team-member

Robert Toale

N/A

Licensed for 38 years

Law Degree

Awards

Primary Practice Area

Criminal Defense

Language

English

About

I grew up in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Upon graduation from high school, I left New Jersey and found my way to New Orleans, where I attended Tulane University and graduated with a degree in political science. Although I have known that I wanted to be a criminal defense lawyer almost all of my life, after graduating from Tulane I decided to take some time off, so I began selling insurance for the Equitable Life and saving money for law school. After three years of working. I started law school at Loyola University but continued to work for Equitable during law school and for a year and a half after law school. I am proud to say that I have never worked for a law firm or the district attorney's office. All of my clients have been individual people and owners of small businesses. Many of my first law clients were friends, insurance clients or referrals. I also began accepting appointments to criminal cases in Jefferson Parish to help build my practice. Within a short period of time my reputation grew, and although I did not seek the job, I was offered a part-time salaried position with the IDB (indigent defender board) as a public defender in juvenile court. During my tenure as an IDB lawyer in juvenile court, I tried hundreds of cases, gaining invaluable trial and courtroom experience. While working in juvenile court, I continued accepting appointments to criminal cases in Jefferson Parish and handled my first two murder cases, including a death penalty case. Along with another lawyer, I represented Tyronne Lindsey. Tyrone had been previously sentenced to death by two juries: I represented him before the third jury. Unfortunately, he was again sentenced to death and at one time had the distinction of being the oldest resident on Louisiana's death row. Fortunately, due to the United States Supreme Court Atkins decision, his sentence was commuted to life. Out of approximately 20 death penalty clients I have represented, he is the only one who was sentenced to death. The rest of the cases were dismissed, reduced, or pled out to a lesser sentence. Soon after leaving juvenile court, I was one of the first attorneys hired by the Jefferson Parish IDB, after the system was overhauled and began hiring attorneys as independent contractors. At any given time I handled, on the average, approximately 125 clients in five sections of court. I tried a number of jury trials in these five divisions, sometimes as many as two jury trials a week. During these trials, I gained invaluable trial experience. Less than a year after being hired by IDB, I was invited to form a new team of lawyers that would handle only the most serious felonies, defined as crimes carrying a life or death sentence. I, along with one other attorney, immediately jumped at the opportunity and accepted the offer. It turned out to be an incredible opportunity - far greater than I had ever imagined. I learned a great deal about forensics and DNA. (This was the late 80s and DNA evidence was brand new.) Unlike many public defenders in Louisiana at the time, I had access to money for private investigators and expert witnesses, and became proficient in using experts to build a defense and cross-examine expert witnesses. During my time with the Jefferson Parish IDB, I represented clients in a number of high profile cases, such as: Vernon Williams, Patricia Van Winkle, Thomas Abadie and Joel Durhan. Representing these high-profile clients, I learned how to deal with the media, sometimes appearing on local television and radio three or four times per week. In addition to the local media, I was interviewed and quoted by CBS News, the ABA Journal, Newsweek, Lawyer's Weekly, and the National Law Journal. Throughout my career, I have had a difficult time telling people that I cannot help them. As a result, I have handled almost any kind of case imaginable: divorce. custody, civil litigation, bankruptcy, wills, successions, collections, contracts, property disputes and personal injury. Today, most of the people I represent are accused of crimes for the first time and are referred by other lawyers and clients. However, I have a fair number of repeat clients and now I am representing the children of former clients. In my nearly 30 years of practice, I have tried over 100 jury trials with many not guilty verdicts.  I have represented approximately 5,000 clients over the course of my career. I hope this has given you a clearer understanding of the depth of my experience in representing clients in criminal cases in all courts. If you have been arrested or you think you may be arrested, please call (504) 368-8440 or e-mail me for a consultation to discuss your case.

Practices Areas

Criminal Defense

DUI and DWI

Language

English

Contact

Law Office of Robert S. Toale505 Weyer StreetGretna, LA, 70053

Office: N/A

Website: N/A

Reviews

Gilda
February 15, 2019

Mr. Toale was hired to represent me for a very high profile case. During my representation, I was somewhat surprised to see that he worked overtime on my case, especially given my circumstances. During my incarceration, I noticed that most lawyers did not visit their clients often. For the most part, their lawyers did not answer calls or return them until weeks later. I did not have those issues "At No Point" during my eight month stay in the treacherous Orleans Parish Prison. To be honest, seeing what was happening around me, made me very proud to have an attorney like Mr. Toale. Mr. Toale made surprise visits all the time for very important reasons to show me that he was really working to help me regain my freedom. I would describe him as being very thoughtful, confident and strategic. The process was tough and very confusing to me, but he made sure that I was fully aware of what was happening and most importantly, that I understood what was occurring throughout the entire ordeal. I'm sure it was frustrating to deal with someone like me, but he showed no signs of displeasure. After a three year wait, the ending result of my case was spectacular for me. I could not have been more satisfied with the work he did for me and my family.

