Peter Gerstenzang

I hired Peter and the Gerstenzang Firm recently to represent me for a DWI charge. It is worth mentioning that I am a practicing attorney in New York, and while I do not handle criminal cases, I do have some experience working in the criminal justice system. Peter and his firm's reputation procee...ds itself. For that, and for other reasons, I knew that if I ever found myself in the unfortunate position of having been charged with a DWI, they would get the call. True to the plan, minutes after my arrest, the arresting officer was on the phone with Peter's associate (and son), Joe Gertenzang, who promptly invoked and preserved my rights for me, as I was in no shape to do so myself. He then conspicuously counseled me on my options regarding whether to submit to a breathalyzer, helped arrange for an advanced first appearance date, and actually convinced the arresting officer to drive me home later that night. Keep in mind, this was on a Friday night, well past "close of business." Early the next morning Peter called me personally, and was already fully aware of every pertinent detail of my case. He counseled me not only on my legal case, but also on the state of my health. It became clear at that point that Peter was not only an exceptionally competent attorney, he is a man who cares about the well-being of his clients. Despite my considerable protestation, Peter firmly suggested I "drop everything" and get myself into an inpatient rehab facility immediately, to address my issues with drinking and to demonstrate (to the Court , the DA, my family, etc.) that I was remorseful, taking my situation seriously, and committed to fixing the problem and making sure it wouldn't happen again. When I eventually saw the wisdom in the suggestion, Peter actually called the admissions office of a facility for me. Three weeks later, Peter and his son were both among the first people to reach out to me and see how I was doing. After I gave them the good news of my progress while at the facility, they set out to do what they do best. It also must be mentioned that my arrest involved property damage (my car went off the road in a snow storm) and a high BAC (above the aggravated limit). Shortly after my discharge, the firm had filed their motions with the DA's office and begun talking resolution. To my complete (albeit pleasant!) shock and amazement, within WEEKS the firm had a deal reached. Though I had blown a very high number and caused property damage, I was to plea to a DWAI! I can say unequivocally that probably 95% of DWI lawyers in New York could never have gotten that deal for me. I can also say, unequivocally, that probably 99% of DWI lawyers in New York could not have gotten that deal for me as quickly as they did. With my whole case basically wrapped up in 6 weeks, I was then free to focus on the important things, like getting my health, priorities and family life back on track. This is all because of the work Peter and the Gerstenzang firm put in on my behalf. I won't claim to know how they do what they do. I am certain that it is a combination of hard work, persistence, tireless advocacy, mastery of the subject matter, and making savvy use of a reputation/relationships handcrafted over 40+ years of practice. But there is another ingredient (akin to a magic wand) that I can't and won't bother trying to define. For as long as I practice, I will (without hesitation) refer all DWI cases to this firm.

We received an emergency call one night, informing us that a family member was in DWI trouble. I knew less than zero about what to do. I tried a few NY lawyers that advertised on line, left messages on their machines and sent e-mail responses to their advertisements, but those efforts were fruitles...s. I found Peter Gerstenzang's office number at the Avvo site. The secretary said Peter was on holiday in Florida, gave me his cell phone and politely instructed me to call him immediately. Within minutes, I was speaking with Peter Gerstenzang. I had never before encountered someone who returned calls as fast as Peter does. And, honestly, when someone you care deeply about is in trouble and needs help, this single aspect of his service is greatly reassuring. When Peter Gerstenzang represented us, his son Joe Gerstenzang and everyone in the office made us feel as if they cared. Under such circumstances, it makes a huge difference to know that you matter. Peter did not waste any time. His office takes pride in personal service and within days I had an agreement explaining how things work, what to expect in terms of costs and he didn't "nickel and dime" me. That's nice too. Peter and Joe Gerstenzang were our primary contacts and together they kept us well informed. Despite the difficulty of this task they showed tremendous patience with explaining the law, the significance of certain details and the points that were hard for us to understand. When it mattered most, communicating with the judge and opposing council Peter Gerstenzang handled matters gracefully and confidently. Peter was so knowledgeable, tactful and insightful, that we could not be more pleased with the outcome. My son, learned a valuable lesson and his future is intact. This is due to Peter Gerstenzang and the considerable talent within his office. I highly recommend Peter. In his representation of our family he proved to be thoughtful, expert and effective.

I'm an average person, No criminal history and have always had a Good job... But involves driving. I am coming home one night and a police car is driving very slowly in the passing lane, I go around the car and Now I am being tailed, Try to pull my car over to get out of his way and the red lights g...o on. Now, I am being pulled over and accused of DWI. The next day, I hire a normal attorney out of the telephone book. That was a big mistake! I give him all the details and he has no interest in fighting it or doing anything. I am told, first time offense, You will get a traffic offense. DWAI is not a traffic Offense... Your license is suspended for 90 days, you lose your job, your car insurance goes through the roof, you have to go to classes,etc and you cant even go to visit Canada because you are now a criminal in their eyes. I finally realized what a HUGE problem I had and that an ordinary attorney would not work. I was fighting for everything I had ever worked for. I asked our family attorney who was the best DWI attorney he knew of.... He said that the best attorney in the Capitol District and NY state was Peter Gerstenzang! You may not hear those fancy Commercials... But Peter gets the job done. I called him immediately... He talked with me that day... Gave me his personal cell phone and told me to call at any time. This is what I needed if i was ever going to fight this charge. We go to Court, Peter is known by everyone in the court house. It is well known that Peter will go the distance and that he is going to demand that you are given all your rights. He asks for all the preliminary trials and actually will go to court and face the officers that arrested you. His examination of the officers is amazing. Any issues with the arrest, any problems with the officers swore testimony is another avenue to prove your innocence. In any case, After Peter completed the preliminary hearing... Many doubts were raised... The Judge had issues with the case and we were able to get a very favorable ruling... This would have never happened with just any lawyer and I truely believe that without Peter... I would have lost everything.... So many years to build your life and in minutes it can be gone. So, Dont take DWI or DWAI lightly... It is serious! You better get the best! Peter saved my life... I am forever grateful.