Testimonials

Having worked with multiple high profile New York law firms on my case, I can say without exception that Jim’s legal experience, wisdom and hands on involvement were the instrumental factors in the incredible outcome of my case. I would highly recommend to anyone in need of an attorney to meet with him before retaining alternate counsel. (Read full Avvo review)

… James Kousouros… is indefatigable on behalf of his clients. My case concerned both new & traditional areas of law. Mr. Kousouros, with his decades of knowledge & expertise knew exactly how to handle my defense. Additionally, his keen legal instinct & dedication gave me a sophisticated, cutting edge defense. I could see the respect his defense engendered in both the judge & the prosecution. He sees holes in the prosecution case that others don’t. He came up with avenues of defense for which the prosecution was unprepared. And his competence in the courtroom is astonishing: he skillfully questions witnesses into revealing every advantageous fact while minimizing every disadvantageous one, and he is equally adept in his arguments to the judge.

Mr. Kousouros combines the best of small & big law firms … No amount of work is too much if it can advance your defense… He is respected, which means that both the prosecution and the judge takes him seriously, a huge advantage for a defendant…He respects his clients & tells them the truth. I would trust no one else with my defense should I ever again need one. & I would recommend him above anyone else to friends & family. (Read full Avvo review)

Approximately for a total of four years my company was being investigated by the Attorney Generals office….they raided our facility….we called Mr. James Kousouros immediately. Our charges ranged from the involvement of organized crime, to insurance fraud and tax fraud. After two years of dealing with these allegations, Mr. Kousouros had the [most serious] charges dropped, and we pled out to tax fraud with no jail time. Although our situation was very stressful and very serious, he always made us feel that everything was under control. I offer the highest possible recommendation for Mr. Kousouros to represent anyone that requires a criminal defense attorney. He was always available to answer any and all of my questions and concerns. He goes above and beyond for his clients and explains everything in detail, Mr. Kousouros thinks and acts accordingly “on his feet”! … (Read full Avvo review)

…The minute I met James he made me feel calm and comfortable that my case would be handled properly while at the same time making it quite clear that I was in a serious bind and that he could not guarantee an outcome…. James was always available to discuss my case, and he was always aware of the most recent events that were happening, I never once had to remind him or ask for an update. I would call him anytime and any day and he was there to speak to me. He would meet me anytime I needed to review the case… After a year and half of much tension James was able to help me to receive probation so I can move on with my life. I still can’t believe how this was possible and neither can anyone who knew about my case… I will always appreciate all the work and effort James had given to my case. I would recommend James to anyone with any criminal case. (Read full Avvo review)

James is an attorney that will stand by you till the very end!… Throughout the case James always had our back and always said the truth. James and his team were available at anytime of the day to answer questions or to even have a talk. We would meet at least once a week to give us updates and always made sure my dad had a smile on his face. In court James was always on fire, filing motions and making sure that he did what was best for my dad. Based on my dads charges he was looking at 25 years to life. James fought to the very end and got the case dismissed….James was not only our attorney but he became a lifelong friend…[I] would highly recommend James Kousouros to anyone who needs legal help. He’s an attorney who fights with you till the very end! (Read full Avvo review)

From the first meeting, we had a warm and comforting feeling that James will fight for us and our rights till the very end. This is not your corner store law office, this is a professional individual with many years of experience in his arsenal. By the time we were finished, I viewed James Kousouros as a friend rather than my attorney simply because of the amount of time he put into our case, and the amount of hours we spent together resolving our case. Hands down your best choice for an attorney. (Read full Avvo review)

