This guide covers 10 criminal defense firms handling DWI and DWAI cases across New York City’s five boroughs, evaluated on background and credentials (former prosecutors, DWI-specific certifications, bar admissions), depth of DWI-specific experience, and practice focus (dedicated DWI/DUI practice versus general criminal defense that includes DWI). Firms are listed with founder background, office location, and practice scope so readers can compare options directly.
Choosing a DWI defense lawyer in NYC comes down to a few concrete questions: does the attorney appear regularly in the specific borough’s criminal court, do they have first-hand knowledge of how DAs build DWI cases (often as a former prosecutor), and do they handle the parallel DMV administrative hearing alongside the criminal case. This list is not ranked and not sponsored. Metadata below was pulled from each firm’s own site, attorney directories including Avvo, Super Lawyers, and Martindale-Hubbell, and business listings on Yelp and Google, with sources named where a specific rating or figure is cited.
1. Law Offices of Robert Tsigler, PLLC
- Attorney/Key Figure: Robert Tsigler, Founder
- Headquarters: 299 Broadway, Suite 1400, New York, NY 10007 (also Brooklyn, Queens, and Garden City offices)
- Phone: (718) 878-3781
- Website: tsiglerlaw.com
- Practice Areas: Criminal defense (including DWI/DUI/DWAI), federal defense, immigration law, family law
- Firm Size: Mid-size team of attorneys across four offices
- Practice Area: NYC DWI Lawyer
- Social Profiles: Facebook · X (Twitter) · Instagram · LinkedIn · YouTube · Yelp · Avvo
The Law Offices of Robert Tsigler, PLLC is a criminal-defense team that grew out of founder Robert Tsigler’s early work at the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, and it now runs offices in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Garden City — so the firm appears regularly in the courts of the boroughs where most NYC DWI arrests are actually prosecuted.
DWI defense is a core part of the practice rather than an add-on: the firm works both tracks a New York DWI runs on — the criminal case and the separate DMV/refusal hearing that controls your license — and its attorneys draw on former-prosecutor insight into how DAs screen and build impaired-driving cases, along with forensic review of breath-test calibration, field-sobriety procedure, and body-worn camera footage that often decides these cases.
The credentials back that up: Tsigler is admitted in New York and New Jersey, is a member of the National College for DUI Defense, holds an Avvo 10.0 “Superb” rating and a National Trial Lawyers Top 100 designation, and was named one of the American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys’ 2017 Ten Best Attorneys in New York.
Practical touches matter too for anyone arrested overnight: the firm is reachable 24/7 for late-night arraignments and offers multilingual service.
2. Greco Neyland, PC
- Attorney/Key Figure: Jeffery Greco and Dustan Neyland, Founding Partners
- Headquarters: 1140 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 1035, New York, NY 10036 (also White Plains and Long Island by appointment)
- Phone: (212) 951-1300
- Website: newyorkcriminallawyer.com
- Practice Areas: DWI defense, drug crimes, violent crimes, weapons offenses, sex crimes, white collar/federal fraud
- Firm Size: Boutique, over 50 years of combined attorney experience
- Practice Area Page: NYC DWI Lawyer
- Social Profiles: Instagram · LinkedIn (firm) · LinkedIn (Jeff Greco)
Jeffery Greco and Dustan Neyland built this firm around their own prosecutorial backgrounds, and it shows in the credentials: Greco is NHTSA-certified as a Drug Recognition Expert and has been named to Super Lawyers multiple years running, while Neyland completed forensic chromatography training specifically to spot errors in crime lab drug testing. That kind of technical cross-training matters in DWI cases where breathalyzer calibration and lab procedure often decide the outcome. The firm covers all five boroughs from its Midtown office and keeps a White Plains location for Westchester matters.
