Gerald J. Di Chiara | Attorney

Gerald J. Di Chiara had been a practicing attorney since October of 1976, with a concentration in Criminal Law in both the Federal and State Courts. Through the years, his practice has involved him in a number of celebrated matters that placed him in the public eye. Included in the list of his high profile cases are: The original "Pizza Connection Case", the "Bensonhurst Case", and the "Columbo Crime Family War". His Securities and White Collar Fraud cases have included the representation of Island Mortgage Network, App, Online, and other mortgage banks. He recently obtained a dismissal of all charges against a defendant in the Symbol Technology prosecution in the Eastern District of New York, a white collar securities prosecution, because of a violation of the right to speedy trial.  He is also currently representing a public relations defendant in a securities fraud prosecution in Chicago, Illinois. Further, his practice has led him to represent defendants throughout the nation: Las Vegas, Nevada (credit card scheme); Tampa, Florida (multi-million dollar money laundering charges); Mississippi (international kidnapping charges); Newark and Trenton, New Jersey; Baltimore, Maryland; Scranton and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. (Colombian Cartel and other major, multi-kilo, drug conspiracy charges).

In the late seventies, Mr. Di Chiara successfully challenged the prosecution's use of race-based peremptory challenges in the case of People v. Reginald Thompson, making law in New York State years before the Supreme Court, in Batson v. Kentucky, declared such practice unconstitutional. He was recently successfully involved in the high profile, media driven hate crime murder trial of People v. Fortunato, a case in which the defendant revealed his own homosexuality to rebut charges of his preying on gays and was acquitted of the most serious charges, including murder. As noted, he is currently representing a defendant in Chicago, Illinois , who is being charged with using internet public relations tactics to commit a securities fraud violation.

Mr. Di Chiara's clientele ranges from notable names such as Paolo Gucci to the indigent. He has successfully represented bankers, attorneys, doctors, union officials, business people, major drug dealers, and alleged members of organized crime. He is an active member of the Columbian Lawyers of Kings County, and was a past president of the organization. He is also active in the Brooklyn Bar Association, having served for three terms as Chairman of the Federal Courts Committee and in prior years as an active participant in the BBA Speakers Program. Other Bar Associations he is involved in are; The Federal Bar Council, Bay Ridge Lawyers, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the NYS Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.  He is "AV" rated by Martindale-Hubble, their highest rating for ethical and professional standards.

Regardless of the nature of the defendant, the magnitude of the case, or the location of the proceedings, Mr. Di Chiara has a well deserved reputation for vehement defense of his clients' rights through creative and innovative strategies and techniques.