“You have a truly sharp legal mind and your courtroom presence is among the best. I am forever grateful for your two years of hard work, dedication and service to my father's case.” — R.C.

“I give Mr. Spano the highest possible recommendation. Mr. Spano helped me navigate a somewhat unorthodox legal matter, did so quickly, and always kept me informed.”

“Thanks for taking my case and getting me a not guilty verdict. You are a great lawyer. I could not asked for anything more. Please know you hold a special place in my family's heart.” — G.B.

“Many thanks for the very professional and gentlemanly way that you conducted yourself at the trial of my son. I along with all of my family were thrilled beyond words with the outcome.” — B.B..

“Thank you for assuring me that just because a good honest person makes a mistake does not mean they have to be treated like a criminal!” — D.S.

OUR PRACTICE AREAS

Skilled Attorney For Combating Hate Crime Allegations

All criminal offenses carry stigma to a certain extent. Being charged of a crime automatically makes others assume certain things about your feelings, beliefs and character. Nowhere is this truer than in cases involving hate crime allegations.

If you have been accused of a hate crime, you need qualified defense that protects not only your rights but also your reputation. Michael Spano has more than 25 years of experience handling the toughest violent criminal cases, both as a former prosecutor and as a criminal defense lawyer, his skill and practical experience matters when defending yourself against such serious allegations.

Hate Crimes Vs. Other Violent Offenses

Legally speaking, a hate crime is violence committed against or intimidation of another person or people group based on hatred of a certain defining characteristic about them, such as their:

Race or skin color
Religion
National origin or ethnicity
Sexual orientation
Immigration status

This is what distinguishes a hate crime from other violent crimes. The prosecution must prove that your alleged offenses — from harassment to aggravated assault — were motivated by hate or bigotry. Those accused of hate crimes often face steeper penalties as a result, though it depends on the alleged offensive behavior and circumstances.

Protecting Your Rights And Reputation

In today’s politically charged climate, a person’s words can get taken wildly out of context. Perhaps something said or done in the heat of an argument was perceived as a threat, and now you’re facing down criminal charges.

Oftentimes, hate crime allegations illuminate underlying tensions within a workplace, neighborhood or private community. You might be the unfortunate scapegoat or focus of a wider underlying problem that requires more than just a criminal case to fix.

At such times, you want a representative who knows the ropes of criminal procedure, and has demonstrated success in trial. You want someone who takes attorney-client privilege seriously and doesn’t use the case for his own publicity.

That is the kind of representation you can expect at Michael Spano Law. We understand that the court of public opinion is just as harsh as the criminal court when it comes to alleged hate crimes. That’s why Mr. Spano and his team make it a point to focus solely on minimizing the penalties you face through smart and ethical criminal defense.