RESUELVE/RESOLVES MATTERS text/call 917.696.7933 Hablo Español. Effectively Defending Clients, 120 criminal trials, Laura M. Miranda's entire career has been dedicated to preserving and expanding Civil and Constitutional Rights, particularly for People of Color, and Immigrants. Fluent in Spanish, for the past 31+years she's fought for Justice and Equality, teaching clients involved in the Criminal
Justice System they're entitled to these rights, human rights, and how to effectively assert them. In 1989, when she graduated from Cornell Law School, Ms. Miranda began living her teenage dream to become a Public Defender. The first seven (7) years of her career Ms. Miranda worked at the NYC Legal Aid Society, Criminal Defense Division. She was responsible for investigations, line-ups, grand jury presentations, legal memoranda, habeas writs, hearings, trials, teaching interns and young attorneys the ropes. Over the past 30 years she's lectured on Criminal Defense throughout the five (5) boroughs and upstate NY, including New York Law, Brooklyn Law, Fordham, Hofstra, and Cornell. In addition, at the Brennan Center for Justice,“The Future of Social Justice Lawyering”; CUNY Law School, "Progressive approach to Defending a Criminal Case" and "Cross-Examination"; John Jay College, "Stop & Frisk"; Cornell Law School, "Legal Aid to NYS Supreme Court Clerkship to Private Practice, and "Race, Class & Gender"; Fordham Law School on "S*x Offenses"; NY County District Attorney's Office, Internship Program, "Defending the Criminal Case"; and New York Law School on "Motion Practice". Due to Ms. Miranda 's litigation excellence she followed Legal Aid with a two (2) year clerkship in NYS Supreme Court, advising Judge Nicholas Figueroa on complex felony legal issues at pre-trial hearings and criminal trials. She drafted nine (9) of Justice's Figueroa's legal decisions published in the NYLJ, two (2) in which evidence unlawfully obtained was not admitted against the accused at trial. Both decisions made the front page. As a law clerk, Ms. Miranda was also responsible for teaching legal interns and young attorneys criminal law and procedure, assigning legal issues for them to research and critiquing their memos of law. At her own law firm since 1998, 25 years, Ms. Miranda has defended serious, as well as minor crimes, upholding her commitment to make a difference in how People of Color, and Immigrants are treated as well as viewed by society. Even more important, empowering her clients to have a voice, to stand up for themselves and others. For 15 years Ms. Miranda has been hired by other law firms and attorneys as a Consultant to help defend their clients. She's advised on Voir Dire, Trial Strategies and Negotiated Plea-Bargains with Prosecutors on NY State & Federal felony cases. In 2015 and 2009, Ms. Miranda's expertise was also sought by Thomson Reuters, when the publisher requested she write a chapter for "Inside the Minds, DEFENDING DUI VEHICULAR HOMICIDE CASES" to advise defense attorneys. Both chapters Ms. Miranda submitted were published: "Checklist for Effective Representation on a DUI Vehicular Homicide" and "Selecting a Defense Strategy: Understanding the Charges, Analyzing the Evidence, and Always Considering Your Client.”
2016, NYS, Ms. Miranda defended a young man accused of a DWI Homicide where an MTA driver, not wearing a seatbelt, died, after her client hit a bus at Union Square West. In Puerto Rico Federal Court, Ms. Miranda aggressively defended a client charged on a high profile Child Po*******hy case, following a Nationwide Sting Operation. For the past 31 years, Ms. Miranda has effectively defended cases including DWI, Murder, Manslaughter, Criminal Negligent Homicide, Vehicular Assault, Gang Assault, Assault, Drug Trafficking, Conspiracy, Weapons, S*x Crimes, Burglary, Robbery, Larceny, and White Collar crimes. Although her law firm is in New York City, 1 block North of the World Trade Center, Ms. Miranda has sued and defended clients in Puerto Rico Federal Court, deposed defendants in Guadalajara, Mexico, and defended clients in CT, MA, and PA, state courts, on narcotics trafficking, conspiracy, weapons, bank robbery, and murder charges. From 2012 to 2014, she aggressively defended Notorious Narcotics Trafficker "Sebastian", one of the most wanted criminals, accused of running Colombia's "Oficina de Envigado", originally Pablo Escobar's drug trafficking operation. Miranda traveled to Medallin, Colombia, to investigate the charges and visited her client in Boyacá prison. In addition, on one of her White-Collar Federal Criminal cases, Ms. Miranda defended an SEC compliance auditor accused of fraud 2013-2014, and successfully negotiated "DP", deferred prosecution, obtaining a Dismissal of all the charges. Likewise, on a Vehicular Homicide case she effectively negotiated a lesser plea to Criminal Negligent Homicide, with 6 months of incarceration and a probationary sentence. Fighting for Justice, on a gun possession case at La Guardia Airport, where there were no illegal search issues, Ms. Miranda negotiated an ACD (Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal), where her client's case was dismissed and sealed in 6 months. Studies and Recognition:
2010 - Current, Deepak Chopra Retreats: Silent Awakening,
20 - Unleash the Power Within, Master University Graduate,
2015 Defense of the Damned, Trial Lawyer's College, Gerry Spence, Esq.
2005-2008, Laura Miranda answered National Criminal Law & Procedure questions for Lawyers.com every Thursday.
2005-2006, Anthony Robbins Foundation, Platinum Partner
2007, Fortune Business Executives
2005-2006, Skyradio & Forbes on American Airlines
2006, One of America's Influential Women
2006, Lawyer's and Business Executives in the News
2003, Puerto Rico Bar Association Newsletter Article about Laura Miranda's legal practice at the Empire State Building, "A Growing Latino Law Firm Rooted in Love of Work and Seizing the Opportunity"