Enid
June 14, 2017

Mr. Toale has represented me and numerous employees and friends over the past 30 years for different types of cases. He only does criminal defense now but we begged him last year to represent us when we were sued by a former employee. He spent hours preparing our witnesses for trial. We know he cared about us and he has a strong drive to win. He anticipated the other side's every move. He was worth every penny we paid him and we won last month. The judge threw out the case and we paid nothing. He was amazing in court, the way he asked the other side's witnesses questions and objected to the other lawyer's questions. He made them look like the liars they were. He has always treated me and everyone I know fairly. We hired him about five years after he graduated from law school to collect bad debts for us and we call him whenever we need a lawyer. He and his office have always been friendly, available and very competent. His associate Kara has been available to us when Robert was not. She was also a great aid during the trial.

Patricia Melancon
March 8, 2017

I am writing to highly recommend Robert S Toale, attorney, I have had the privilege of being represented by him in 2 cases, with very excellence resolutions. His representation of me has been far and above any attorney I had have ever known or been represented by, I can say this with a total absolute certainty, since I have been a paralegal for more than 50 years and have personal knowledge of how many attorneys’ represent their clients. Mr. Toale’s personal dedication is aggressive and compassionate in both criminal defenses, and personal injury cases due to his experience and knowledge of all the various rules and regulations of all the various Courts’. When you come to his firm you can be assured of his aggressive representation, your case will be handled personally by Mr. Toale, as one of the most experienced attorneys. Mr. Toale is the most valuable asset you have been seeking, in any legal circumstances. To all those looking for a thoroughly professional and trusted individual, they can be completely sure that he is completely worthy of your trust in all legal matters.

Rebecca
March 3, 2017

Robert is an exceptional attorney, I trust him completely. He sat down with my husband and I and explained exactly what would happen with our case step by step. We were nervous and wanted to take the first offer but he he told us to be patient and he would get what we wanted, he is experienced and knows what he's doing. I'm glad we hired him and took his advice. I really appreciate all that Robert did for us.

Christine
June 11, 2013

I would highly recommend the law office of Robert S. Toale. With my having worked in the legal field for 17 years, I am well aware that not all attorneys are created equal. Not all attorneys do what they should do or do what they say they will do. However, after receiving several referrals from several different sources, I contacted the office for assistance with a family legal nightmare. From the beginning of the nightmare to the proper, fair, and just result, I found the Law Office of Robert S. Toale to be extremely professional, informative, reliable, and dependable. I was upset, worried, and disappointed to be caught in this legal crisis, but I was surely thankful for the expertise of Robert Toale. I will be forever grateful that the attorneys and staff that did their jobs impeccably. Therefore, it is with great confidence that I highly recommend the law office of Robert S. Toale. Forever grateful, Christine

Suzanne
May 22, 2013

Robert Toale's office is the most professional law firm. They are trustworthy, dependable, friendly, dedicated, and well prepared. We recommend this attorney to anyone needing legal assistance. You will not be disappointed, and will always feel at ease discussing any situation with them.

James
April 19, 2012

Robert Toale has handled many different legal problems for me and my businesses over the past 20 years. He has never dropped the ball and has always completed each case with perfect attention to every detail. As any professional in high demand a support team is necessary. The staff at this firm is as their employer a well-oiled machine. I always recommend this law firm first.

