Felony Defense Attorney in Long Island

Serious Charges Demand Strategic Defense

Being arrested or investigated for a felony can change every part of your life. Your freedom, your job, and your family relationships can all be affected by what happens next. When you need a felony attorney Long Island residents can turn to for steady guidance, you need a team that understands both sides of the criminal courtroom.

At Lerner & Lerner, P.C., we focus on protecting people who are facing serious criminal charges in Nassau County and Suffolk County. Our firm is led by the father and daughter team of Richard Lerner and Kimberly Lerner, who bring more than 70 years of combined criminal law experience to every case. Both served as prosecutors before dedicating their practice to criminal defense, so we know how the District Attorney prepares and pursues felony cases.

If you or a loved one has just been charged, time is not on your side. Early decisions about talking to police, handling arraignment, and responding to the court can affect your options later. We are here to explain your choices clearly, protect your rights, and help you move from panic to a plan. 

Contact us at (516) 586-0383 to speak with our trusted felony defense lawyer in Long Island confidentially.

Why Our Felony Defense Team

Choosing a lawyer for a felony case is not like choosing someone for a traffic ticket. The attorney you hire may be standing beside you in court, arguing about your freedom and your future. You deserve counsel who has been on both sides of that argument and who is trusted by judges, peers, and even the national media.

Lerner & Lerner, P.C. is led by Richard and Kimberly Lerner, a father and daughter team that works together on serious criminal matters. Clients benefit from the continuity and shared judgment that comes from a family-led practice, rather than being passed from one unfamiliar attorney to another. When you work with us, you know who is thinking about your case and who will be standing with you in court.

Both Richard and Kimberly served as prosecutors before becoming defense attorneys. That background allows us to see your felony case through the eyes of the District Attorney and anticipate how the state may try to prove each element of the charge. We use that insight to evaluate the strength of the evidence, identify potential weaknesses, and develop a strategy for negotiations or trial preparation.

Our work has earned an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale Hubbell, which reflects a high level of professional excellence as reported by peers in the legal community. We have also been recognized by Super Lawyers, an honor reserved for a small percentage of attorneys. These recognitions do not guarantee results in any particular case, but they signal that other lawyers and judges respect the quality of our advocacy.

Kimberly Lerner is also known nationally as a legal correspondent who has been featured on networks such as MSNBC, CNN, and Fox News. Media outlets turn to her for clear explanations of complex legal issues. That same ability to analyze facts, evaluate the law, and explain options plainly is brought to every felony matter we handle here.

Facing Felony Charges On Long Island

Most people find out they are involved in a felony case in one of a few ways. They may be arrested and brought to arraignment in Nassau County Court or Suffolk County Court. They may receive a call from a detective asking them to come in and talk. They may learn that a grand jury is considering an indictment. In any of these situations, the pressure to act quickly can feel overwhelming.

Felonies are different from misdemeanors because they expose you to the possibility of state prison and a permanent criminal record. A conviction can affect your current job, future employment, professional licenses, immigration status, and even where you are allowed to live. For some people, a felony case also brings public scrutiny that can damage reputation and relationships.

We understand that your first questions are often about what will happen tomorrow and next week, not months from now. You may be wondering if you will be held on bail, whether you should speak to the police, and what to tell your employer or family. Our goal is to give you practical guidance that reduces confusion and helps you avoid mistakes that could make your position worse.

In the first days after a felony arrest, there are several important steps to consider:

• Do not explain your side to law enforcement without counsel. Anything you say can be used against you, even if you think it will clear things up.
• Attend arraignment with an attorney when possible. Bail arguments and release conditions set at this first appearance can shape your ability to work and care for your family.
• Gather important information. Save documents, messages, or contact information for witnesses who might help show what really happened.
• Avoid discussing the case publicly. Social media posts and casual conversations can be misunderstood or misquoted later in court.
• Contact a felony lawyer Long Island residents trust. Early legal advice can help you understand charges, possible penalties, and how to protect your rights.

