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I’m defense attorney Gianni Karmily. If you’ve been accused of assault or another domestic violence-related offense, the Law Firm of Gianni Karmily can help.
Type “Nassau County domestic violence lawyer” into Google, and you’ll mostly get directory sites running the same script: “impartial reviews,” “verified rankings,” the whole pitch. This list was built differently. It’s an honest take on which attorneys we’d actually recommend for someone facing a domestic violence accusation in Nassau County.
Few criminal charges move as fast or hit as hard as a domestic violence arrest in New York. An order of protection can go into effect the same day, sometimes before you’ve even spoken to a lawyer, and it can bar you from your own home.
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance someone in your life, maybe you, just got served with paperwork that turned the week upside down.
Below is a shortlist of the domestic violence defense attorneys on Long Island we’d trust with a case involving someone we care about.
Domestic Violence Defense – Respected By Legal Advocates and Trusted By Families Across Long Island
As a defense attorney, I’ve defended numerous clients accused of domestic violence throughout Long Island. A review that really stuck out came from a client who was staring down an assault charge and didn’t know where to turn:
“Last year, I was arrested for assault. I immediately started searching for a defense attorney because I knew I needed one. I found Gianni Karmily. I saw that he was one of the top criminal defense attorneys. Gianni normally works in another county, but he represented me in Queens County. I honestly chose Gianni not only because of amazing feedback from other clients, but also my gut feeling. Gianni is aggressive in getting a good outcome and fighting for you. He will defend you. I was so sad for many months, thinking I was going to face charges that would have impacted my life negatively and my future. Gianni helped put my mind at ease and told me not to worry about anything. He would say this with a big smile! He was confident in a great outcome. On March 13, 2024, Gianni got my case fully dismissed!!!! I was in total shock when I arrived at court. Thank you so much, Gianni. If you need an attorney, I highly recommend Gianni!!!“
— Edith R.
Related Read: What happens if someone files a protection order against you in New York?
I’m Gianni Karmily, founder of the Law Firm of Gianni Karmily, PLLC. Domestic violence cases move differently than almost any other criminal matter – orders of protection, family court overlap, and the fact that most of these arrests happen in the heat of a moment that got out of hand. Over more than a decade practicing across Long Island and New York, I’ve seen good attorneys avoid a criminal conviction for their clients, and I’ve seen the wrong ones let cases drag on for months longer than they needed to, with clients’ reputations declining along the way.
Related Read: How long does it take for a domestic violence case to be dismissed in New York?
Why Recommend Top Nassau County Domestic Violence Lawyers?
This list names the five top Nassau County domestic violence attorneys I’d trust with a charge involving someone close to me.
Every name here competes with our law firm for clients. I’m naming them anyway. I’ve watched how they prepare, how they talk to clients who are separated from their own kids, and how they perform once a case is actually in front of a judge.
The reason this list exists is simple: your housing, your parental rights, your freedom, your job, your record, and your reputation are on the line. Those consequences are too significant to base your decision on advertising alone. Our goal is to help you identify experienced attorneys who can provide the level of representation these cases demand, whether that is our firm or another lawyer on this list.
There are numerous Long Island domestic violence lawyers advertising their legal services. The aim here is to provide honest and specific information, not another ad, so you can make a confident, informed choice.
A domestic violence charge in New York can carry an order of protection, a criminal record, probation, loss of firearm rights, and, depending on the underlying charge, real jail exposure, even for a first arrest.
Related Read: How long does a dismissed domestic violence charge stay on your record in New York?
Qualifications to Recommend Nassau County Domestic Violence Defense Attorneys
- Most “top lawyer” directories are ad platforms posting trust badges to the highest bidders. FindLaw, Super Lawyers, Justia, Expertise, Yelp, ThreeBest Rated, Avvo, Best Lawyers – none of those marketing teams have sat with a client after a family offense arrest, or argued a temporary order of protection hearing where custody was effectively being decided on the spot. As a Long Island criminal defense attorney, I have, which is why this list means something different than a scraped directory ranking.
- The Law Firm of Gianni Karmily has handled countless felony, misdemeanor, and violation-level matters across Nassau County, Suffolk County, and the boroughs of New York City, including a substantial number of domestic violence and family offense cases.
- The firm concentrates specifically on defending the accused throughout Nassau County and the Long Island communities around it.
Most lawyers will advise you to talk to more than one attorney before you commit; we mean that. If you’ve been falsely accused of domestic violence in New York, or even if the allegations have some merit, choosing counsel for a case this personal is a decision only you can make, and you deserve real options in front of you.
We’d love the chance to discuss your case before you sign with anyone. However, the only goal is helping you make an informed decision.
Related Read: What happens if someone files a false police report in New York?
