BE Defended Professional Corporation
4 lawyers · Established 2019 · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 455 handling Criminal Defence.
About BE Defended Professional Corporation
BE Defended Professional Corporation is a small criminal defence firm in downtown Toronto, founded in 2019 by Brian Eberdt. Eberdt was called to the Ontario Bar in 2012 and began a career at Lockyer Campbell Posner, working alongside James Lockyer, an Order of Canada recipient known for representing the wrongfully convicted, and Philip Campbell, now a judge of the Superior Court of Justice. The firm's practice centres on criminal trials, from bail hearings through to verdict, and on appeals at every level of Canadian court. It also represents clients in regulatory discipline matters before bodies such as the Law Society of Ontario and university tribunals, along with select civil litigation where the criminal and civil systems intersect, including claims involving police conduct.
The firm has grown to four lawyers. Associates Megan Andrews and Mayleah Quenneville were called to the Ontario Bar in 2015 and 2016 and both earned law degrees from the University of Toronto; Quenneville has also argued before the Supreme Court of Canada. Eberdt has stayed involved in legal education, teaching as an instructor for the Toronto School of Management's NCA Exam Preparation Program, and was a regular contributor to NOW Magazine's Reasonable Doubt column from 2015 until the magazine's run ended.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- Brian Eberdt founded the firm in 2019 after leaving Lockyer Campbell Posner, where the career began in 2012 working alongside James Lockyer, an Order of Canada recipient, and Philip Campbell, now a judge of the Superior Court of Justice.
- Megan Andrews, called to the Ontario Bar in 2015, graduated with Distinction from Queen's University in 2010 and earned a J.D. from the University of Toronto in 2014.
- Mayleah Quenneville, called to the Ontario Bar in 2016, holds a B.A. Honours from the University of Guelph (2012) and a J.D. from the University of Toronto (2015), and has argued before the Supreme Court of Canada.
- In R. v. W., 2012 O.J. No. 6590, an Ontario judge described the firm's submissions as 'very well presented, supported and thought out.'
- The firm obtained a sentence reduction on a criminal appeal at the Ontario Court of Appeal in 2025.
In the community
- Brian Eberdt has continued to be involved in legal education as an instructor for the Toronto School of Management's NCA Exam Preparation Program.
- Eberdt was a regular contributor to NOW Magazine's Reasonable Doubt column from 2015 until the magazine's run ended, writing on topics such as impaired driving law and traffic ticket disputes.
- Eberdt contributed to a Toronto Star investigation into the flawed assembly of jury lists in Ontario; a year later the provincial government adopted a more representative process for assembling jury lists.
- In 2016, Eberdt was interviewed by Global News on the debate over criminalizing distracted driving.
- In 2023, Eberdt appeared on The Law Garage Podcast, alongside criminal lawyer Alison Craig, to discuss the investigative technique known as a 'Mr. Big' operation.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
Parking availableLawyers 4
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Called to the bar
- 2012–2016 · median 11 years in practice 3 of 4 lawyers
- Law schools
- University of Toronto (2), University of York 3 of 4 lawyers
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
BE Defended's office is at 55 University Avenue, Suite 1100, in downtown Toronto, one block north of Union Station and directly accessible from the St. Andrew subway station. Parking is available beneath the building, reached from Wellington Street West.
The firm's caseload runs well beyond downtown Toronto. Its lawyers have appeared in courts in Hamilton, Milton, London, Brampton, Burlington, and Newmarket, so an office next to Union Station, a hub for GO Train and VIA Rail service, sits close to the transit lines that connect those courthouses back to the office.
Frequently asked questions
- What kinds of cases does BE Defended handle?
- Criminal trials from bail through to verdict, criminal appeals at every level of Canadian court, regulatory discipline matters before bodies such as the Law Society of Ontario and university tribunals, and select civil litigation including matters where police conduct is at issue.
- I've been charged with an offence outside Toronto. Can BE Defended still represent me?
- Yes. The firm's lawyers have appeared in courts across the Greater Toronto Area and beyond, including Hamilton, Milton, London, Brampton, Burlington, and Newmarket.
- Can BE Defended help with a Law Society of Ontario complaint or a university disciplinary hearing?
- Yes. The firm represents clients in regulatory discipline matters before bodies including the Law Society of Ontario, university tribunals, and the Licence Appeal Tribunal.
- Does the firm handle appeals, not just trials?
- Yes. BE Defended handles appeals, including bail pending appeal and conviction and sentence appeals, at all levels of Canadian appellate courts.
- How do I reach the firm if I'm calling from custody?
- There's a toll free line for calls placed from custody, 1 833 500-7053, along with a main office line and email contact.
- Where is the office and how do I get there?
- 55 University Avenue, Suite 1100, in Toronto. The office is directly accessible from the St. Andrew subway station and is one block north of Union Station, with parking available beneath the building from Wellington Street West.
Where to find them
55 University Avenue, Suite 1100, Toronto, ON M5J 2H7 · 647-812-1675
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