David
February 22, 2016

Robert Toale was hired to represent me in a criminal case in Terrebonne parish. Based on his online profile and what my friend read about him she hired him. She was quoted a fee that was more than any other lawyer was asking for, but because she wanted me home and thought he could do the job, she went with him. He was paid over 10 thousand and I was sent a lawyer that worked for him or with him Alex Kriksciun. He explained his bosses history and how good they were and what they were going to do for me. Well, nothing ever happened. Some motions were put in but I never went for any of them. All that was told to me was I was being railroaded. So 6 months later I'm told that they need more money to continue on my case. I don't know why or what they did. I never met Toale, he never was in court on my behalf once, from what I gather he was going to conventions and meetings. Well if he wasn't planning on being my lawyer or represent me to the fullest, he should not have taken my case. Alex went to court on my behalf maybe 2 or 3 times for a bond reduction that did not benefit me at all, and then he made one more appearance. Other than that useless motions were put in. So I sat in jail for 2 years, then was taken to court to plead guilty on all charges. No kind of benefit came from hiring Robert Toale. As a first time offender I was told it was in my best interest to plead guilty to all charges. I never was able to pay them anymore money but at least Alex showed up to my plea date. Turns out that many of the people that were arrested along with me got much better deals, even those with criminal records and one who was a repeat offender came out better than me. The owner of the business I worked for got money back that was confiscated and she also got the same amount of time I received only she had a public defender. So I should of just went with a state provided attorney and I would of most likely gotten a better deal. Also employees that worked at another store were released on bond and never returned to jail. So their lawyers were able to work out a great deal for them. All I was told by my lawyer was "No one is getting a deal." Besides making the choice to work at that store around that product the worst choice I made was allowing Robert Toale to "work" on the case. I would/could never recommend him.

Gilda
February 15, 2019

Mr. Toale was hired to represent me for a very high profile case. During my representation, I was somewhat surprised to see that he worked overtime on my case, especially given my circumstances. During my incarceration, I noticed that most lawyers did not visit their clients often. For the most part, their lawyers did not answer calls or return them until weeks later. I did not have those issues "At No Point" during my eight month stay in the treacherous Orleans Parish Prison. To be honest, seeing what was happening around me, made me very proud to have an attorney like Mr. Toale. Mr. Toale made surprise visits all the time for very important reasons to show me that he was really working to help me regain my freedom. I would describe him as being very thoughtful, confident and strategic. The process was tough and very confusing to me, but he made sure that I was fully aware of what was happening and most importantly, that I understood what was occurring throughout the entire ordeal. I'm sure it was frustrating to deal with someone like me, but he showed no signs of displeasure. After a three year wait, the ending result of my case was spectacular for me. I could not have been more satisfied with the work he did for me and my family.

Enid
June 14, 2017

Mr. Toale has represented me and numerous employees and friends over the past 30 years for different types of cases. He only does criminal defense now but we begged him last year to represent us when we were sued by a former employee. He spent hours preparing our witnesses for trial. We know he cared about us and he has a strong drive to win. He anticipated the other side's every move. He was worth every penny we paid him and we won last month. The judge threw out the case and we paid nothing. He was amazing in court, the way he asked the other side's witnesses questions and objected to the other lawyer's questions. He made them look like the liars they were. He has always treated me and everyone I know fairly. We hired him about five years after he graduated from law school to collect bad debts for us and we call him whenever we need a lawyer. He and his office have always been friendly, available and very competent. His associate Kara has been available to us when Robert was not. She was also a great aid during the trial.

Patricia Melancon
March 8, 2017

I am writing to highly recommend Robert S Toale, attorney, I have had the privilege of being represented by him in 2 cases, with very excellence resolutions. His representation of me has been far and above any attorney I had have ever known or been represented by, I can say this with a total absolute certainty, since I have been a paralegal for more than 50 years and have personal knowledge of how many attorneys’ represent their clients. Mr. Toale’s personal dedication is aggressive and compassionate in both criminal defenses, and personal injury cases due to his experience and knowledge of all the various rules and regulations of all the various Courts’. When you come to his firm you can be assured of his aggressive representation, your case will be handled personally by Mr. Toale, as one of the most experienced attorneys. Mr. Toale is the most valuable asset you have been seeking, in any legal circumstances. To all those looking for a thoroughly professional and trusted individual, they can be completely sure that he is completely worthy of your trust in all legal matters.

Rebecca
March 3, 2017

Robert is an exceptional attorney, I trust him completely. He sat down with my husband and I and explained exactly what would happen with our case step by step. We were nervous and wanted to take the first offer but he he told us to be patient and he would get what we wanted, he is experienced and knows what he's doing. I'm glad we hired him and took his advice. I really appreciate all that Robert did for us.

