About Karine

Prepared for court. Attentive to the life behind the case.

Karine Patiño is a New York attorney, former public defender, and founder of Karine Patiño Law in Mount Kisco. Her practice brings together courtroom experience, immigration law, and public service, with a focus on careful preparation and direct client communication.

She represents clients in criminal defense, DWI, traffic, immigration, and selected civil cases, serving Westchester and Putnam counties in English and Spanish.

Experience built in New York courts

Karine handled thousands of criminal cases during her public defense work with the Putnam County Legal Aid Society and the Legal Aid Society of Westchester County. Her experience spans misdemeanor and felony defense, discovery and motion practice, suppression hearings, probation violations, and DMV refusal hearings.

Her approach is analytical and thorough. She examines police reports, recordings, witness statements, testing procedures, and timelines to assess the evidence and identify available challenges. Whether preparing a motion, negotiating a resolution, or appearing at a hearing, she connects that preparation to the client’s priorities.

A strategy that considers the full picture

A decision in court can affect your driving privileges, professional license, employment, family, and immigration status. Karine considers those potential consequences when evaluating defenses and proposed resolutions.

Her immigration background began before admission to the bar, through the Immigration Justice Clinic at Pace and legal services work involving asylum and removal defense. She also consults with other criminal defense attorneys on immigration risks associated with criminal charges and proposed pleas. Her prior family court experience adds perspective when criminal cases intersect with family concerns.

Her DWI practice is supported by participation in two years of the Steven Epstein DWI Defense Institute, certificates in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST) and Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE), and extensive continuing legal education from the initial stop through post-conviction issues.

Public service and community leadership

Karine’s advocacy extends to the public institutions and community resources that shape people’s lives.

She served as a Mount Kisco Village Trustee and was appointed by the Westchester County Executive to the county’s Police Reform and Reimagining Task Force. She presently serves, by appointment, on Assemblymember Chris Burdick’s Inclusion Advisory Committee and as Co-Chair of the Westchester County Bar Association’s Diversity Committee.

In 2025, she participated in the Westchester County District Attorney’s transition team, contributing to discussions about immigration, local courts, and alternatives to incarceration.

Her community leadership includes spearheading Northern Westchester’s first Latino mental health roundtable and organizing the first Northern Westchester Latino Business Networking Summit. These initiatives reflect her commitment to connecting residents and business owners with information, professional support, and opportunities.

Her advocacy and community service have been recognized by New York State Senator Pete Harckham, Senator Andrea Stewart Cousins, Assemblymember Chris Burdick, WMN Unite, Ossining Padres Hispanos, Inc., Ecuadorian Civic Committee of Northern Westchester, and others. She has been featured in Westchester Lawyer Magazine. She was recently recognized by the Westchester County Board of Legislators. In 2024, the Board proclaimed “Karine Patiño Day” in Westchester County.

Earlier in her career, an internship with the New York State Attorney General’s Office involved consumer complaints, investigation, and supervised mediation. She also worked together with Neighbors Link, Mount Kisco Police Department, and other organizations to create PACT (Police and Community Together.) This program evolved into significant improvements to community policing throughout Westchester County, including the development of the original Cultural Competency Training curriculum that is now used by the Westchester County Police Department, among other local government organizations. Together, these experiences inform her understanding of public institutions, individual rights, and the practical concerns facing families and small businesses.

Raised in Mount Kisco, Karine is the daughter of Ecuadorian immigrants and a mother. Those experiences inform her commitment to respectful communication and understanding the priorities that make each case personal. Through bilingual legal education and community presentations, she also helps people understand their rights and the legal processes they may face.

Working with Karine

At Karine Patiño Law, clients work directly with Karine. Her approach emphasizes clear explanations, candid advice, and careful preparation, so you can understand your options and participate meaningfully in decisions about your case.

Your status. Your family. Your career. Your future. Your life.

Strategy begins with understanding what’s at stake for you.