I received a call to my home in Dublin, Ireland to say that… [my 21 year old son and his friend] had been arrested and were been held in the Manhattan detention centre.… We were in a state of shock and had no idea how to proceed…..I telephoned James Kousourous late on a Saturday night and hand on heart from that moment I started to feel some release from the extreme anxiety and stress that myself and my wife were experiencing at that traumatic time in our lives… I remained in Dublin but on a daily basis I received at least two telephone calls and many e-mails providing regular updates as to the progress been made on the case…Every part of the process was explained to myself , my wife and the the two boys in a clear and precise manner… I felt that we genuinely could not have had a better legal team on our side….the Boys pleaded to a violation charge as opposed to Class C Felon…When I first spoke to James Kousouros …he said something that will live with me forever, “everybody deserves a second chance”. … my son and his brothers will be eternally grateful for everything that he has done. From arrest to the case finishing took exactly 4 weeks and although this period was the most stressful period in our lives we could not have got through it without the unbelievable efforts of James Kousouros and his exceptional legal team. From the very bottom of our hearts thank you. (Read full Avvo review)

I was contacted over a weekend in August 2015 by the parents of Irish Students who had been detained and charged with a felony in New York. The parents were very distressed and worried and needed immediate assistance. Through a contact in the Brown Rudnick New York Office I was put in touch with James. It is rare, if ever, in 33 years of my practice as a lawyer that I received the fulsome, genuine and wonderful comments about what James did for these students in New York. His kindness, professionalism, support, dedication and to top it all a great result will not be forgotten. These young Irish Students owe James back their lives. Well done James. (Read full Avvo review)

James Kousouros and his seasoned team of counselors care about you, the individual.
When in doubt, never fear if you have Mr. Kousouros and his firm on your side. James, not only has the law down… [pat}, he also brings with him a brilliant team of experts… Most importantly, he knows the judges, the District attorneys, and how the law works in the real world…James had been well referred to us by a family friend and earned our vote of confidence almost instantly. He helped us remain steady throughout the lengthy process, as we literally laid our lives in his hands….He sat us down with the good news, the bad news, and most importantly with options. In the end, the results, better than we had hoped for. Thank you for going above and beyond the call of duty. We owe you. (Read full Avvo review)

Mr. Kousouros is not only knowledgeable — thoroughly knowledgeable — but he is dedicated, hard working, straightforward and smart. He is what an attorney should be. He is an incredible asset to the profession and most definitely to the clients he represents, many of whom are professionals. He has compassion and kindness that permeates his work ethic. He listened, he worked hard and he cleared my name. He was not afraid to speak up, he defended me to the fullest and was not worried about the prosecutors, the judge, the clerks, the system. He took a stance, after much reasoning and thought, and then fought for his client – ME. (Read full Avvo review)

… I was facing 10-15 years in federal prison. We fought and never gave up in the 8 years battling the sentencing I was facing. And today it all came to an end with James pitching a “ perfect game” in my defense and the verdict came back one that shocked all does in court. With time served and no probation. I am now a 100% free man. Today I am born again and I thank you James for everything, I will be for ever grateful and appreciated for your hard work , representation , commitment and love that you showed me for almost a decade. (Read full Avvo review)

When faced with legal issues that deeply affect one’s life, not having legal representation that one can trust becomes unbelievably overwhelming. However, with James Kousouros I felt totally confident and secure that my best interests were being addressed and that every step was being taken to procure the best result for me. James’ zealous representation and tireless dedication created a connection between the firm and myself that instills the trust that I believe every person in need of legal assistance should seek. I would highly and unequivocally recommend James Kousouros to anyone in need of legal help.

I was charged in the Southern District of New York with criminal copyright infringement. The government accused me of millions of dollars of fraud and said I confessed when I was arrested. I hired James to represent me and after one trial ended in a hung jury, I was fully acquitted at my second trial. I am eternally grateful every day for his kindness, his courtesy and his full attention to my case. We prepared for hours on end for this trial. There were thousands of documents and they were all scanned, reviewed and then used to our advantage when possible. There was nothing we were not prepared for. After two years of stress I got my life back, thanks to you, James.

