Jose Irizarry Perez Abogado
Jose Irizarry Perez Abogado
Jose Irizarry Perez abogado
Since he joined Smith Sovik, the law firm of Michael Smith and Christopher Sovik, in 2007, Jose has been involved in all areas of litigation. His legal experience includes work in the field of family law, criminal defense and immigration. He is a member of the Hispanic National Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, the Black Law Student Association and the American Bar Association.
His passion is helping people navigate the legal system. He is dedicated to providing high-quality legal services and has a proven track record of success in achieving results for his clients.
He is a strong advocate for his clients, taking the time to fully understand his client’s needs. He has also been successful in resolving a number of cases and is passionate about building lasting relationships with his clients.
Jose has extensive experience handling cases before the Immigration Courts and USCIS on a pro bono basis, having worked as a volunteer with the Fifth Judicial District ProBono Action Now Program and Catholic Charities of Tioga/Tompkins Counties. He is licensed to practice in both New York and Puerto Rico.
For many years, he has provided pro-bono representation to immigrants in Central New York. His commitment to helping those who cannot afford an attorney has made a positive impact on his community.
He has been recognized as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine.
A native of Yauco, Puerto Rico, Jose began his legal career as a law clerk at the San Juan Municipal Court before joining the firm in 2007. He has successfully defended many clients in the criminal justice system.
As a result, he has earned the respect of both his colleagues and clients. He has been named to the Super Lawyers list multiple times and has received several awards for his outstanding performance.
Before joining the firm, Jose was a prosecutor at the Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety and Security and served on the homicide investigative team for several months. In this role, he investigated a number of drug-related homicides.
His efforts led to the conviction of two defendants in a murder case and the dismissal of a third. In addition, he has prosecuted and negotiated cases in which the government has claimed fraud or civil rights violations.
In the field of criminal law, he has represented both minors and adults in cases involving drugs, money laundering and weapons charges. He has appeared before a wide range of courts, including the Federal and New York City Criminal Courts.
Jose has also appeared before the Puerto Rico Administrative Tribunal and has been successful in settling cases on his client’s behalf. He has been a member of the Spanish Translation and Interpretation Assistance Team (TAITA), a pro-bono project at the New York County Lawyers’ Association, and has presented seminars on immigration issues to lawyers in the area.
In 1998, Jose’s life was turned upside down. His parents had moved back to Puerto Rico from the United States, where they had been living for almost a decade. The move was an opportunity for them to rebuild their lives and to begin anew. However, as they struggled to make ends meet, the family’s financial situation worsened. In the midst of a recession, they could no longer afford to pay their rent. In addition, they had to pay a large amount of money for his father’s health insurance.