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ZMO Law

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    • ZMO Law Team
    • Zachary Margulis-Ohnuma
    • Tess Cohen
    • Shane Finn
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Client Focused. Trial Ready.

New York City Federal Criminal Defense Lawyers

Federal Criminal Defense and Civil Rights

ZMO Law PLLC is a New York City law firm. Our New York federal criminal lawyers fight for defendants in life-altering cases in U.S. District Courts for the Southern District of New York and the Eastern District of New York.

We focus on clients accused of child pornography, other sex crimes, healthcare crimes, and federal fraud charges as well as serious state offenses like sexual assault. We also bring carefully selected civil lawsuits on behalf of victims of sex crimes and civil rights abuses, including wrongful convictions.

We are client focused and trial ready. That means we listen carefully to our clients and are always ready to take our cases to trial.

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Practice Areas

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Sex Crimes
Federal Crimes
Civil Rights
Criminal Appeals
Healthcare Crimes

Our Attorneys

Our attorneys represent defendants accused of computer-based crimes in the U.S. District Courts for the Southern District of New York, the Eastern District of New York, and the state criminal courts in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Westchester County.

We have defended bankers, lawyers, doctors, teachers, public officials, and other professionals accused of white-collar crimes like health care fraud, medicaid fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, insurance fraud, and bank fraud.

Our federal defense lawyers also have experience representing people accused of organized crime, terrorism, and drug-trafficking offenses including smuggling and distribution of heroin, cocaine, ecstasy (MDMA), ketamine, fentanyl, GBL, and marijuana.

Our Attorneys

Zachary Margulis-Ohnuma Principal Attorney
Tess Cohen Partner
Shane Finn Associate

ZMO Law Blog

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Justice for James Pugh

Dec 8, 2025 What's New, Civil Rights Advocacy

Vindication for a Victim of Sex Abuse in New York State Prison

Oct 24, 2025 What's New

The new crime of sextortion

Sep 24, 2025 Crime and Technology, Child Pornography, Sex Crimes, What's New

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  • Reviews

    Five Star
    Zachary is a brilliant attorney - he has a keen understanding of the law, with years of experience and practices with diligence and integrity. It was a pleasure to work with and learn from Zach, as he provided thoughtful and meticulous guidance. Zach is undoubtedly a devoted and passionate advocate for his clients, who operates with confidence, reliability, and the utmost professionalism. — Vidya P.
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  • Reviews

    Five Star
    Zachary is an excellent lawyer with great concern for his clients and equally great skills and thinking outside the box. I met him as an adversary and chose to keep him as a friend. He is both able and dedicated. In his areas of practice, he is outstanding. — Joel A.
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  • Reviews

    Five Star
    I highly recommend Zachary as a defense attorney. I hired him on a very serious jury case and the bottom line is we won. It is the best decision of my life at a critical point in my life. Zach was very professional, personable, a diligent expert, a masterful strategist but most importantly he took the time to understand my perspective. — Ronald C. (Photo Courtesy of Steven Klapisch, Esq.)
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  • Reviews

    Five Star
    I met Zack while I was representing a client in a high profile murder case in 2007. Zack represented a witness who was subpoenaed against his will. Although our interests were adverse, Zack was the consummate professional--calm and well versed in the relevant legal issues. He acted as an outstanding advocate for his client. I would recommend Zack to potential clients without hesitation. — Mark Bederow
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  • Reviews

    Five Star
    Zachary is a top-notch lawyer who fights vigorously to advance his clients' interests. I have referred cases to him in the past and will continue to do so in the future. — David Feldman
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  • Reviews

    Five Star
    I have had the opportunity to see Zachary in action while he was conducting a federal trial for which he was lead trial counsel. He's a highly talented trial attorney skilled in the art of cross examination. I recommend him highly. — Ryan Blanch
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In The News

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January 16, 2026
NOTUS: The Case Against Nicolás Maduro Will Rely on a Myriad of Corrupt, Jailed Venezuelan Officials
Prosecutors preparing the criminal case against ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in Manhattan are expected to rely heavily on testimony from corrupt, jailed drug traffickers and military officials who have cut deals with U.S. authorities as cooperating witnesses. Many of these informants have credibility issues, a point underscored by defense attorney Tess Cohen, who noted ...
January 16, 2026
AMNY: A ‘snatch and grab’: Why legal observers question legality of Maduro capture, and how that’s expected to play into court arguments
As Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro faces U.S. prosecution after his capture and arraignment in New York, legal experts expect his defense to challenge the manner of his “snatch and grab” seizure and raise head-of-state immunity and evidentiary issues. Defense attorney Zachary Margulis-Ohnuma told amNY Law that Maduro’s team may argue the U.S. action was unlawful ...
January 16, 2026
Reuters: Maduro’s immunity claim tests US power to prosecute foreign leader
U.S. prosecutors and a federal court are facing a rare legal test after Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty in New York to narco-terrorism and related charges and asserted head-of-state immunity. The central question is whether Maduro can claim traditional immunity protections, with U.S. officials arguing he isn’t recognized as Venezuela’s president and defense ...
December 3, 2025
Buffalo News: Judge dismisses charges against ZMO Law client in 1993 Tonawanda murder
In court just last week, Erie County prosecutors asked a judge to reinstate James Pugh’s convictions for a 1993 City of Tonawanda homicide. As Pugh’s retrial was about to begin, the District Attorney’s Office asked for the opposite – that the charges be dropped. On Tuesday, the judge said yes to the latter. State Supreme ...
December 3, 2025
New York Times: Prosecutors drop murder case against ZMO Law client who served more than 26 years
James Pugh, one of two men originally convicted in the savage killing of Deborah Meindl near Buffalo in 1993, said all along that he was innocent. Mr. Pugh, 63, was convicted in 1994 of the savage murder of Deborah Meindl, a woman with two young children who was discovered stabbed and strangled in her home ...

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ZMO Law PLLC

We serve the following localities: New York City including New York County, Bronx County, Kings County, and Queens County; and Westchester County.

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Practice Areas
  • Sex Crimes
  • Federal Crimes
  • Civil Rights
  • Health Care Crimes
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ZMO Law PLLC
353 Lexington Avenue, Suite 900
New York, NY 10016
Phone: (212) 685-0999

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