Joseph Z. Amsel, Esq.

Founding Partner

Mr. Amsel obtained his law degree from Fordham University School of Law, cum laude.  He began his career as an Assistant District Attorney with the Queens County District Attorney’s Office, where he dedicated his time and skill to fighting to obtain justice for crime victims.

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As an Assistant District Attorney, Mr. Amsel handled thousands of felony and misdemeanor cases, conducted countless grand jury investigations and pre-trial hearings, and tried close to a dozen cases to verdict involving felony assault, burglary, robbery, larceny, complex fraud, sex abuse, and drunk driving. Mr. Amsel also briefed and argued numerous appeals before the appellate courts in New York, including the highest court, the Court of Appeals.

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Since entering private practice, Mr. Amsel has leveraged his experience as a Trial Prosecutor to provide superior representation for his clients who have been arrested and charged with a variety of violent and non-violent criminal offenses in state and federal court courts including Murder, Attempted Murder, Assault, Burglary, Robbery, Weapons Possession, Larceny, Fraud, White Collar Offenses, Federal Crimes, Drug Offenses and Drunk Driving (DWI/DUI).  Mr. Amsel also serves on the Assigned Counsel Plans in Nassau and Queens County, where he dedicates his time to representing indigent defendants at trial and on appeal.  

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Similarly, Mr. Amsel leverages his experience as an Appellate Prosecutor to provide his client with superior representation in appellate and post-conviction matters in State and Federal trial and appellate courts.  Indeed, a significant portion of Mr. Amsel's practice is dedicated to representing clients in Criminal Appeals and Post-Conviction Motions, such as motions in New York State courts pursuant to CPL § 440.10 and 440.20, Coram Nobis petitions, and motions in Federal Court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 2254, 2255, 2241 and Habeas Corpus relief.  Mr. Amsel also serves on the Assigned Counsel Plan for the Appellate Division, Second Department and on the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Panel for the United States Court of Appeals for the Third, Seventh, and Eleventh Circuits.  

In his Civil and Commercial Litigation Practice, Mr. Amsel represents individuals and businesses in a variety of complex business disputes such as Breach of Contract and Arbitration matters.  In his Personal Injury practice, Mr. Amsel represents every-day New Yorkers who have been hurt through the negligence of others.  He has successfully tried numerous personal injury cases including wrongful death, car accidents, motorcycle accidents, trip/slip and fall, defective sidewalks, premises liability and negligent security, often obtaining more than ten times the recovery that the insurance companies offered to settle the case before trial.    

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Mr. Amsel also serves on the faculty of Touro College, where he lectures on American Government, Legal Principles, Constitutional Law and Civil Rights and Liberties.  This expertise he uses to represent clients in a verity of Constitutional and Civil Rights matters including First Amendment litigation, False Arrest, Unlawful Imprisonment and other governmental abuses.  

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​BAR ADMISSIONS

New York

New Jersey

United States District Court for the Southern District of New York 

United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York

United States District Court for the Northern District of New York

United States District Court for the District of New Jersey

United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (NY, CT, VT)

United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (NJ, PA, DE, US Virgin Islands)

United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (MI, OH, KY, TN)

United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (WI, IL, IN)

United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (FL, GA, AL)

United States Supreme Court

MEMBERSHIPS

New York State Trial Lawyers Association

New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

New York City Bar Association

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EDUCATION

Fordham University School of Law, JD, cum laude

Touro College, BA, magna cum laude