Laura C. Sutnick

Laura C. Sutnick is a highly experienced criminal defense attorney with a demonstrated track record of success. She is a former prosecutor and the founding member of Sutnick and Sutnick, LLC, a boutique criminal defense law firm established in 2002 in Hackensack, New Jersey.  

She is certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Criminal Trial Attorney and has tried many high-profile cases that have received extensive media attention. 

A seasoned lawyer, Ms. Sutnick handles a wide range of criminal cases, including those involving domestic violence, drug charges, DWI/DUI, juvenile offenses, sex crimes, violent crimes, shoplifting and theft. Ms. Sutnick represents clients at all levels of the New Jersey Court system, including the Appellate Division and the New Jersey Supreme Court, where she has been a part of and argued precedential cases leading to published opinions.

Laura has also represented clients before the executive branch of the government. In 2015, in a high-stakes prosecution, Laura represented a Marine sergeant who was arrested and charged with a crime. After advocating before the Pardon and Clemency Advisory Board, Laura obtained a rare executive pardon from then Governor Christopher Christie.

Laura is a leader in the legal community and proud to serve as the 126th President of the Bergen County Bar Association. She has been a member of the Association for over 25 years and has served on the Executive Board, as a Trustee, and as Committee Co-Chair of the Criminal Law and Municipal Court Committees. She is currently a member of the Judicial and Prosecutorial Appointments Committee and served for many years on the Nominating Committee. Laura is a frequent lecturer at legal education seminars. 

Laura currently serves as an adjunct professor at Seton Hall Law School where she teaches Persuasion and Advocacy. She also volunteers annually at the law school’s Denis F. McLaughlin Advanced Trial Advocacy Workshop. Previously, she taught at Cardozo School of Law’s Intensive Trial Advocacy Program, which was established by renowned trial attorney Barry Scheck, Esq. 

In 2023, Laura was invited by Chief Justice Stuart Rabner to serve on the New Jersey Supreme Court’s Reconvened Joint Committee on Criminal Justice. On that committee, she worked with statewide leaders including New Jersey’s Attorney General, Public Defender, members of the judiciary and numerous private and law enforcement agencies to assess the progress of Criminal Justice Reform. That committee’s report was published and provided additional guidance to further improve our criminal justice system. 

Laura is often interviewed as a legal expert by various media outlets. She has appeared as a frequent legal commentator on Court TV where she offered her specialized insight on legal issues and cases of note. She has also been interviewed by Telemundo Television to provide her legal opinion. 

Furthermore, Laura authored a chapter in a legal publication entitled “Litigation Strategies for Internet Pornography Cases” where she shared her insights for defending such highly-specialized matters.

After graduating with honors from Boston University, Laura earned a law degree from Cardozo School of Law. Following law school, Laura began her legal career as an assistant district attorney at the Kings County District Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, New York. During her 7-year tenure, Laura tried many serious felony cases, including homicides, sex crimes and armed robberies. She was promoted to senior trial attorney and worked in the Homicide Grand Jury, Investigations and Felony Trial Bureaus. 

To Laura, the practice of law is very personal. She recognizes that every client needs an individualized defense based on their own personal circumstances and the specific facts of their case. She is a zealous litigator who understands that honesty with clients and collegiality with colleagues and the Court are hallmarks of effective advocacy. 

Ms. Sutnick is proficient in Spanish, allowing her to communicate with a greater number of clients.