Exclusively Post-Conviction. Exclusively New York.
National Criminal Appeals is a New York law firm that handles one category of work: post-conviction relief. We do not practice trial-level criminal defense. We do not handle civil litigation. Every case file that enters this firm is a post-conviction matter handled by an attorney whose entire practice is appellate work.
That structural focus is the firm's core differentiator. Appellate advocacy is a distinct discipline. It requires command of the record, mastery of constitutional doctrine, and the ability to identify and preserve reversible error. We bring that discipline to every case we accept.
The firm handles direct appeals in the Appellate Division and New York Court of Appeals, CPL Article 440 motions in the trial courts, and federal habeas corpus petitions under 28 U.S.C. Section 2254 before the United States District Courts. We represent New York inmates and their families at every stage of the post-conviction process.
Gregory Salmon, Esq.
Background
Gregory Salmon, Esq. is a New York-admitted criminal appellate attorney with extensive experience across all stages of criminal defense. He began his legal career as a misdemeanor defender during law school, followed by service as a public defender in New York State. He then spent years in private practice handling criminal matters ranging from misdemeanors to serious felonies, including trial-level representation and appeals in both state and federal courts.
His current practice is exclusively post-conviction. He does not accept trial-level engagements. That focus reflects a deliberate choice: appellate work demands the full attention of an attorney who understands that a brief is a record-based argument, not a narrative retelling of the facts. Every position he advances in a brief is grounded in the trial record and supported by controlling or persuasive authority.
Appellate Practice
Mr. Salmon's appellate work focuses on post-conviction advocacy, including constitutional claims, ineffective assistance of counsel, procedural and evidentiary errors, and sentencing challenges. He handles direct appeals in the Appellate Division First, Second, Third, and Fourth Departments, leave applications to the Court of Appeals, CPL Article 440 motions in the trial courts, and federal habeas corpus petitions before the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.
His approach to every case begins with a comprehensive review of the trial record, identification of preserved and unpreserved issues, and an honest assessment of what a reviewing court is likely to address. He does not file arguments for the sake of filing them. He identifies the strongest available theory and develops it fully.
Published Works
Mr. Salmon is a published author with three titles in New York criminal appellate and post-conviction practice. His forthcoming 2026 book, Stolen Time: How Seven New York Inmates Proved Their Innocence After Conviction, profiles the seven New York inmates exonerated in 2025. He has also published The 2026 Guide to CPL 440 Motions and Overturning Sex-Crime Convictions in New York, both widely used by practitioners, inmates, and families navigating post-conviction relief.
Recognition
Mr. Salmon has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star (2024) and by Best Lawyers as Ones to Watch (2025). These recognitions reflect peer and publication evaluation of his work in the criminal appellate space.
Bar Admission
Admitted to practice in the State of New York and before the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.