Fran Hoffinger is a founding partner of The Hoffinger Firm, PLLC. Her practice focuses on white and non-white collar criminal defense and civil and commercial litigation, both state and federal, as well as matrimonial and family law. Ms. Hoffinger began her legal career over 35 years ago at the New York Legal Aid Society Criminal Defense Division, first as a staff/trial lawyer and then as a Supervising Attorney where she represented hundreds of low income and indigent clients accused of a variety of crimes for seven years from 1984 to 1991. In private practice, she has continued her zealous representation of clients and tried a variety of cases, criminal, civil, matrimonial and family law related, and conducted hearings. She is listed in The Best Lawyers in America®, was selected as the 2024 Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” in Criminal Defense, General Practice, New York City, has been selected by New York Super Lawyers for excellence in Criminal Defense annually since 2009 and in 2018 was selected as one of the Top 50 Women New York Metro Super Lawyers. Ms. Hoffinger also has an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and was selected by the Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers.

Criminal cases, trials and investigations run the gamut in the white collar area from conspiracy and fraud to embezzlement, larceny, Medicaid fraud, sales tax evasion, mail fraud, cyber crimes and theft of government funds, and in the non-white collar area from homicide, burglary, larceny, assault, sexual abuse and assault to domestic violence, aggravated harassment, driving while intoxicated and resisting arrest. She has successfully persuaded prosecutors on many occasions not to pursue criminal charges against her clients, or to reduce the charges significantly. Ms. Hoffinger also represents victims of crimes, including domestic violence, elder abuse, fraud, grand larceny, embezzlement, stalking, cyber stalking and aggravated harassment, as well as witnesses in criminal proceedings, including those involving homicide and fraud charges.

On the civil side, Ms. Hoffinger has represented individuals and entities in cases involving partnership disputes, breach of contract, sexual harassment and other employment-related investigations and litigation, sexual assault, infliction of emotional distress, disputes between siblings regarding the disposition of their parents’ estates, misappropriation of trade secrets and property, shareholder derivative issues, conversion of property, professional malpractice, attorneys’ professional disciplinary matters, the Madoff-related bankruptcy litigation, and litigation involving cooperatives and condominiums. She has also represented college students in university-related disciplinary matters, including charges of sexual misconduct. She has conducted hearings before the New York State Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board, and represented clients being investigated or called as witnesses by investigatory and administrative agencies.

In the area of matrimonial and family law, Ms. Hoffinger has handled a variety of matters in both Supreme and Family Court, including all aspects of divorce, contested and uncontested, including equitable distribution, custody, child support, visitation and spousal support, paternity, abuse and neglect, domestic violence, family orders of protection and quasi-criminal proceedings between related parties brought in Family Court. She has tried cases in Supreme and Family Court, and negotiated divorce settlements, child custody and visitation agreements, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements and guided clients through divorce mediations. She successfully represented a guardian seeking to annul a marriage and void a prenuptial agreement on behalf of an elderly person suffering from dementia. She has also represented parties in investigations and proceedings brought by the Administration for Children’s Services, and represented young clients accused of criminal behavior prosecuted in Family Court.

Ms. Hoffinger has appeared in State Courts (Appellate Division, Supreme Court, Criminal Court, Civil Court, Family Court, Housing Court and Surrogate’s Court) and Federal Courts (District Court, Magistrate’s Court and Bankruptcy Court), throughout New York City and in Westchester County.