We regularly help people at these earliest stages. Sometimes our involvement begins before charges are formally filed, when the investigation is still underway. In other cases, we step in after arraignment to review what has already happened and chart a path forward. Wherever you are in the process, we work to give you clear next steps and a realistic view of what to expect.

How Felony Cases Move Through Court

Once the immediate crisis of an arrest has passed, most clients want to know what comes next. Although every case is different, felony matters on Long Island usually follow a general path through the criminal courts. Understanding that path can make the process feel less mysterious and help you make informed decisions.

For many cases, the first formal step is arraignment in Nassau County Court or Suffolk County Court. At this appearance, the judge advises you of the charges, addresses bail or release conditions, and sets future dates. A strong bail argument can make the difference between waiting for your case at home or in custody, so we prepare carefully for this stage.

In New York, felonies are typically reviewed by a grand jury. The District Attorney presents evidence to a group of citizens, who decide whether there is enough legal basis to issue an indictment. Our prior experience as prosecutors helps us understand how these presentations are usually structured and where there may be room to argue about the strength of the evidence.

After indictment, the case usually moves through discovery and pretrial motions. Discovery is the process by which the prosecution provides materials such as police reports, video, and laboratory results. We examine these materials closely, looking for inconsistent statements, testing issues, or legal problems with how evidence was obtained. When appropriate, we file motions that ask the court to limit or exclude certain evidence if constitutional or procedural rules were not followed.

At the same time, there may be discussions with the District Attorney’s Office about possible negotiated resolutions. As former prosecutors, we understand what facts and legal arguments often influence whether a prosecutor is willing to reduce charges or consider alternative sentences. We use that understanding, combined with our knowledge of your personal history and goals, to negotiate in a way that respects your priorities.

If a case does not resolve by agreement, it may proceed to trial in the Supreme Court in Nassau County or Suffolk County. Trial requires careful preparation, from selecting a jury to cross-examining witnesses and presenting your own evidence when appropriate. We prepare each serious felony case as if a trial might occur, even when we are also exploring negotiation, because that preparation strengthens your position at every stage.

Throughout this process, we keep clients informed. We explain what each court date is for, what decisions are coming up, and what options you have. We aim to make sure you are not surprised by what happens in court and that you feel prepared to participate in your own defense.

Common Felony Charges We Handle

Felony cases on Long Island cover a wide range of allegations. Some involve a single incident that happened in a moment. Others relate to conduct that is alleged to have occurred over months or years. Many clients come to us with both felony and misdemeanor counts that need to be addressed together under a unified strategy.

We regularly defend clients accused of serious felony offenses, including:

• Violent crimes such as robbery, assault, and burglary can bring significant prison exposure.
• Drug-related felonies involving possession with intent to sell, trafficking, or manufacturing allegations.
• Theft and fraud-related offenses, such as grand larceny, identity theft, and certain property crimes.
• Sex offense charges that may involve registration requirements and long-term supervision if a conviction occurs.
• White-collar and financial crimes can impact professional licenses and business relationships.

Each type of felony carries its own set of legal elements, potential penalties, and collateral consequences. For example, some violent offenses may include mandatory minimum sentences, while certain financial crimes can affect your ability to hold positions of trust. When we review a case, we look beyond the immediate charges to understand how different outcomes might affect your career, immigration status, and family life.

We have handled felony matters where results included dismissals of some or all charges, reductions to non felony offenses, and sentences that focused on treatment or supervision instead of long prison terms when circumstances supported those outcomes. Every case depends on its specific facts, the evidence, and your own history, so past results cannot predict what will happen in a new matter. However, our experience shows that a careful, thoughtful approach to felony defense can create opportunities that might not be obvious at first glance.

Whether you are dealing with an indictment for a drug-related felony in Nassau County or facing a white-collar investigation in Suffolk County, we work to understand the full picture. We then tailor your defense to the charges, the evidence, and the goals that matter most to you.