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56 www.canadianlawyermag.com TOP CRIMINAL LAW BOUTIQUES 2026–27 INSIGHTS As part of our editorial process, Canadian Lawyer's researchers interviewed the subject matter expert below for an independent analysis of this report and its findings. Heather Suttie Legal Market Strategy and Management Consultant Suttie The role also extends beyond individual cases. Daniel Brown Law's Dudding says members of the criminal defence bar are the people holding the state to account every day. "If we are not willing to challenge the Crown's case rigorously in every case, no matter how popular or unpopular the litigant or the cause, constitutional rights start to become theoretical," she explains. "We sometimes need to take a step back and remember that no indi- vidual accused person, case, or complainant stands for the whole system." In some practices, the work includes guiding clients through personal and prac- tical challenges in addition to legal defence. Weisberg says, "Our help might include bettering the client's insight into their own personal situations and assisting by connecting them with resources to improve their life or address past traumas." For Narwal, the role of the defence bar crosses over to managing systemic risk across jurisdictions. In complex matters involving overlapping criminal, regula- tory, and civil exposure, defence counsel c o o r d i n a t e s t r a t e g y a c r o s s m u l t i p l e proceedings, anticipate collateral conse- quences, and align legal decisions with a client 's broader vulnerabilities and objectives. Conclusion: what the Top Criminal Law Boutiques in Canada understand Across Canada's leading criminal law boutiques, a common understanding of effective advocacy has taken shape. It is grounded not only in courtroom skill but also in the strategic, often unseen work that determines how cases are built, managed, and ultimately resolved. • The most important advocacy often leaves no record: Decisions that change the course of a case are frequently made in negotia- tions, disclosure strategy, and issue selec- tion, not in open court. • Reputation functions as a form of leverage: Credibility does more than build trust; it shapes how cases are managed, how issues are narrowed, and whether resolution is possible. • Complexity is no longer an exception: It defines routine practice, where digital evidence and parallel exposure are part of the file. SPECIAL REPORT TOP CRIMINAL LAW BOUTIQUES 2026‑27 TORONTO Daniel Brown Law LLP Phone: 416 297 7200 Email: brown@danielbrownlaw.ca Website: danielbrownlaw.ca Neuberger & Partners LLP Phone: 416 364 3111 Email: joseph@nrlawyers.com Website: nrlawyers.com Weisberg Law Criminal Lawyers LLP Phone: 416 605 4811 Email: adam@weisberg.ca Website: weisberg.ca OTTAWA AND MONTREAL AGP LLP Phone: 613 235 9779 Email: michael@agpllp.ca Website: agpllp.ca Battista Turcot Israel Corbo, s.e.n.c. Bayne Sellar Ertel Macrae Edelson Foord Law Shadley Knerr, s.e.n.c.r.l. WESTERN Bottos Law Group Phone: 780 940 6060 Email: dbottos@bottoslaw.ca Website: bottoslaw.ca Narwal Litigation LLP Phone: 604 681 2226 Email: jn@narwallit.com Website: narwallitigation.com O'Brien Devlin MacLeod Peck and Company Pringle Law Addario Law Group LLP Phone: 416 979 6446 Email: ssecter@addario.ca Website: addario.ca Cooper, Sandler, Shime & Schwartzentruber LLP Embry Dann LLP Fenton Law Barristers Greenspan Humphrey Makepeace LLP Lacy Naster LLP Lockyer Zaduk Zeeh