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www.canadianlawyermag.com 55 from multiple camera angles, including body cameras. We're also given exten- sive doc umentation and statements," explains Spratt. "The amount of material to digest, cross-reference, and synthesize is immense. That's an important skill to develop because time is our most precious resource. You don't get second chances. Missing one key piece of evidence in a large disclosure can make the difference between winning and losing." That expansion is not confined to disclo- sure. Criminal practice now extends across white-collar matters, cross-border enforce- ment, and emerging areas involving AI and social media. Heather Suttie, legal market strategy and management consultant at Suttie, says, "This type of expansion calls for individuals with dedicated knowledge and expertise in a narrow range of particular criminal law fields who have a deep, range-relevant client represen- tation track record, as well as demonstrable courtroom performance when required." Preparation begins earlier, and strategy must account for evidentiary issues well before trial, particularly in areas where legal thresholds are higher. Cases must be understood early, with a strategy developed months in advance to address evidentiary hurdles before trial, explains Bottos. It's an approach that treats early case analysis as essential to trial success. "For example, in a sexual assault case, which I do a lot of, there is now a lot of restriction on what you may think is usable evidence to assist your client, but that usable evidence may not be usable at all if you don't think through your strategy as to how it's going to be presented in court and be prepared for the legal hurdles you'll have to cross to make that happen," Bottos adds. The pace of legal change has also accel- erated. Top criminal law firms must track developments in areas such as charter liti- gation and sexual assault while adapting to new evidentiary frameworks. Daniel Brown Law has responded by investing in knowledge, working collabora- tively, and preparing for how the law may evolve as well as where it stands now. A team-based model s trengthens analysis in complex cases, according to Dudding. "The analysis benefits from multiple perspectives before the strategy is set," she says. "That includes the senior litigation partnership, but we also benefit from an extremely strong team of junior lawyers who come from different places and backgrounds. That allows us to handle the most complex litigation with confidence." For some practices, complexity often involves parallel proceedings, regulatory exposure, and international elements, such as those handled by Narwal Litigation. "We have built a model designed for this reality," says Narwal. "We are a unique crim- inal defence firm with a multidisciplinary foundation that enables us to represent clients whose matters do not fit nicely within practice area categories and frequently involve simultaneous proceedings across multiple forums." That approach includes integrating strategic crisis management and proactive regulatory engagement alongside court- room advocacy. Firms are also adapting through internal collaboration and technology, using shared expertise and tools to manage increasingly demanding files, as is the case at Weisberg Law Criminal Lawyers. "We play to our strengths to benefit our clients," says Weisberg. "We also run internal educational programming to keep our firm members up to date on the latest changes in criminal law." Technology plays a growing role in that process, particularly in preparing and orga- nizing large volumes of material. Its value, however, depends on how it is applied. Suttie notes that technology and AI will continue to enable early-stage case prepa- ration. However, law is a people business, with criminal law being one of the few areas where process and resolution affect individ- uals, their families, and communities. "Humanity is both our greatest curse and strength, which means using tech tools for what they can provide, balanced against and augmented by human traits of consideration and judgment," she adds. The role is more than it seems The work of the criminal defence bar is often described in terms of representation. In practice, it is structural to the justice system. Defence counsel ensures that the state meets its burden, evidence is tested, and legal stan- dards are applied as they are written. This work is continuous and often unseen. Bottos frames the defence bar as a structural safeguard within the justice system, ensuring that state power is tested and outcomes are reached through process. "You cannot have a fair trial if you do not have a prepared and zealous advocate for the accused, up against the potentially overwhelming power of the state," he says. "Some people in the public understand that defence lawyers have a role, but I sometimes think they don't appreciate just how impor- tant that role is to maintaining integrity in the entire criminal justice system so that any verdict is fair and just and not simply the product of power imparted by the state against the individual." In many cases, defence lawyers operate with fewer resources than the institutions they oppose. The work requires managing admin- istrative demands while maintaining focus on client outcomes. AGP's Spratt says that over the past few years, a significant amount of work and cost has been downloaded onto the criminal defence bar. Firms have taken on many responsibilities while lacking the same institutional support as the Crown, such as access to government resources, investigative teams, or forensic labs. "We're used to doing more with less. It can be challenging, but it's part of the job if you want to achieve results," Spratt adds. "Ulti- mately, our role is to hold the state to account and ensure that individual rights and civil liberties are upheld."