Every attorney on this list treats a domestic violence case with the seriousness it deserves, both for the person accused and for what’s at stake in the underlying relationship. That’s the standard we used to build this list.
Best Domestic Violence Defense Lawyers in Nassau County, Long Island
- Gianni Karmily – Law Firm of Gianni Karmily, PLLC
- Andrew Karpf – Law Offices of Andrew Karpf
- Siara Ossa – Law Office of Siara Ossa
- Richard Hochhauser – Law Office of Richard Hochhauser
- David Adhami – Law Office of David A. Adhami
1. Gianni Karmily – Law Firm of Gianni Karmily, PLLC
Hempstead Listing on Google | Great Neck Listing on Google
Gianni Karmily has built a strong reputation defending domestic violence charges in Nassau County and the greater Long Island region. Having handled a wide range of these matters, he understands how quickly an order of protection can reshape someone’s living situation, custody arrangement, or job and how much of the outcome depends on what happens in the first 24 hours after an arrest.
For six consecutive years, Super Lawyers named Karmily a Rising Star in Criminal Law for the New York Metro region, an honor held by 2.5% of young lawyers statewide, before he aged out of eligibility after more than a decade of practice. He’s also an active member of the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NYSACDL) and the Criminal Courts Bar Association of Nassau County (CCBANC), which keeps him current on how family offense and domestic violence cases are being handled locally.
Gianni Karmily’s clients get him directly, not whichever associate happens to be available. In a case where someone’s housing or access to their own children may be on the line, that kind of direct access matters immediately and in the case results.
If you’ve been charged with a domestic violence offense in Nassau County, Long Island, contact the Law Firm of Gianni Karmily, PLLC.
2. Andrew Karpf – Law Offices of Andrew Karpf
Andrew Karpf has spent more than three decades in Long Island’s criminal courts, taking on cases across both Nassau and Suffolk Counties since he started practicing in 1988.
He’s represented thousands of clients over that span, from low-level misdemeanors to the most serious felonies, and his trial record shows it: close to 100 jury trials taken to verdict, with wins in the large majority.
Andrew earned his law degree at Touro, where he served as President of Delta Theta Phi and Vice President of the Student Bar Association. He’s a longstanding member of the Suffolk County Criminal Defense Bar and previously held an executive leadership role with the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
In domestic violence matters specifically, what stands out about Andrew is how carefully he separates the emotion of a family dispute from the actual evidence a prosecutor has to work with. He digs into 911 call recordings, prior incident history, and witness statements, looking for the inconsistencies that can change a case entirely.
He’s one of the attorneys I’d trust without hesitation on a serious domestic violence charge in either Nassau or Suffolk County.
3. Siara Ossa – Law Office of Siara Ossa
Siara Ossa runs her own criminal and traffic defense practice, and clients consistently point to the same thing: she treats them like a person going through the worst week of their life, not a file number.
Brooklyn-born and raised, Siara built her foundation at the Suffolk County Legal Aid Society, handling thousands of cases, including a heavy volume of domestic violence and family offense matters, before opening her own firm to bring that same level of fight to private clients.
She’s known for being direct about what a client is actually facing: no sugarcoating, no burying the bad news, but also no legal jargon left unexplained. Phone calls get returned, and questions get real answers.
Domestic violence cases are a significant part of her caseload, and her steady, plainspoken approach tends to help clients get through hearings that are often as emotionally difficult as they are legally complicated.
Siara is quickly becoming one of the most impressive advocates in Long Island criminal defense, and her name belongs on this list.
4. Richard Hochhauser – Law Office of Richard Hochhauser
Richard Hochhauser founded the Law Office of Richard Hochhauser and has built a name as one of Long Island’s more effective criminal defense attorneys.
He’s handled a substantial number of domestic violence and family offense cases in Nassau County over his career, and he’s especially familiar with how these matters intersect with family court: a complication that catches a lot of defendants off guard when a criminal case and a custody dispute end up running on parallel tracks.
Richard is known for finding the gaps in the state’s account of events, whether that’s an inconsistency between a 911 call and a later statement or a procedural issue with how an order of protection was obtained. He’s taken numerous matters to trial and built a solid record of favorable results.
Having worked alongside Richard on other cases, I can say his preparation is thorough, and his courtroom instincts are sharp. For a Nassau County domestic violence charge, he’s someone worth having in your corner.
5. David Adhami – Law Office of David A. Adhami
David Adhami works out of Great Neck and covers unusually broad territory for a solo practitioner: Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Sullivan, and Dutchess Counties, along with all five boroughs of New York City.
A lifelong New Yorker, David got his undergraduate degree at Stony Brook before attending Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center for his J.D. His interest in representing people through crises started in law school, when he worked with the school’s Public Advocacy Center Mortgage Foreclosure Assistance program.