Christine
June 11, 2013

I would highly recommend the law office of Robert S. Toale. With my having worked in the legal field for 17 years, I am well aware that not all attorneys are created equal. Not all attorneys do what they should do or do what they say they will do. However, after receiving several referrals from several different sources, I contacted the office for assistance with a family legal nightmare. From the beginning of the nightmare to the proper, fair, and just result, I found the Law Office of Robert S. Toale to be extremely professional, informative, reliable, and dependable. I was upset, worried, and disappointed to be caught in this legal crisis, but I was surely thankful for the expertise of Robert Toale. I will be forever grateful that the attorneys and staff that did their jobs impeccably. Therefore, it is with great confidence that I highly recommend the law office of Robert S. Toale. Forever grateful, Christine

Suzanne
May 22, 2013

Robert Toale's office is the most professional law firm. They are trustworthy, dependable, friendly, dedicated, and well prepared. We recommend this attorney to anyone needing legal assistance. You will not be disappointed, and will always feel at ease discussing any situation with them.

James
April 19, 2012

Robert Toale has handled many different legal problems for me and my businesses over the past 20 years. He has never dropped the ball and has always completed each case with perfect attention to every detail. As any professional in high demand a support team is necessary. The staff at this firm is as their employer a well-oiled machine. I always recommend this law firm first.

David
February 22, 2016

Robert Toale was hired to represent me in a criminal case in Terrebonne parish. Based on his online profile and what my friend read about him she hired him. She was quoted a fee that was more than any other lawyer was asking for, but because she wanted me home and thought he could do the job, she went with him. He was paid over 10 thousand and I was sent a lawyer that worked for him or with him Alex Kriksciun. He explained his bosses history and how good they were and what they were going to do for me. Well, nothing ever happened. Some motions were put in but I never went for any of them. All that was told to me was I was being railroaded. So 6 months later I'm told that they need more money to continue on my case. I don't know why or what they did. I never met Toale, he never was in court on my behalf once, from what I gather he was going to conventions and meetings. Well if he wasn't planning on being my lawyer or represent me to the fullest, he should not have taken my case. Alex went to court on my behalf maybe 2 or 3 times for a bond reduction that did not benefit me at all, and then he made one more appearance. Other than that useless motions were put in. So I sat in jail for 2 years, then was taken to court to plead guilty on all charges. No kind of benefit came from hiring Robert Toale. As a first time offender I was told it was in my best interest to plead guilty to all charges. I never was able to pay them anymore money but at least Alex showed up to my plea date. Turns out that many of the people that were arrested along with me got much better deals, even those with criminal records and one who was a repeat offender came out better than me. The owner of the business I worked for got money back that was confiscated and she also got the same amount of time I received only she had a public defender. So I should of just went with a state provided attorney and I would of most likely gotten a better deal. Also employees that worked at another store were released on bond and never returned to jail. So their lawyers were able to work out a great deal for them. All I was told by my lawyer was "No one is getting a deal." Besides making the choice to work at that store around that product the worst choice I made was allowing Robert Toale to "work" on the case. I would/could never recommend him.

Gilda
February 15, 2019

Mr. Toale was hired to represent me for a very high profile case. During my representation, I was somewhat surprised to see that he worked overtime on my case, especially given my circumstances. During my incarceration, I noticed that most lawyers did not visit their clients often. For the most part, their lawyers did not answer calls or return them until weeks later. I did not have those issues "At No Point" during my eight month stay in the treacherous Orleans Parish Prison. To be honest, seeing what was happening around me, made me very proud to have an attorney like Mr. Toale. Mr. Toale made surprise visits all the time for very important reasons to show me that he was really working to help me regain my freedom. I would describe him as being very thoughtful, confident and strategic. The process was tough and very confusing to me, but he made sure that I was fully aware of what was happening and most importantly, that I understood what was occurring throughout the entire ordeal. I'm sure it was frustrating to deal with someone like me, but he showed no signs of displeasure. After a three year wait, the ending result of my case was spectacular for me. I could not have been more satisfied with the work he did for me and my family.

Enid
June 14, 2017

Mr. Toale has represented me and numerous employees and friends over the past 30 years for different types of cases. He only does criminal defense now but we begged him last year to represent us when we were sued by a former employee. He spent hours preparing our witnesses for trial. We know he cared about us and he has a strong drive to win. He anticipated the other side's every move. He was worth every penny we paid him and we won last month. The judge threw out the case and we paid nothing. He was amazing in court, the way he asked the other side's witnesses questions and objected to the other lawyer's questions. He made them look like the liars they were. He has always treated me and everyone I know fairly. We hired him about five years after he graduated from law school to collect bad debts for us and we call him whenever we need a lawyer. He and his office have always been friendly, available and very competent. His associate Kara has been available to us when Robert was not. She was also a great aid during the trial.

