Civil Liberties Union, the American Jewish Congress and the Lamda Legal Defense Fund asked him to write a friend-of-the-court brief in an important double-jeopardy case before the Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, and he won. See United States v. Lynch, 162 F.3d 732 (2d Cir., 1998). When defendants were harassed by private-citizen criminal complaints at the Criminal Court at 386 Broadway, Labe Richman had the entire process ruled unconstitutional — People v. Calderone, 151 Misc.2d 530 (New York City, 1991). As noted above, his other important published appeals and post-conviction victories are listed elsewhere on this site (click on “Convictions Overturned,” above). He also represented a defendant in the 9-11 Detainee Litigation which involved a class action against the United States and others for detentions which occurred after September 11th.

He has a great deal of experience trying cases, or, if the case requires, negotiating favorable plea bargains. Many times, Mr. Richman’s success occurs during sentencing, when he is able to advocate for mercy for his client. Humanizing the criminal defendant for the court and the jury is always his primary concern. When significant jail time is unavoidable, he makes every effort to find special prison programs which reduce sentences or he advocates for placement in more comfortable facilities which are close to relatives. He also makes every effort to negotiate dispositions which have as little effect on an alien’s immigration status as possible.

Labe Richman has represented individuals in cases throughout New York State in both state and federal courts.  His New York State trial practice is primarily in Manhattan (New York County), the Bronx, Brooklyn (Kings County), Queens and Staten Island (Richmond County). His post-conviction work is more wide ranging geographically. We have represented many people in investigations that have not led to charges.  These often occur in investigations on passport fraud which are conducted by the law enforcement wing of the U.S. State Department, Social Security fraud, Immigration Fraud regarding CIS, and Motor Vehicle fraud investigated by DMV in Albany,  People who are being investigated should always consult an attorney before talking to investigative agents.

This NY criminal defense attorney stands ready to provide any further information that you need. For help with criminal law in New York, call Labe Richman at 866-986-3534, (212) 227-1914 or contact us online.  See how we can help, or [email protected].