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5 Best Criminal Defense Lawyers in Buffalo (2026)

Ranked by real Google ratings and review volume · How we chose

Lorian Hartfield
By Lorian Hartfield, Real Estate and Financial Expert · ✓ Updated · 8 min read

We compared 17 criminal defense lawyers in Buffalo on Google Maps · 5 listed · How we rank

Criminal matters run on a clock: an arrest or an appearance ticket starts deadlines before most people have found a lawyer. The criminal defense lawyers in Buffalo on this page hold 1,464 Google reviews between them, and Arthur L. Pressman alone accounts for 559 of those at 4.9 stars, so the choice comes down to what kind of case you have: a ticket with points, a felony, or a charge that sits alongside other legal trouble.

Short answer: Arthur L. Pressman, Attorney at Law - Buffalo has the deepest review history at 4.9 stars across 559 Google reviews, followed by Law Offices of Dominic Saraceno (4.9, 416 reviews) and DuBois Law (4.9, 177). Louis C. Mussari, Attorney at Law holds a perfect 5.0 on 68 reviews. Fees vary by charge and court, so ask each firm for its fee in writing before you sign.
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Buffalo Defense Attorneys, Side by Side

# Business Rating Reviews Best for
1 Arthur L. Pressman, Attorney at Law - Buffalo 4.9 ★ 559 Tickets and criminal, 24 hours View ›
2 Law Offices of Dominic Saraceno 4.9 ★ 416 Felony trial work View ›
3 DuBois Law 4.9 ★ 177 Dismissals and ticket cases View ›
4 LoTempio P.C. Law Group 4.6 ★ 244 Criminal plus other legal needs View ›
5 Louis C. Mussari, Attorney at Law 5.0 ★ 68 Perfect rating, family-minded View ›
5 Best Criminal Defense Lawyers in Buffalo (2026)

The firms in detail

Arthur L. Pressman, Attorney at Law - Buffalo logo
#1 Overall🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Arthur L. Pressman, Attorney at Law - Buffalo

4.9559 Google reviews

Arthur L. Pressman, Attorney at Law - Buffalo is a criminal defense practice whose website says Arthur Pressman has more than 30 years of experience, offers a free consultation and is available 24 hours a day. Reviewers also describe traffic ticket and speeding work, including tickets received far from home. The listed Seneca Street address is a virtual office, and the site says mail and service of process go to its Williamsville office.

What people praise

  • Reviewers say he gave clear direction from the first phone call
  • Clients describe being kept informed while the case moved
  • Several reviewers hired him for traffic tickets that carried points
  • Site lists availability around the clock

Worth knowing

  • The Seneca Street address is a virtual office, so confirm where meetings happen
  • Most of the reviews we read are about traffic matters, so ask how much of the practice is serious criminal work
Reputation scorecardrank in Buffalo
Rating4.9 / 5
Review volume559 · 97th
Confidencehigh
Recency4 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown98% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The largest review base here and a 4.9 rating make this the safest default for tickets and lower-level charges. For a serious felony, ask about trial experience before you commit.

1 Seneca St Ste 29-M51, Buffalo, NY 14203

LA
#2🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Law Offices of Dominic Saraceno

4.9416 Google reviews

Law Offices of Dominic Saraceno is a Delaware Avenue criminal defense practice. Its site says Dominic Saraceno has fought criminal charges in town, state and federal courts for 25 years and calls him a felony trial lawyer who personally returns calls. The site also lists working relationships with local prosecutors, probation and parole officers and drug counselors.

What people praise

  • Reviewers describe thorough research and unusual legal angles
  • Parents of defendants say he treated their family's case as personal
  • One couple says he started making calls before they had even hired him
  • Clients praise his communication and plain explanations

Worth knowing

  • The site notes that plea bargains often make sense depending on the evidence, so ask when he would take a case to trial
Reputation scorecardrank in Buffalo
Rating4.9 / 5
Review volume416 · 91st
Confidencehigh
Recency2 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown97% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A strong pick for serious charges, with 416 reviews at 4.9 and a site that leads with felony work. It sits just behind the top name on volume, not on quality.

534 Delaware Ave, Buffalo, NY 14202

DuBois Law logo
#3🕑 Open 7 days

DuBois Law

4.9177 Google reviews

DuBois Law is a criminal defense practice on Elmwood Avenue, listed by Google as a criminal justice attorney. No website text was available for this page, so this description rests on its listing and client reviews. Those reviews describe Dan DuBois handling a highway speeding ticket without a court appearance and a case where charges were dismissed.