3. The Vitaliano Law Firm, PLLC
- Attorney/Key Figure: Michael E. Vitaliano, Founder and Principal
- Headquarters: 1492 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10301
- Phone: (718) 273-7800
- Website: vitalianolaw.com
- Practice Areas: Criminal defense (including DWI/DWAI), white-collar crime
- Firm Size: Solo practitioner with support staff
- Practice Area Pages: NYC DWI Lawyer
- Social Profiles: Facebook · X (Twitter) · LinkedIn · Avvo
Michael Vitaliano is a former New York City prosecutor who handled everything from narcotics trafficking to DWI before moving into defense work, and he’s a Staten Island native whose family has deep local roots there. That combination gives him a genuine home-field advantage for clients arrested on Staten Island, though the firm also covers Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. Client reviews consistently mention his direct, hands-on communication style, something worth weighing if you want to deal with the lead attorney rather than being routed to associates.
4. The Law Office of Tracy & Tracy, PLLC
- Attorney/Key Figure: Brendan Tracy (criminal defense) and Victoria Tracy (family law), Co-Founders
- Headquarters: 400 St. Marks Pl, 2nd Floor, Staten Island, NY 10301
- Phone: (929) 492-1619
- Website: tracy-legal.com
- Practice Areas: Criminal defense (including DWI/DWAI), drug crimes, domestic violence, family law
- Firm Size: Boutique, husband-and-wife led practice
- Practice Area Page: Staten Island DWI Defense Attorney
- Social Profiles: Facebook · Instagram · LinkedIn
Brendan Tracy spent nearly a decade as an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan and almost three more in Staten Island, working the Sex Crimes, Homicide, and Domestic Violence units before going into private practice. That prosecutorial background is the firm’s calling card for DWI defense, since he’s built cases from the investigation stage up and knows how the other side approaches grand jury presentations and evidentiary hearings. The firm’s dual focus on criminal defense and family law is a practical fit for DWI clients, since a charge can carry custody or visitation consequences that a purely criminal-only firm wouldn’t flag.
5. Saland Law, PC
- Attorney/Key Figure: Jeremy Saland, Founding Partner
- Headquarters: 52 Duane Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10007
- Phone: (212) 312-7129
- Website: new-york-lawyers.org
- Practice Areas: DWI/DUI defense, domestic violence, white collar crime, grand larceny, expungement
- Firm Size: Boutique
- Practice Area Page: New York DUI Lawyer
- Social Profile: Facebook · Instagram · LinkedIn
Jeremy Saland spent more than seven years as an Assistant District Attorney in the Manhattan DA’s Trial Division under Robert Morgenthau, including time in the office’s DWI and Domestic Violence units, before six years as a municipal prosecutor in Westchester. That’s a fairly specific resume for DWI work: he’s seen both how the ECAB unit screens arrests and how DWI cases get built from the evidence stage. He’s earned a Top 100 Trial Lawyer designation from the National Trial Lawyers and a Top Ten ranking from the National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys.
6. Lebedin Kofman LLP
- Attorney/Key Figure: Arthur Lebedin and Russ Kofman, Founding Partners (Russ Kofman leads the firm’s criminal and DWI defense)
- Headquarters: 26 Broadway, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10004 (also a Long Island office in Lynbrook)
- Phone: (646) 663-4430
- Website: lebedinkofman.com
- Practice Areas: DWI/DUI defense, criminal defense, vehicular crimes, federal defense (EDNY/SDNY), sex crimes, civil rights litigation
- Firm Size: Boutique
- Practice Area Page: New York DWI / DUI Lawyer
- Social Profiles: Facebook · Instagram · X (Twitter) · LinkedIn · YouTube · Avvo (Russ Kofman)
Lebedin Kofman is a Financial District boutique — its Manhattan office sits at the foot of Broadway near the Charging Bull — with a DWI practice organized by borough (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island) and by scenario (first-offense, refusal, aggravated, felony, and accident cases). The firm leans into the DMV side of a DWI as much as the criminal side, handling refusal hearings alongside the court case, and its attorneys are members of the National College of DWI Defense. Reported results include an aggravated-DWI arrest at nearly 0.21% BAC resolved down to a non-criminal violation, and a chemical-test refusal won at the DMV hearing. The firm is available 24/7 with free consultations and payment plans, and keeps a Long Island (Lynbrook) office for Nassau and Suffolk matters. (Prior results don’t guarantee a similar outcome.)
