Joseph Tacopina

Joseph Tacopina founded the Law Offices of Joseph Tacopina, P.C. in 1994. After serving as a prosecutor, Mr. Tacopina chose to bring his talents to the criminal defense bar. Having tried more than 80 cases at the age of 42, Mr. Tacopina has earned the media' s praise as the "hottest young criminal defense lawyer" in New York.

Because of his extensive litigation experience in both federal and state court and his successes in some very high profile cases, Mr. Tacopina frequently appears as an expert legal analyst on various media outlets nationwide. He can regularly be seen on MSNBC, CNBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, CNN, Court TV, and even occasionally had taken his licks on “Imus in the Morning”.

Mr. Tacopina is a member of the Federal Bar Council, the New York Counsel of Defense Lawyers, and the Judicial Committee for the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. He also serves on the Legislative Committee for the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Additionally, Mr. Tacopina volunteers his time as an adjunct professor at Fordham Law School and lectures nationwide on a variety of legal issues. He was also recently honored by the National Italian American Bar Association - Read Article, and is the basis for the fictional attorney on the CBS show The Guardian - Read Article.

Chad Seigel

Chad Seigel joined the Law Offices of Joseph Tacopina, P.C. as an associate in 2001, and partnered with Mr. Tacopina in 2007, to form the Law Offices of Tacopina & Seigel, P.C. He graduated with honors from New York University’s Stern School of Business and then went on to earn his juris doctorate degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

Mr. Seigel has practiced for the past decade in both federal and state court, successfully handling a broad array of white collar and non-white collar criminal cases at both the trial and appellate levels. His extensive knowledge and achievements in this field, along with his representation of various high profile clients, have led him to appear frequently as a legal commentator for Court TV and other media outlets as well as lecture to his colleagues on issues of criminal law and procedure.

Mr. Seigel is a member of the New York and New Jersey state bars.

 

Stephen Turano

Stephen Turano brings to Tacopina Seigel & Turano his years of experience as a highly regarded criminal attorney and civil litigator. After working as an associate at two prestigious Wall Street law firms Lord Day & Lord, Barrett Smith and Chadbourne & Parke for nearly five years and Michael Critchley & Associates for another five years, Mr. Turano established his own criminal defense practice in 2001. He joined Tacopina and Seigel in January 2008. Over the years, Mr. Turano has represented individuals and businesses in many high profile and sensitive matters. Mr. Turano has tried many cases to verdict and argued numerous appeals in state and federal courts. His practice focuses on primarily handling criminal matters in New Jersey and New York, including complex white collar, public corruption and securities prosecutions, homicides, and other serious felonies.

Mr. Turano is no stranger to the spotlight. Over the years, he has represented a number of high-profile clients. Most recently, Mr. Turano, together with Mr. Tacopina, represented Melanie McGuire, a case which landed on PrimeTime, 48 Hours, and Dateline, and was covered gavel-to-gavel on Court TV. Recently, the pair successfully represented Lillo Brancato, the A Bronx Tale and Sopranos actor, acquitting him of murder in a case that generated nationwide attention.

Mr. Turano has appeared on TV and in numerous other media presentations and often lectures on criminal law, evidence, and trial advocacy. He serves as an instructor at Cardozo School of Law’s Intensive Trial Advocacy Program and is a member of the CJA Panel for the District Court of New Jersey.

Mr. Turano is admitted to the federal and state bars of New Jersey and New York, and is admitted to the federal appeals courts for the Third and Ninth Circuits.

 

George Vomvolakis, of counsel

George Vomvolakis joined the Law Offices of Joseph Tacopina, P.C in 2005. He graduated from New York University and earned his juris doctorate in 1999 from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

While at Cardozo Law School, Mr. Vomvolakis participated in the Bet Tzedek Legal Services Clinic where he handled the representation of clients in a wide variety of legal matters including: government entitlement programs, housing, consumer and family disputes, and probate matters.

Mr. Vomvolakis continued his legal practice and gained valuable insight into the judicial aspects of criminal law when he worked for the Honorable Leslie Crocker Snyder, the former New York County District Attorney candidate. Mr. Vomvolakis assisted Judge Leslie Crocker Snyder in her judicial duties on an assortment of criminal trials. Mr. Vomvolakis advanced his practice of criminal law when he joined the Federal Defender’s Office in the Eastern District of New York.

In 1999, Mr. Vomvolakis was appointed to the New York County District Attorney’s Office by Robert Morgenthau, where he spent six years as a criminal prosecutor. Mr. Vomvolakis prosecuted numerous felony cases, including homicides and other violent offenses, as well as narcotics, vehicular, domestic-relations and forgery offenses. He was also involved in specialized prosecution of various white-collar offenses including credit card fraud, money laundering offenses, employee theft, welfare fraud, prescription drug fraud and bribery.

Using his criminal litigation experience, Mr. Vomvolakis participated in the training and further education of law school, college and high school students by judging mock trial competitions and serving as a mock trial advisor. He was also involved in the instruction of first-year prosecutors in the New York County District Attorney’s Office. Mr. Vomvolakis is a member of the New York State and Federal bars.