Recipient of the Hon. Thurgood S. Marshall Award for Outstanding Criminal Practitioner

Apart from successful verdicts and settlements, dismissals and favorable sentences, Bobbi counts among her proudest professional experiences having coached a young pro se defendant with a 9th grade education to acquittal on federal charges and a 50-year-old woman to parole following 30 years of a life sentence in state prison and multiple denials by the Parole Board.

In addition to her law degree, Bobbi holds a master’s in forensic psychology and an LL.M in Advocacy. She has been named a New York Super Lawyer and is "AV" peerreview rated by Martindale-Hubbell. She is a fellow of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers and the first (and only) woman recipient of the New York Criminal Bar Association’s Award for Excellence in the Profession.

Bobbi C. Sternheim, Esq

Law Offices of Bobbi C. Sternheim

Bobbi C. Sternheim is a highly respected and seasoned trial lawyer, advocating for her clients both inside and outside the courtroom. She has built a reputation as a leading criminal defense lawyer experienced in handling a wide variety of matters in federal and state court for individual and corporate clients. She is a recognized leader in the local and national criminal defense bar for litigating difficult and complex cases, using her courtroom and advocacy skills in New York and beyond, and educating practitioners and law students in the skills of trial and appellate advocacy.

Bobbi’s case portfolio is extensive, covering a wide range of criminal and civil matters. She holds Top Secret/SCI Clearance and has represented individuals extradited internationally.

Among her notable criminal cases, Bobbi has tried international organized crime and racketeering conspiracies, international terrorism offenses, international telemarketing fraud, capital murder, sex abuse/sex trafficking, and interstate transport of pornographic media. She has represented federal defendants charged with death-eligible offenses as both lead and learned counsel and persuaded the Attorney General of the United States to de-authorize a federal death penalty case. Most recently, Bobbi was lead trial attorney for Ghislaine Maxwell.

Notable civil cases include representation of Ghislaine Maxwell, gender discrimination suit against the Mission of Saudi Arabia, a financial interpleader action against Imelda Marcos, and a medical malpractice suit against the United States Bureau of Prisons.

Bobbi has taught advocacy on a local, national and international level, including Advanced Trial Advocacy as an adjunct professor at Pace Law School, Trial Advocacy as director of Cardozo Law School’s Intensive Trial Advocacy Program, Federal Trial Practice as a faculty member of the Federal CJA Trial Skills Academy, Advanced Evidence an adjunct professor in the LLM-Advocacy Program at Stetson College of law, Appellate Practice as a supervisor in Cardozo’s Criminal Appeals Clinic, and Trial Advocacy in Stetson’s Oxford, UK Program.

Bobbi is the Criminal Justice Act Panel Attorney Representative for the Southern District of New York and a member of the Defender Services Advisory Group to the U.S. Courts’ Committee on Defender Services. She is a member of SDNY’s CJA Peer Review Committee and Mentoring Programs and serves on the Board of Directors of Federal Defenders of New York. In addition, she serves on the SDNY/EDNY Joint Local Rules Committee.

Bobbi is a past President of the New York Women’s Bar Association and has chaired the Criminal Courts Committee for the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. By judicial appointment, Bobbi has served on the Joint Committee for Local Rules for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, the New York State’s Task Force on Professionalism - Ethics Subcommittee, and as a member of the First Department’s Indigent Defense Organization Oversight Committee.

Bobbi has been a facilitator and presenter at continuing legal education seminars and has provided legal commentary for print and television media. Most recently in 2022, she presented on Voir Dire & Opening Statements at the New York City Bar’s “Giants” of the Defense Trial Bar – Winning Strategies, and Representing Woman Accused in Sex Cases at NACDL’s 13th Annual Defending Sex Crimes Seminar.

Bobbi brings to her clients what it takes to make a difference: the energy and experience to provide strategic advocacy and innovative solutions to the most challenging issues confronting her clients.