Toronto Criminal Lawyers Lists & What To Make of Them

Toronto Criminal Lawyers Lists & What To Make of Them

So – you’ve been charged with a criminal offence in Toronto. You are probably stressed, nervous and not sure what to do next. Your next move is to probably begin your search for a Toronto Criminal Lawyer if you plan not not self-representing.

In your search, you may begin by asking around for someone who knows a criminal lawyer or do your own research. On the Internet, you’ll find many criminal lawyers advertising their services. You will also find other businesses and companies advertising the services of Criminal Lawyers in Toronto. You will likely come across “lists” of criminal lawyer, including Top 3, Top 5 and Top 10 lists.

Some examples of companies that provide “lists” of Criminal Lawyers in Toronto include the following:

Toronto Criminal Lawyer Lists – What Are They?

To put it simply, some of these Toronto Criminal Lawyer Lists are companies that have Criminal Lawyers in Toronto advertising their legal services on the website. Others are Companies who do not get paid by lawyers directly, but instead get paid through unrelated ads on their sites. I know this because my name is on some of these websites – some by choice, because I advertise my services on them; others, not by choice. These companies do their own research and create lists of Toronto Criminal Lawyers – like top 10 lists, for example.

Criminal Lawyer Lists – Are They Accurate?

If you review a variety of these sites, and the lists of Toronto Criminal Lawyers on them, there will be no two identical lists, particularly if there is a ranking system. The only standardized list of Criminal Lawyers in Toronto can be found by the licensing body of Lawyers in Ontario – the Law Society of Ontario. You can access a complete database of every single lawyer who practices law in the province there. The Law Society cannot and does not rank lawyers. These rankings are for advertisement purposes only. It is impossible to determine who the “top” or “best” criminal lawyer is in Toronto. There are many very good quality criminal lawyers, some of whom have been practicing for over 40 years and have credentials behind their name that speak to the quality of their work. Edward Greenspan, while he was alive, was often considered “one of the best”, and looking at his resume it is not difficult to see why.

Using Lists of Toronto Criminal Lawyers the Right Way

If you are going to be searching for a short list of Criminal Lawyers in Toronto, that should not be your last step in your search. It should be just the first step. Do not hire a Criminal Lawyer just because they are listed number one on a list. As I have explained before, that ranking can be influenced by other factors than that lawyer’s credentials, experience and nature of practice. You should do your own further research after deciding which criminal lawyer you are considering hiring, including:

  • Reviewing the lawyer’s website and see what message s/he is trying to send on it and whether that is in line with what you are looking for
  • Reviewing the Criminal Lawyer’s reviews online, including on their Google Business Page
  • Contacting the lawyer and setting up a consultation with them, to understand their approach in a criminal case
  • Inquire how the lawyer bills clients and whether that billing system is in line with your expectations

Advertising Rules Surrounding Toronto Criminal Lawyers and Other Lawyers in Ontario

The Law Society of Ontario regulates all lawyers in the province, and has a list of rules that all lawyers must follow. Some of these rules pertain to advertising.

For example, according to Rule 4.1 and 4.2 of the Rules of Professional Conduct, lawyers cannot advertise in a manner that is misleading or false. Their advertisements must be “true”, must not “mislead, confuse or “deceive” and must be in the “best interests of the public”.

Conclusion

The short of it is that you should not structure your search for a Criminal Lawyer in Toronto simply based on a List of Toronto Criminal Lawyers! You need to expand your search beyond Top 10 lists, as these lists can often be influenced by factors outside of a lawyer’s skill and experience.

For a free consultation with an experienced Toronto Criminal Lawyer, feel free to call Andrew Captan at (647) 878 – 6355, visit www.toronto-criminallawyer.ca or e-mail andrew@captanlaw.com.

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