EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS in New York City & Beyond

Client was charged with Medicaid fraud. She had been convicted for a very similar crime many years earlier and now, as a licensed professional, she faced severe collateral consequences beyond those of the criminal justice system if she were convicted of these charges or if she had to spend any time incarcerated.

Client came to us after meeting with and paying her prior counsel.

Because the client had the prior misdemeanor conviction, also negotiated off a felony from years before, she was told by her first counsel on our case that she would have to plead guilty to this felony and probably do some jail time as well.

Attorney Cohen put together a mitigation package, supported by letters from friends, proof of charity work, proof of employment, letters from employers and other “good deed/character” letters and documents that I submitted to the prosecutor’s office.

The prosecutor’s office expressed their admiration of the mitigation package, calling it the best they had seen, and allowed my client to plead to a misdemeanor and dismissed the felony. Client risked losing her license, losing her opportunity for future employment and being unable to continue her payments for rent. She was distraught and close to breakdown when we met. She was elated, hysterically happy and very thankful.

Juan Carlos had been living in the United States as a green card holder for the past ten years. His world was rocked when he was arrested for allegedly burglarizing his ex wife’s apartment. The judge set an excessive bail, which Juan Carlos’s family could not afford. The District Attorney’s Office was offering to dismiss the burglary charge, which carried a minimum sentence of three and a half years in state prison. In exchange Juan Carlos would have had to pled guilty to attempted burglary and be sentenced to five years of probation. He rejected the offer because a guilty plea would have resulted in his deportation from the United States. After a ten-day trial a jury acquitted Juan Carlos of the charges. He was released from criminal custody and is still living lawfully in the United States.

Nazir has been living in the United States as a green card holder since he was brought here as a child. While waiting in traffic court to pay a fine, Immigration Customs and Enforcement, (“ICE”), agents arrested him because of two old drug convictions. Nazir was brought to a detention facility where he was held without bond. The government served him with papers, seeking to have him deported back to his home country. Cohen Forman Barone, LLP represented Nazir throughout all phases of his immigration court proceeding and were successful in winning his claim for Cancellation of Removal. Nazir is back home with his family and grateful to have a second chance in this country.

On December 17, 2018 Cohen Forman Barone client was granted relief from deportation ending a case that lawyers for CFB have been fighting for more than 5 years. Client had numerous criminal convictions that provided significant procedural and substantive hurdles for the immigration court proceeding. Despite client’s most recent arrest of a violent felony just a couple months before his immigration hearing; CFB successfully argued that the client was fully rehabilitated and he merited a second chance to remain in the United States. There were tears of joy by lawyers, client and client’s wife and children. At CFB we fight to show the human side and consequences of potential deportation. We are very grateful for this result.

On January 24, 2019 the Board of Immigration Appeals dismissed an appeal filed by ICE/DHS after a win by CFB attorneys in immigration court. ICE/DHS appealed an immigration judge’s finding that CFB’s client was granted protection under the Convention Against Torture. Despite client’s lack of status and prior drug convictions here in the United States, CFB attorneys were able to successfully convince an immigration judge that client faced imminent danger at the hands of dangerous individuals in his native country of Dominican Republic. CFB represented client in both immigration court in front of an immigration judge as well as successfully defending client’s case against the appeal by the government.

Client charged with felony weapons possession and intent to use unlawfully. 1 loaded firearm with serial number defaced and second firearm found in client’s possession.

We Prepared mitigation package, showed lack of intent to use, argued against the need for any supervision and secured detailed information regarding employment consequences to client.

Argued potential 4th amendment violation and extrajudicial police actions.

Ultimately all felony weapons charges were dismissed and client was ordered to pay a nominal fine.

A CFB client had been accused of a felony fraud from 20 years ago. Law enforcement said he was on the run and issued a warrant for his arrest. Despite living a law abiding life for the last two decades, he felt law enforcement was closing in on him. When he came to CFB his hopes of avoiding the charges, a criminal conviction and potential jail time were thinning. He was scared and his wife was overcome with anxiety and the resulting sleep deprivation. After spending several weeks collecting information from the client’s past the lawyers at CFB were able to present to the district attorney’s office a package highlighting the devastation that any conviction would hold for the client. With a mitigation package submitted to the prosecutor’s office outlining client’s exemplary lifestyle since the warrant was issued over two decade ago, CFB was able to obtain the best possible result for the client. All charges were dismissed the warrant vacated and his wife had finally gotten a good night’s sleep.

Angel has been living in the United States without any lawful status for the past fifteen years. He was recently arrested for allegedly assaulting a coworker. While the criminal court judge set a reasonable bail that Angel could afford, ICE had prevented his release by issuing a detainer because he was here unlawfully. Angel’s family hired Cohen Forman Barone, LLP who helped get the detainer lifted and had Angel’s case scheduled in immigration court for a bond proceeding. Despite the government’s objection, Cohen Forman Barone, LLP, persuaded the immigration judge to set a reasonable bond. Angel posted the bond and is now able to fight his case while at liberty.

Sara visited the United States on a tourist visa in the early 2000’s. She overstayed her visa and went on to live in the country for the next four years. While here, she was arrested on a simple possession drug offense. Soon after that she married Max, a United States citizen and life long resident of New York. The couple decided to move to Sara’s home country for a few years. While there they had a son, who they wanted to raise in the United States, thinking all Max had to do was sponsor Sara for a green card. Unbeknownst to either of them, Sara was barred from entering the United States for ten years because she had previously overstayed her visa; she was also barred for life because of her drug case. After Sara’s green card application was denied, the couple hired Cohen Forman Barone, LLP who went back to the criminal court to clear up Sara’s drug case and helped secure a waiver from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, (“USCIS”), for her unlawful presence in the United States. Sara, Max, and their young son Larry are now back in the United States, where Sara is a proud green card holder and looks forward to one day gaining her citizenship.

CFB successfully secured a monetary bond for client previously detained in removal proceedings in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Client had a complex immigration and criminal history, including a pending warrant and open criminal case in two different states. Nevertheless, CFB devised a litigation strategy that successfully navigated client through these many challenges and ultimately resulted him regaining his liberty and returning to his loved ones.