Neil Lawson Criminal Defence

About Neil Lawson Criminal Defence

Neil Lawson Criminal Defence is a criminal law firm in Milton, Ontario, formed through the merger of the separate practices of founding partners Brendan Neil and Sarah Lawson. Neil was called to the bar in 2001 and started out practising law in the Vancouver area, then came to Ontario in 2005 as a lawyer with the Canadian Forces' Office of the Judge Advocate General. Neil is now certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a Certified Specialist in Criminal Law. Lawson was called to the bar in 2009 and practised criminal law exclusively from 2012 onward, focusing on matters involving mental health and addiction, before moving into a career outside legal practice.

The firm today runs from Neil's Milton office and handles adult, youth, and mental health related criminal matters, from police interviews and bail hearings through Crown negotiations, preliminary hearings, trials, and appeals in the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice. Licensed paralegal Corey Gallagher, who previously worked as a paralegal for a standing agent with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, is also part of the team. Fees are set as block fees rather than by the hour, with a separate block fee for trial if a matter goes that far, and the firm offers payment plans and a free initial consultation.