Bottomley VanderHeyden
7 lawyers · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 455 handling Criminal Defence.
About Bottomley VanderHeyden
Bottomley VanderHeyden is a criminal defence firm at 180 Bloor Street West in Toronto, appearing at every level of court in Ontario, from provincial courts up to the Supreme Court of Canada. It's led by senior counsel R. Craig Bottomley and partner Andrea VanderHeyden, with a team of seven lawyers taking on cases ranging from impaired driving and assault to murder, drug trafficking, firearms offences, organized crime, and sexual assault. The firm's own Success Stories page lists an earlier case, R. v. O. (2010), under the name Pringle & Bottomley, before it became Bottomley VanderHeyden.
Bottomley is a former Vice President of the Criminal Lawyers' Association and co-authored 'Justice Delayed: A Practitioner's Guide to Section 11(b) of the Charter,' published by Thomson Reuters, a text on the Charter right to trial within a reasonable time. Bottomley divides a practice evenly between trial and appellate work and is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School. VanderHeyden graduated from the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University and volunteered at a legal clinic in Guyana before practising criminal law in Ontario. One of the firm's associates, Harleen Toor, serves clients in English, Punjabi, and Hindi.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- The firm practised as Pringle & Bottomley as of at least 2010, per its own case listings, before it became Bottomley VanderHeyden.
- R. Craig Bottomley is a former Vice President of the Criminal Lawyers' Association.
- Bottomley co-authored 'Justice Delayed: A Practitioner's Guide to Section 11(b) of the Charter,' published by Thomson Reuters.
- Bottomley was named in the Recommended tier of Doyle's Guide's Toronto criminal lawyers list for 2020.
- The firm's cases have drawn coverage from outlets including the Toronto Star, CTV News, and the Globe and Mail.
In the community
- R. Craig Bottomley is a frequent guest lecturer at the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall Law School, and a regular panelist at legal education conferences for lawyers and judges.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
By appointmentLawyers 7
Alison Shields
Associate
Criminal Defence
Andrea VanderHeyden
Partner
Criminal Defence
Harleen Toor
Associate
Criminal Defence
Janelle Belton
Associate
Criminal Defence
Kaleigh Davidson
Associate
Criminal Defence
R. Craig Bottomley
Senior Counsel
Criminal Defence
Sebastian Becker
Associate
Criminal Defence
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Law schools
- Osgoode Hall Law School (3), Bora Laskin Faculty of Law, Queen's University Faculty of Law, Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University, University of Windsor and University of Detroit Mercy School of Law 7 of 7 lawyers
- Languages on the roster
- English, Hindi, Punjabi
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
The firm's office is on the twelfth floor of 180 Bloor Street West, a fourteen storey building that sits right on the line between Yorkville and the Annex, two of downtown Toronto's best known neighbourhoods. It faces the Royal Ontario Museum across the street and is less than a five minute walk from the St. George, Museum, and Bay subway stations, putting it within easy reach of both the Yonge-University and Bloor-Danforth lines.
The location also puts the firm close to the University of Toronto's downtown campus, where Bottomley regularly guest lectures. It's a fitting spot for a criminal defence practice with a strong Charter litigation focus: the surrounding stretch of Bloor Street mixes law offices, university buildings, and cultural institutions rather than a courthouse row, and clients travel in from across the Greater Toronto Area for court appearances downtown and beyond.
Frequently asked questions
- I've been charged with impaired driving. Can Bottomley VanderHeyden represent me?
- Yes. Impaired driving and 'over 80' charges are a regular part of the firm's practice, including cases that have ended in acquittal.
- Does Bottomley VanderHeyden handle firearms and drug charges?
- Yes. The firm defends firearm possession, drug trafficking, and drug possession charges, including cases arising from search warrants and Charter challenges to how evidence was obtained.
- Can the firm represent someone charged with a serious or violent offence, like murder or sexual assault?
- Yes. Both R. Craig Bottomley and Andrea VanderHeyden have represented clients charged with murder, manslaughter, sexual assault, and other serious offences, and the firm's lawyers appear at trial and on appeal.
- Does the firm do appellate work, or only trials?
- Both. Bottomley divides a practice evenly between trial and appellate work, and has argued appeals at the Court of Appeal for Ontario and the Supreme Court of Canada.
- Does anyone at the firm speak languages other than English?
- Yes. Associate Harleen Toor is able to serve clients in English, Punjabi, and Hindi.
- Where is Bottomley VanderHeyden located and how do I reach the firm?
- The office is at 180 Bloor Street West, Suite 1201, in downtown Toronto, near the Royal Ontario Museum. The firm can be reached at 416 922 6161 or by email.
Where to find them
180 Bloor Street West, Suite 1201, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1T6 · 416-922-6161
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