What people praise

  • Reviewers say calls were answered and returned promptly
  • One client says his charges were dismissed
  • Another says a speeding ticket was handled without appearing in court
  • Clients say he explained things in terms they could follow

Worth knowing

  • Smaller review base of 177, so there is less history to judge than at the busiest firms
Reputation scorecardrank in Buffalo
Rating4.9 / 5
Review volume177 · 79th
Confidencemoderate
Recency3 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown98% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A well-rated option with plain-spoken reviews. Ask for a summary of how he would approach your specific charge, since the public record here is thinner.

390 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, NY 14222

LoTempio P.C. Law Group logo
#4🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

LoTempio P.C. Law Group

4.6244 Google reviews

LoTempio P.C. Law Group is a Franklin Street firm whose site says it has served Western New York for 50 years. Criminal defense and DWI defense sit on a long practice list that also covers personal injury, divorce and family law, nursing home neglect and Social Security disability. It keeps weekday office hours, 9 to 5.

What people praise

  • A client facing a serious felony charge says the team explained each step and answered every question
  • Reviewers describe attorneys Frank and Jack working hard on their cases
  • Clients mention a welcoming office staff
  • The firm replies to reviews, including the critical ones

Worth knowing

  • Criminal defense is one of many practice areas, so ask who on the team would handle your case
  • Rating of 4.6 sits below the other names here, though 212 of its 244 reviews are five-star
Reputation scorecardrank in Buffalo
Rating4.6 / 5
Review volume244 · 85th
Confidencehigh
Recency4 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown87% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Worth a call if your situation spans more than one kind of case, such as a charge and a related injury or family matter. Pure criminal specialists above it have the edge on rating.

181 Franklin St, Buffalo, NY 14202

Louis C. Mussari, Attorney at Law logo
#5🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Louis C. Mussari, Attorney at Law

5.068 Google reviews

Louis C. Mussari, Attorney at Law practices from a Delaware Avenue office and is listed by Google as a criminal justice attorney who also handles personal injury. No website text was available for this page, so the description rests on his listing and reviews. Those come largely from parents and young adults, with outcomes such as a dismissal and an adjourned case mentioned.

What people praise

  • A parent says he treated her with kindness and helped her son move forward with a clean record
  • One client reports a full dismissal and a low fine
  • Reviewers say he kept them updated and explained the process step by step
  • One family says he came to the house when a meeting fell through

Worth knowing

  • Smaller review base of 68, so the perfect 5.0 rests on less history than the names above
Reputation scorecardrank in Buffalo
Rating5 / 5
Review volume68 · 74th
Confidenceearly
Recency3 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown100% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The only perfect 5.0 on the page, earned on 68 reviews. A good fit if you want an attorney who is described as personal and attentive, with the caveat that the track record is shorter.

42 Delaware Ave Ste 770, Buffalo, NY 14202

6

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How the scorecards work

Every number on this page comes from public Google data on the verified date, not from opinion or payment. Rating is the live Google average. Review volume is how many people have rated each firm, compared with other Buffalo criminal defense lawyers. Confidence weighs the rating by that volume, so a 4.9 from hundreds of people carries more weight than a perfect score from a few dozen. Recency shows how lately people still leave reviews. No business can pay to change these numbers.

What does a criminal defense lawyer cost in Buffalo?

Criminal defense fees depend on the charge, whether it is a ticket, a misdemeanor or a felony, how many court dates it needs and whether it goes to trial. This page quotes no fee table because no firm here publishes one we could cite, so ask for a written fee agreement and what it does and does not cover.

Where these offices are

The offices on this page sit in and around downtown Buffalo, on streets such as Delaware Avenue, Franklin Street, Elmwood Avenue and Seneca Street. One firm keeps a separate Williamsville office for mail. Criminal cases are heard in the local town or city court where the incident happened, so ask any firm you call whether it appears there regularly.

Questions to ask before you hire a defense attorney

  • How many cases like mine have you handled in this court?
  • Who will actually appear for me and who will answer my calls?
  • Is your fee flat or hourly, and what is not included?
  • What are my realistic options, including a plea and a trial?
  • How quickly can you act on my arrest or appearance ticket?

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a lawyer for a traffic ticket in Buffalo?

Some tickets carry points that can affect a license and insurance, which is why several reviewers say they hired a lawyer for one. Arthur L. Pressman and DuBois Law are both described in reviews as handling tickets. Ask any firm about your specific citation.

Which of these firms also take other kinds of cases?

LoTempio P.C. Law Group lists personal injury, family law and more alongside criminal defense. Louis C. Mussari is listed on Google for personal injury as well. The others present themselves mainly as criminal defense practices.

Which one to call first

Arthur L. Pressman is the safe default on sheer track record, and Law Offices of Dominic Saraceno is the one to ask about when the charge is a felony. Whoever you call, get the fee agreement in writing before you pay anything.

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