My case was in the federal court in New York and I was charged with selling kilogram quantities of cocaine. The mandatory minimum was ten years and there was a lot of evidence against me. It did not look as though there was any way around this. I hired James and explained that my dealing was the product of a longstanding substance abuse problem. He fully investigated my prior history and we entered the plea knowing that while the minimum was reduced to 97 months, there was no guarantee that I would receive any less time. James prepared an amazing sentence memorandum. He showed the court who I was, and that I deserved a chance at rehabilitation. I received a sentence of only 30 months and with the court’s recommendation of a drug program my sentence was further reduced by one year. I received the help I needed in that program and I am back with my wife and children. That never would have happened if James wasn’t the type of lawyer he is — he fights hard and cares deeply.

I am from Singapore and I was charged in a case in New York federal court with a conspiracy to import and distribute over 20 million dollars in counterfeit goods. I was in jail with no family or friends here and didn’t know where to turn. A couple people told me about James — what a good guy he was, how honest he was, what a fighter he was. He came and met with me and we talked about the case. He told me to take my time and interview as many lawyers as I needed until I was comfortable. I knew I wanted James to represent me, and after he spoke with my family in Singapore, they hired him. I was always asking him if I was going to go home, but he never just told me what I wanted to hear, he told me what I had to hear — that he could not be sure of what the judge will do. It was easier to accept that truth because James was kind to me, he explained everything to me, and he visited with me often. In the end, the judge sentenced me to time served, which was years less than the guidelines called for, and I am home with my family. James was honest from the day we met and I thank him with all my heart.

I am Sohal and I was arrested in Michigan on a large scale narcotics conspiracy and brought to the Eastern District of New York to face these charges. I was originally charged with a crime that had a ten year minimum. I had no family or anyone to assist me until I was told about James. My family hired him from my home in Canada and within a few months, Mr. James had negotiated a plea with the government which carried only a two to three year sentence, instead of ten. There was a lot of evidence against me, and I was very grateful to be offered such a good deal. Mr. James had explained that given my background and minor role in the case, I had a chance of receiving a sentence below these guidelines. He always made it clear that there was no guarantee that this would happen. James gave the court a memorandum about me which included my entire life and the words of my wife and children and people I worked with in Canada. My hopes came true and after only a few months, I was sentenced to time served and sent home to my family. My thanks always to Mr. James.

We hired James in 2007 to defend me in my murder case in Brooklyn. I was charged with the murder of one man and the attempted murder of another. I made a video taped statement after my arrest and at 18 years old, I thought my life was over. I knew I did not kill the one man and I knew I shot at the other in self defense, but proving that didn’t even seem possible with four witnesses telling a different story. James investigated the case in every respect. He interviewed every witness he could find, he went to the scene and studied it and he knew it like the back of his hand. He spent hours with me preparing for our defense and my testimony. But most of all, what gave me the most faith, was that I knew he cared about me. I was acquitted, I am finishing school and I will never forget you James.

I hired James when I was notified that I was the target of a federal investigation at my bank. James immediately went to work investigating the case, examining it as though he were one of the agents! He told me that this was the best way to defend the proposed accusations and hopefully convince the investigators that I was not the culprit. Thanks to James, we were successful. I can’t imagine what it would have been like if I had not hired James for the investigation and waited instead to be charged with something. Being a target of an investigation is an unrelenting burden, and the stress and fear it brings is overwhelming. I don’t know what I would have done without his guidance. Thank you brother.

Many years ago, I found myself charged with the murder of a woman in a club in the Bronx. I could not believe that this was happening to me, and as the months went by I was getting weaker and weaker in jail, to the point where even though I knew in my heart I should go to trial and prove my innocence, I was almost convinced by my lawyer to plead guilty and stay in jail for ten years. A friend introduced me to James and after meeting with us and reviewing my case James became my lawyer. There were no false promises, just straight talk. He devised a strategy and investigated the case but he never promised we would win. Finally the delays stopped, the investigation that was never done was done immediately, and after a three week trial, I was acquitted. I am grateful for the day I met James.