His practice spans criminal defense and civil litigation, including domestic violence and family offense matters that range from misdemeanor-level disputes to serious felonies. He also runs an active traffic-law practice, having handled thousands of moving violations statewide.
Super Lawyers has recognized David on its selective list, based on peer regard and demonstrated professional achievement. He holds a license with the New York State Bar and stays active with the Nassau County Bar Association.
Clients consistently mention how available David stays throughout a case: answering calls himself and pushing for the best realistic outcome rather than the easiest one. That’s earned him a spot here.
FAQs About Domestic Violence Crime Lawyers in Nassau County, Long Island
What is considered domestic violence in New York?
New York defines domestic violence as certain criminal offenses: assault, harassment, stalking, menacing, and similar charges committed against someone the accused has a specific relationship with, such as a spouse, a former spouse, dating partner, partner from a prior relationship, co-parent, or family member. The underlying charge itself doesn’t change, but the relationship between the parties likely triggers additional protections, including mandatory arrest policies and eligibility for an order of protection.
Related Read: Types of order of protection in New York
When should you hire an attorney for domestic violence offenses on Long Island?
You should hire an attorney immediately, as soon as you know that you are being investigated by a detective, even before your arraignment. These cases move quickly: an order of protection can be issued at arraignment before your side of the story is even heard, so early representation gives an attorney the chance to advocate for reasonable conditions from the very first hearing rather than trying to modify a restrictive order later.
Do you need to hire a domestic violence lawyer “near me”?
It’s not required, but there’s a real advantage to it. A Nassau County attorney already understands how the local District Attorney’s Office handles these overlapping family offense cases, knows which judges tend to be stricter versus flexible on order-of-protection terms, and can appear quickly if something needs to be addressed on short notice.
How much does a domestic violence lawyer cost on Long Island?
Fees vary based on how contested the case is and whether it’s running alongside a Family Court matter, but most attorneys charge a flat fee that covers the case through arraignment and pre-hearings motions, with a separate fee if the matter goes to hearings and trial. Cases involving overlapping custody disputes or multiple court appearances tend to run higher than a straightforward single-incident matter.
How did we select the “Best” domestic violence lawyers in Nassau County, Long Island?
We didn’t accept paid placements or run this through a ranking algorithm, but rather several honest measures of quality. We weighed each attorney’s specific experience with domestic violence and family offense cases, how they’re regarded by other defense lawyers and by prosecutors who’ve gone up against them, feedback from past clients, and outcomes we’ve either witnessed directly or heard about from people whose judgment we trust.
Ready to Discuss Your Case With a Domestic Violence Charge Attorney?
If you or a loved one is facing a domestic violence charge, time and legal experience matter. The Law Firm of Gianni Karmily, PLLC, defends clients throughout Nassau County and the broader Long Island region, handling domestic violence-related charges in Hempstead, Great Neck, Albertson, Atlantic Beach, Baldwin, Bayville, Bellmore, Bethpage, Carle Place, East Meadow, East Rockaway, East Williston, Elmont, Farmingdale, Floral Park, Franklin Square, Freeport, Garden City, Garden City Park, Glen Cove, Glen Head, Greenvale, Hicksville, Island Park, Jericho, Levittown, Locust Valley, Long Beach, Lynbrook, Malverne, Manhasset, Massapequa, Merrick, Mill Neck, Mineola, New Cassel, New Hyde Park, North Hills, Oceanside, Old Bethpage, Old Brookville, Old Westbury, Oyster Bay, Plainview, Port Washington, Rockville Centre, Roosevelt, Salisbury, Roslyn, Seaford, Sea Cliff, Syosset, The Five Towns, Uniondale, Valley Stream, Wantagh, Westbury, West Hempstead, Williston Park, and Woodbury.
Gianni Karmily has built his practice around defending clients who are accused of domestic violence offenses and other criminal charges. He knows how to pick apart the prosecution’s evidence and construct a defense that fits the facts of your case. Call the Law Firm of Gianni Karmily today or reach out online to schedule a confidential case evaluation.
About Gianni Karmily
Gianni Karmily leads the Law Firm of Gianni Karmily, PLLC, a Nassau County criminal defense practice with offices in Great Neck and Hempstead. His work centers on defending people charged with domestic violence offenses, assault, DWI, drug crimes, sex crimes, theft, hit-and-runs, traffic violations, and a range of other criminal matters across Long Island and New York City. Gianni is a native of Italy. He holds a B.B.A. from Hofstra University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, where he served as President of the International Law Society.
While in law school, he interned for the Legal Aid and Defender Association in Detroit, Michigan, where he gained a greater understanding of the criminal justice system.
Super Lawyers has recognized him as a Rising Star in Criminal Law within the New York Metro region every year from 2019 through 2024
