Charles Crane DeStefano

Charles DeStefano is admitted to practice law in New York State, United States Federal District Courts (Southern District and Eastern District), United States Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court (Washington, D.C.). He has represented over 4,000 clients over a period of thrity years.

In addition to being a Past President of the Staten Island Trial Lawyers Association (representing 90 current members), he is also active in the community. He continues to serve on the Executive Board of Directors for the Staten Island Trial Lawyers Association as Secretary. He is the Founder and Chairperson of the Staten Island Trial Lawyers Association Summer Internship Program which enables High School and College students to obtain first hand legal experience inthe courts.

 In 2015, he was elected to the Board of Directors of the Richmond County Bar Association.  In 2016, he was appointed as Co-Chairman of the Gala Committee by the President of the Richmond County Bar Association. 

He serves as an Advisory Board Member of the Pro Bono Scholars Commission and was appointed by the Chief Judge of the Appellate Division, Second Department in 2015 to the position.

 Additionally, Mr. DeStefano was appointed to the Red Tape Commission by the New York City Comptroller, Scott Stringer. He participated at the Commission Hearing with Comptroller Scott Stringer at Saint John's University in November 2015. This is an ongoing commission that will run until the end of the term of office of Comptroller Stringer. 

In 2017, the Mayor of the City of New York directly appointed Mr. DeStefano as Chairperson to the "Mayors Committee on City Marshal," the committee that evaluates prospective candidates for New York City Marshal appointments.

In the Fall of 2015, he was vetted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to run for Congress in New York's 11th Congressional District.

In 2016, the  Chairman of the Democratic Party of Richmond County appointed Mr. DeStefano the the Judiclal Screening Committee.

Mr. DeStefano is the Staten Island delegate to the New York State Trial Lawyers Association (the most influential lawyers group in the United States).

He is on the Board of Directors of "La Colmena de Staten Island," which translates to English as "The Beehive of Staten Island," an organization that assists and helps workers and day laborers with respect to issues of safety, finances, and wage protection.

Additionally, he is a member of the Board of Directors of the Tibetan Museum of Art and has met privately with the Dalai Lama on behalf of the museum

For over 20 years he has been "Santa Claus" to children in the Port Richmond area of Staten Island.

He was awarded the John Bruno Award for exellence based on his extensive contribution and work in the community.

Mr. DeStefano was inducted into the select group of Personal Injury Attorneys by the prestigious periodical "New York Super Lawyers" in 2014, 2015, 2016  and 2017.

The Italian Tribune endorsed him as "Distinguished Italian American" for his service to the community and for his professional contributions.

He speak fluent Spanish, is conversant in Italian and French (and rudimentary Russian).

Over the years he has performed pro bono work for the disadvantaged and poor; and has also led a campaign to do free Wills for the terminally ill.

He also has taken an interest in performing pro bono work in cases involving the 1st Amendment (e.g., Artist Scott LoBaido, Publisher Al Goldstein, etc)

Mr DeStefano was mentioned in the 2016 biography of Mike Tyson, Undisputed Truth. He also appears in the 2005 documentary The Trials of Al Goldstein, winner in the NYC Underground Film Festival.