The Law Office of John A. Longo, PLLC
Serving the Capital District and beyond
Facing an arrest can feel overwhelming and uncertain, whether it is your first time dealing with the criminal justice system or not. Depending on the charges against you, you could face penalties ranging from fines to time in prison. In those moments, the attorney you choose can make all the difference.
Our firm focuses exclusively on criminal defense. That means every ounce of our experience, skill, and dedication, is directed toward protecting your rights, your freedom, and your future. Whether you have been wrongfully accused or made a mistake, we know what it takes to challenge the case against you and fight for the best possible outcome. We bring the necessary experience of handling a wide range of offenses and the strategic insight to challenge every aspect of the case against you. We know how to attack the evidence aggressively, and when necessary, to plea bargain. Where the prosecution builds cases, we tear them down.
You Need A Defense Attorney Who Thinks Like A Prosecutor
We know how prosecutors build cases—because John used to be one. Before founding his own criminal defense practice, John built a distinguished career as a prosecutor in New York. He served for several years in the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office in New York City—one of the busiest and most challenging prosecutorial environments in the country, followed by additional years in the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office. That experience gave him an inside look at how police and prosecutors put cases together and, just as importantly, where they often fall short.
Throughout his prosecutorial career, John managed thousands of cases ranging from traffic offenses, violations, and misdemeanors, to serious violent and non-violent felonies. This extensive experience gives him a deep understanding of how police and prosecutors investigate, charge, and pursue criminal cases. His knowledge of criminal law and procedure, proven ability to analyze evidence, negotiate plea agreements, develop trial strategies, and effectively litigate complex matters, earned him respect from judges, colleagues, and even opposing counsel.
John’s comprehensive knowledge spans every stage of the criminal process—from the alleged incident occurrence, investigation, arrest, arraignment, preliminary hearing, and grand jury stages, to the plea bargaining, motion practice, hearing, trial, sentencing, and appeal stages. He is also well-versed in the sweeping reforms to New York’s criminal laws enacted in January 2020, including their nuanced application and ongoing impact on criminal litigation.
Today, John leverages his prosecutorial background and insider perspective to vigorously defend the rights of his clients. His unique combination of courtroom experience, strategic insight, and deep understanding of the criminal justice system, allows him to provide skilled representation in even the most challenging cases.
Attorney Profile
John is a lifelong resident of New York who grew up in the Orange and Sullivan County areas. He attended college at the State University of New York at Potsdam where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and graduated with honors. Immediately upon graduating college, John attended Syracuse University College of Law where he focused on criminal law. While in law school, John completed internships with a judge who presided over criminal cases, two district attorney’s offices, and a criminal defense clinic, before earning a Juris Doctor Degree.
After graduating law school and taking the bar examination, John began his legal career as an Assistant District Attorney with the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office in New York City. In that role, he handled thousands of various cases including traffic offenses, violations, misdemeanors, and violent and non-violent felonies. John was in charge of conducting investigations, drafting criminal complaints, interviewing police and civilian witnesses, advising police officers on various legal issues, gathering and reviewing discoverable items, drafting search warrants, motions, and other documents, conducting research, communicating and plea bargaining with defense attorneys, staffing arraignment and regular court parts, presenting cases to the grand jury, conducting hearings, preparing cases for trial, and training younger attorneys.
John left the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office to pursue an interest in the civil law realm of medical malpractice defense. After briefly working for a prestigious medical malpractice defense law firm, John realized that his true calling was back in criminal law.
John left the practice of medical malpractice defense and joined the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office where he furthered his knowledge of criminal law. There, John built upon the knowledge that he gained in the Bronx while handling similar tasks and was also part of a task force which conducted narcotics and firearms investigations and prosecutions.
During his college years, John spent a large amount of time in the Capital District, which led to his desire to relocate to the area one day. He fulfilled this desire when he moved to the area and launched his own law firm.
In his free time, John enjoys living an active lifestyle, being outdoors, hiking, fishing, traveling, and attending music concerts as well as sporting events. In addition to New York, John is also licensed to practice law in Tennessee.
Practice Areas
While some offenses in and of themselves are felonies, misdemeanors, or violations, most offenses are broken down into degrees. Some degrees of offenses are felonies and others are misdemeanors or violations. Felonies and misdemeanors are each categorized by different classes. Felonies are also classified by whether they are considered violent or non-violent. Charges can be reduced to lesser offenses or even dismissed depending on how evidence was obtained and the quality of the evidence. Our knowledge and experience in challenging the evidence, its weak points, and its collection, greatly improves the chances of obtaining a favorable outcome for you. The offenses the firm handles include, but are not limited to:
- Aggravated Unlicensed Operation Of A Motor Vehicle
- Arson
- Assault
- Attempted Offenses
- Bribery
- Burglary
- Conspiracy
- Contempt
- Controlled Substances/Narcotics
- Criminal Mischief
- Criminal Obstruction Of Breathing Or Blood Circulation
- Criminally Negligent Homicide
- Disorderly Conduct
- Domestic Violence Offenses
- Driving While Intoxicated
- Endangering The Welfare Of A Child
- Firearms
- Forgery
- Fraud
- Gambling
- General Felonies
- General Misdemeanors
- General Violations
- Harassment
- Juvenile Offenses
- Kidnapping
- Larceny
- Leaving The Scene Of An Accident
- Manslaughter
- Menacing
- Murder
- Obstructing Governmental Administration
- Parole Violations
- Probation Violations
- Public Lewdness
- Rape
- Reckless Endangerment
- Resisting Arrest
- Robbery
- Stalking
- Strangulation
- Theft
- Traffic Offenses
- Trespass
- Unauthorized Use Of A Vehicle
- Unlawful Imprisonment
- Vehicular Offenses
- Weapons