7. Barket Epstein Kearon Aldea & LoTurco, LLP
- Attorney/Key Figure: Steven B. Epstein, Founding Partner and Head of DWI & Vehicular Crimes Litigation
- Headquarters: 666 Old Country Road, Garden City, NY 11530 (also Manhattan and Huntington offices)
- Phone: (888) 779-0267
- Website: barketepstein.com
- Practice Areas: Criminal defense, DWI/vehicular crimes, federal civil rights, personal injury, commercial litigation
- Firm Size: Mid-size, 13 attorneys with over 200 years of combined experience
- Practice Area Page: New York DWI Lawyer
- Social Profile: Facebook · X (Twitter) · LinkedIn
This is the largest firm on the list, with a bench that includes a former New York State Supreme Court judge and a former Nassau County Court judge alongside its trial attorneys. Steven Epstein leads the firm’s DWI and vehicular crimes practice specifically and holds specialist certifications related to DWI science, which matters for cases that turn on breath test reliability or field sobriety procedure. The size cuts both ways: more institutional resources for a complex or trial-bound case, but likely less direct access to a single lead attorney than a solo or two-person firm offers.
8. Law Office of Aaron Wallenstein
- Attorney/Key Figure: Aaron Wallenstein, Principal
- Headquarters: 160 Broadway, Suite 600, New York, NY 10038
- Phone: (212) 227-7588
- Website: criminaldefenselawyerny.com
- Practice Areas: Criminal defense, DWI/DUI
- Firm Size: Solo practitioner, small support staff
- Practice Area Page: NYC DWI Lawyers
- Social Profiles: LinkedIn · Avvo
Aaron Wallenstein has practiced both state and federal criminal defense in Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn since founding his firm in 2003, and reviewers consistently point to his handling of over 750 DWI cases specifically. As a solo practitioner, clients generally deal directly with Wallenstein rather than being handed off to junior associates, which is a real trade-off against the bench depth a larger firm offers. He’s available for 24/7 arraignment response, a practical detail for anyone arrested overnight who needs representation before a same-day arraignment.
9. The Law Offices of Lance Fletcher
- Attorney/Key Figure: Lance Fletcher, Founder
- Founded: Not publicly disclosed (Fletcher left the Manhattan DA’s Office in 2008 after four years as an ADA)
- Headquarters: 1700 Broadway, 41st Floor, New York, NY 10019
- Phone: (212) 619-3900
- Website: dwi-attorney-nyc.com
- Practice Areas: DWI/DUI defense, criminal defense, desk appearance tickets
- Firm Size: Boutique, two attorneys (Lance Fletcher and Kevin W. Jones)
- Rating: See current reviews on Avvo and Google
- Practice Area Page: New York City DWI Attorney
- Social Profiles: Avvo
Lance Fletcher spent four years as a Manhattan ADA, including time in the Identity Theft and Domestic Violence units, and has since built a practice that’s almost entirely DWI-focused, with over a thousand cases defended since leaving the DA’s Office. He’s drawn on forensic photography, handwriting analysis, and forensic accounting in past cases, tools that go beyond the standard breath-test challenge playbook. The firm limits free consultations to DWI/DUI cases with an upcoming court date, which is worth knowing before you call if your situation doesn’t fit that description.
10. Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC
- Attorney/Key Figure: Stephen H. Bilkis, Founder
- Headquarters: 100 Park Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10017
- Phone: (800) 696-9529
- Website: 1800nynylaw.com
- Practice Areas: Criminal defense (including DWI), personal injury, estate planning, family law
- Firm Size: Mid-size, multi-practice firm
- Practice Area Page: New York DWI Lawyer
- Social Profiles: Facebook · LinkedIn
Stephen Bilkis founded his firm in 1997 shortly after passing the New York bar, and nearly three decades later it’s grown into one of the broader-reach practices on this list, with attorneys covering DWI cases from Manhattan and Brooklyn out to Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties. The firm has been a go-to source for legal commentary on outlets including CNN, CBS, and CNBC. Because it’s a multi-practice firm rather than a criminal-only shop, it’s a reasonable fit for someone whose DWI charge intersects with a family law or employment issue, though clients wanting a DWI specialist exclusively may prefer one of the boutique DWI-focused firms above.
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers below are general information about New York DWI practice, not legal advice, and DWI laws and penalties change — confirm specifics with a licensed attorney about your own case.
What’s the difference between DWI, DWAI, and DUI in New York?
“DUI” is the common search term, but New York doesn’t charge it by that name. New York charges DWI (driving while intoxicated) at a BAC of 0.08% or higher, which is a crime; DWAI-Alcohol at a BAC of 0.05% to 0.07%, which is a traffic infraction rather than a crime; Aggravated DWI at a BAC of 0.18% or higher (or with a child 15 or younger in the car); and DWAI-Drug for impairment by drugs. The level you’re charged with drives the penalties, so it’s one of the first things to clarify with a lawyer.
Is a DWI one case or two?
Two, running in parallel. There’s the criminal case in court, and a separate DMV proceeding that decides your license status. If you refused the chemical (breath) test, the DMV holds its own refusal hearing, and a first refusal carries a license revocation of at least one year plus a civil penalty — independent of what happens with the criminal charge. That’s why it’s worth asking any firm how they handle the DMV side, not just the courtroom.
Does hiring a former prosecutor actually help?
It can. A former DWI prosecutor has seen how arrests get screened and how cases are assembled from the arrest report, breath-test records, and field-sobriety notes forward — which is often where a defense finds its openings. Several attorneys on this list are former ADAs. It’s not the only thing that matters, but it’s a genuine, checkable credential rather than marketing.
Does the borough where I was arrested matter?
Yes. Judges, prosecutors, and local practice differ across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island, and a lawyer who appears regularly in the specific criminal court handling your case knows those local rhythms. When comparing firms, look at where they actually practice day-to-day, not just where their office is listed.
How much does a DWI lawyer cost in NYC?
It varies with the attorney’s experience and the complexity of the case, and NYC rates tend to run higher than elsewhere in the state. Some lawyers charge a flat fee for a DWI, others bill hourly, and a case that goes to hearings or trial costs more than one resolved early. Ask for the fee structure in writing during the consultation.
Boutique/solo firm or a large firm — which is better?
It depends on the case. A larger firm brings institutional resources — sometimes former judges or dedicated DWI-science specialists — which helps on a complex or trial-bound matter. A solo or two-person firm usually means you deal directly with the lawyer arguing your case instead of being routed to associates. Weigh how complex your situation is against how much you value direct access.
How long does a DWI stay on my record in New York?
A DWI conviction generally stays on your New York driving record for 15 years and on your criminal record permanently unless it’s sealed, and it can count as a prior offense if you’re arrested again within 10 years. Separately, as of February 16, 2026, New York began adding DMV points to alcohol- and drug-related driving convictions, so a conviction can also affect your license through the points system on top of any criminal penalty.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is for general informational and educational purposes only. While we strive to present accurate, up-to-date information compiled from public records and reputable sources, we make no guarantees regarding its completeness or accuracy. Users should conduct their own independent due diligence and verify all details directly with appropriate service providers or professionals before making any decisions. Past outcomes, reviews, or firm credentials cited on this site do not guarantee future results.