Patricia Melancon
March 8, 2017

I am writing to highly recommend Robert S Toale, attorney, I have had the privilege of being represented by him in 2 cases, with very excellence resolutions. His representation of me has been far and above any attorney I had have ever known or been represented by, I can say this with a total absolute certainty, since I have been a paralegal for more than 50 years and have personal knowledge of how many attorneys’ represent their clients. Mr. Toale’s personal dedication is aggressive and compassionate in both criminal defenses, and personal injury cases due to his experience and knowledge of all the various rules and regulations of all the various Courts’. When you come to his firm you can be assured of his aggressive representation, your case will be handled personally by Mr. Toale, as one of the most experienced attorneys. Mr. Toale is the most valuable asset you have been seeking, in any legal circumstances. To all those looking for a thoroughly professional and trusted individual, they can be completely sure that he is completely worthy of your trust in all legal matters.

Rebecca
March 3, 2017

Robert is an exceptional attorney, I trust him completely. He sat down with my husband and I and explained exactly what would happen with our case step by step. We were nervous and wanted to take the first offer but he he told us to be patient and he would get what we wanted, he is experienced and knows what he's doing. I'm glad we hired him and took his advice. I really appreciate all that Robert did for us.

Christine
June 11, 2013

I would highly recommend the law office of Robert S. Toale. With my having worked in the legal field for 17 years, I am well aware that not all attorneys are created equal. Not all attorneys do what they should do or do what they say they will do. However, after receiving several referrals from several different sources, I contacted the office for assistance with a family legal nightmare. From the beginning of the nightmare to the proper, fair, and just result, I found the Law Office of Robert S. Toale to be extremely professional, informative, reliable, and dependable. I was upset, worried, and disappointed to be caught in this legal crisis, but I was surely thankful for the expertise of Robert Toale. I will be forever grateful that the attorneys and staff that did their jobs impeccably. Therefore, it is with great confidence that I highly recommend the law office of Robert S. Toale. Forever grateful, Christine

Suzanne
May 22, 2013

Robert Toale's office is the most professional law firm. They are trustworthy, dependable, friendly, dedicated, and well prepared. We recommend this attorney to anyone needing legal assistance. You will not be disappointed, and will always feel at ease discussing any situation with them.

James
April 19, 2012

Robert Toale has handled many different legal problems for me and my businesses over the past 20 years. He has never dropped the ball and has always completed each case with perfect attention to every detail. As any professional in high demand a support team is necessary. The staff at this firm is as their employer a well-oiled machine. I always recommend this law firm first.

David
February 22, 2016

Robert Toale was hired to represent me in a criminal case in Terrebonne parish. Based on his online profile and what my friend read about him she hired him. She was quoted a fee that was more than any other lawyer was asking for, but because she wanted me home and thought he could do the job, she went with him. He was paid over 10 thousand and I was sent a lawyer that worked for him or with him Alex Kriksciun. He explained his bosses history and how good they were and what they were going to do for me. Well, nothing ever happened. Some motions were put in but I never went for any of them. All that was told to me was I was being railroaded. So 6 months later I'm told that they need more money to continue on my case. I don't know why or what they did. I never met Toale, he never was in court on my behalf once, from what I gather he was going to conventions and meetings. Well if he wasn't planning on being my lawyer or represent me to the fullest, he should not have taken my case. Alex went to court on my behalf maybe 2 or 3 times for a bond reduction that did not benefit me at all, and then he made one more appearance. Other than that useless motions were put in. So I sat in jail for 2 years, then was taken to court to plead guilty on all charges. No kind of benefit came from hiring Robert Toale. As a first time offender I was told it was in my best interest to plead guilty to all charges. I never was able to pay them anymore money but at least Alex showed up to my plea date. Turns out that many of the people that were arrested along with me got much better deals, even those with criminal records and one who was a repeat offender came out better than me. The owner of the business I worked for got money back that was confiscated and she also got the same amount of time I received only she had a public defender. So I should of just went with a state provided attorney and I would of most likely gotten a better deal. Also employees that worked at another store were released on bond and never returned to jail. So their lawyers were able to work out a great deal for them. All I was told by my lawyer was "No one is getting a deal." Besides making the choice to work at that store around that product the worst choice I made was allowing Robert Toale to "work" on the case. I would/could never recommend him.