Sonya Shikhman

About Sonya

Sonya Shikhman is founder and managing partner of Shikhman Barristers, where she practices exclusively in criminal defence as a trial and appeal lawyer. She has defended clients on a wide range of charges, including murder, drug trafficking, and sexual assault. She serves as Duty Counsel at the Ontario Court of Appeal through the Pro Bono Inmate Appeals Program, assisting appellants without their own lawyers, and she has taught trial advocacy at Osgoode Hall Law School. She has judged the Jessup Cup moot in Russia, Ukraine, England, Italy, Indonesia, and Washington, D.C., and is often called on by media outlets for legal commentary. Shaped by her experience in the Soviet Union, she sits on the inaugural Board of Directors of the Runnymede Society, a group of Canadian lawyers focused on fundamental freedoms, constitutionalism, and the rule of law.