I had two cases in the Bronx involving 8 robberies. The DA was offering me 15 years and would not come down. I was 17 and when my mom hired James I was sure that nobody could help me. The truth is that James didn’t know either at first. As I look back on all that happened, I realize that that is one of the best things about him. I hated some of the things he told me, but now I know that as much as I didn’t want to hear it, it was always the truth. As he worked on the case, we realized that it was less about what I did and did not do and more about who I was. James put in over 50 pages of information to the court explaining my life and my potential. He really cared about me and this was so clear to the judge. I received a much lower sentence from the judge, over ten years less than the DA’s recommendation. I am in school now and I am going to be okay. I will never forget your advice and what you did for me James.

James I cannot thank you enough for your amazing representation. I had a case in Brooklyn where I was charged with possession of one kilogram of cocaine. I have a prior record and I was being offered 20 years. We had no choice but to move forward toward trial. The preparation for the hearings was amazing. James had been to the scene many times. He realized that the police testimony that I was stopped at a bus stop was impossible. There was no bus stop on the corner they put my car! James’ cross examinations during the hearings made it clear that the police were not truthful and the case was now not as strong as originally believed. Because of this, the plea offer was reduced from 20 years to practically nothing. I know we could have won the trial after having seeing James at the hearing, but given the amazingly good plea offer, I had to decide if I should take the small risk that things would go wrong at trial. I asked him what he thought. As always, James was honest and looked out for my best interests, not his financial interests. I would have gone to trial if he told me to and paid him whatever he asked for, but he agreed that when we weighed the unknown risk of trial against the plea offer that was so good, it was clear that I should take the plea. In doing that, he made less money and I got the best representation possible. The man is a straight shooter, he looks out for his clients and he is amazing in the courtroom.

During what has been one of the worst times of my life, when I was facing charges of federal labor violations, there is one person I have come to trust and count on like no other—James Kousouros. From day one, I have never felt like I’m just a client to him. His capabilities and knowledge are second to none. He is genuinely concerned not only for me but for my family as well. I consider James not only my lawyer but also my friend.

Plain and simple I thought I was going to end up doing 30 years in prison for cocaine conspiracy out of the northern district of New York. After retaining James to represent me things began to turn in my favor. James is a fighter! I knew that I had an attorney who was willing to go to battle on my behalf as if it was his life on the line. James has been there for me in every way possible. His open and direct way of communicating allows a person to know truthfully what they’re up against. Regardless of how busy he may be, he finds time for meetings or phone calls to answer any and all questions. He covers all areas and leaves no stone unturned and allows you to feel secure that he has your best interest at heart. James secured me a plea bargain for far less than what I thought was possible for drugs and weapons without sacrificing my integrity or having to question his. If anyone is ever faced with a situation involving the judicial system, please do your research and find out who James Kousouros is because in doing so , I’m sure that there are many who can attest to his professionalism, drive, and integrity.

I came to James with two DWI’s and 2 refusal hearings. My job with sanitation, after 18years, was in jeopardy because my license was suspended. James worked for three years. We won both refusal hearings, one DWI was dismissed and the other resolved with a non-alcohol related plea. I have my license and my job back. But even more important, James helped me get in an alcohol program. I am 18 months sober and I have my life back. My friend and attorney, I thank you.

While preparing for an assault trial, I was charged with attempting to bribe a witness. It’s too complicated a story to say on so few lines, but I was innocent. As bad as it looked, James and his team investigated and found the truth. I was acquitted after a trial nobody thought we could win. Thank you James.

In 2009 I was charged with possession of close to 10 pounds of heroin while working at UPS. But I was innocent. I had never been arrested in my life and never used let alone touched any drugs. The biggest problem was that there were not one, but two detectives that claimed they overheard me making the drug deal. This was the worst two years of my life. James fought like it was his own life on the line. When the jury said not guilty after only 1 hour of deliberations, the weight of the arrest was lifted from me. He treated me like family and that is what we will be forever—family.