Darren M. Gelber chairs the Criminal Law Team and has been a shareholder at Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A. since 2003. Darren devotes his practice to criminal, white-collar and regulatory litigation, defending clients in federal and state courts and before administrative agencies in connection with charges and claims that range from homicide and street crimes to securities fraud, theft and complex white-collar crimes.
His practice extends into the healthcare field, where he represents physicians, dentists, pharmacists and other licensed professionals in criminal matters, administrative and licensing hearings, audits, and regulatory litigation throughout, including Medicaid/Medicare fraud investigations and defense, and administration actions involving discipline and licensing of professionals.
Darren also represents individuals and companies and their officers and directors in subpoena compliance and in connection with criminal and administrative investigations. Darren’s background and experience are especially useful when he is called upon by corporate and organizational clients to assist in internal investigations. As an accomplished trial and appellate lawyer for more than 25 years, Darren has managed numerous high-profile cases. He has been certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Certified Criminal Trial Attorney since 2006 and is one of just 250 trial lawyers in New Jersey holding such certification. He is a past-President of the Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey, and has received the Middlesex County Bar Association’s Criminal Practice Attorney of the Year award, and numerous other honors and distinctions. He has consistently been selected for inclusion in New Jersey Super Lawyers list since 2005. He has also been selected for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America list since 2012, including as "Lawyer of the Year" lists in 2013, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2023 for Criminal Defense: White-Collar.
Darren is an active member of the Bar. He has served on several New Jersey Supreme Court committees, including as Chair of the District IX Fee Arbitration Committee. He is a member of the Middlesex and Monmouth County Bar Associations and the New Jersey State Bar Association, where he has served as a member of the Criminal Practice Committee. He is also a member of the Editorial Board of New Jersey Lawyer Magazine. He lectures frequently on issues related to criminal practice, ethical and technology issues involving attorneys. In addition, as editor of the firm’s New Jersey Criminal Law Resource blog, Darren provides insight into New Jersey's criminal justice system and criminal practice and procedures.
Before entering private practice, Darren served as an Assistant District Attorney in Bronx, NY where he acquired extensive trial experience prosecuting various criminal matters and led homicide grand jury investigations.
- Won an appeal in Superior Court of New Jersey Appellate Division, prevailing on behalf of an elderly Alzheimer’s patient and her son in a case that clarified that the “caregiver exception” permits parents to transfer ownership of their homes, for less than fair market value and without fear of a Medicaid transfer penalty, to children who reside with them and provide care to them to the extent that the care delays the need for the parent to enter into a managed care facility or nursing home.
- Won an appeal in Superior Court of New Jersey Appellate Division, securing a civil reservation that protected his client from financial ruin, in the wake of a tragic case involving the death of an infant in the client’s care.
- Won a significant arbitration award on behalf of a physician in a compensation dispute with his hospital employer.
- Won acquittal for truck-driver client who faced charges related to accidental death of pedestrian.
- Secured pre-trial dismissal of charges against public school teacher in alleged counterfeiting case.
- Negotiated countless favorable pleas on behalf of clients facing serious criminal charges in state and federal court.
Also of Interest
- March 16, 2023Darren M. Gelber to Present at New Jersey Turnaround Management Association
- March 11, 2023Darren M. Gelber to Present at NJICLE New Attorney Day
- February 21, 2023Wilentz Shareholders Michael F. Schaff, Tracy A. Armstrong and Darren M. Gelber to Present at NJICLE’s 5th Annual Cannabis Law Symposium
- January 11, 2023Darren M. Gelber to Present at NJICLE’s The Art of Plea Negotiation Seminar