Bottomley VanderHeyden
Automatically compiled listing. Details may contain errors.8 lawyers · City of Toronto
One of 2,273 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 307 handling Criminal Defence.
About Bottomley VanderHeyden
Bottomley VanderHeyden is a Toronto criminal defence practice that takes on criminal cases big and small. Andrea VanderHeyden alone has defended people facing robbery, firearm and drug charges, organized crime allegations, sexual assault and homicide. Senior counsel R. Craig Bottomley and partner Andrea VanderHeyden lead the practice, working alongside a team of associates.
Like Bottomley, VanderHeyden has a particular interest in Charter defences and in holding police accountable, and holds that every client deserves a lawyer who'll fight for them, on a minor assault charge just as much as on a complicated organized crime prosecution. As a trial and appeal lawyer, VanderHeyden has appeared in every level of Ontario court. A graduate of Dalhousie's Schulich School of Law, VanderHeyden volunteered at a legal clinic in Guyana before practising criminal law in Ontario.
The associates bring their own depth. Alison Shields articled as a judicial law clerk at the Superior Court of Justice before joining, Janelle Belton focused on where criminal and constitutional law meet while at Osgoode Hall, and Kaleigh Davidson has acted in matters ranging from sexual assault to homicide. Desha Puri articled here in 2026 and is now an associate.
The office is at 180 Bloor Street West, Suite 1201, and the phone number is 416-922-6161. Harleen Toor can work with clients in Punjabi and Hindi as well as English.
History
Before Bottomley VanderHeyden there was Pringle & Bottomley, which Heather Pringle and Craig Bottomley founded as barristers practising in association. Bottomley had finished at Osgoode Hall Law School in 2002, joined the Ontario Bar in 2003, worked as an associate at a criminal defence firm and then opened a sole practice in 2007. By 2014 Pringle & Bottomley was working out of Suite 1201 at 180 Bloor Street West, the same suite the firm uses now.
By 2019 the practice had become Bottomley Barristers, a professional corporation. It now carries the names of both Bottomley and VanderHeyden, who's a partner.
Practice areas
Criminal defence at trial
The defence work runs from murder and manslaughter to organized crime and sexual assault, all matters R. Craig Bottomley has handled. Janelle Belton has defended serious homicides, and Kaleigh Davidson's files have ranged from sexual assault to homicide.
Criminal appeals
Bottomley splits time evenly between trials and appeals and has argued many appeals at both the Court of Appeal for Ontario and the Supreme Court of Canada. Janelle Belton is committed to appealing miscarriages of justice and challenging unconstitutional laws.
Charter litigation
Litigating Charter breaches is a particular interest of Bottomley's, and it has led to many acquittals. Janelle Belton studied the overlap of criminal and constitutional law at Osgoode Hall Law School.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
By appointmentMilestones & recognition
- R. Craig Bottomley is one of the authors of Justice Delayed: A Practitioner's Guide to Section 11(b) of the Charter, a practical handbook on the delay case law that followed Jordan.
- Bottomley once served as Vice-President of the Criminal Lawyers' Association.
In the community
- Bottomley often guest lectures at the University of Toronto and at Osgoode Hall Law School, and regularly sits on panels at professional education conferences attended by both lawyers and judges.
Affiliations & connections
- Criminal Lawyers' Association: Alison Shields of Bottomley VanderHeyden is a member of the Criminal Lawyers' Association.
Lawyers 8
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Languages on the roster
- English, Hindi, Punjabi
The neighbourhood
The office sits in 180 Bloor West, a 14 floor building on the edge between Yorkville and the Annex, with the Royal Ontario Museum directly across the street. St. George, Museum and Bay subway stations are all under a five minute walk away, and there's outdoor parking plus bike lockups for anyone coming by car or bicycle.
Frequently asked questions
- Has Bottomley VanderHeyden won an appeal in a murder case?
- Yes. A client charged with first-degree murder won an appeal with Bottomley VanderHeyden that overturned an order of certiorari.
- Does Bottomley VanderHeyden take quasi-criminal matters as well as criminal charges?
- Bottomley VanderHeyden associate Alison Shields practises only in criminal and quasi-criminal litigation and is regularly in court at both the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice.
Where to find them
180 Bloor Street West, Suite 1201, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1T6 · 416-922-6161
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Criminal DefenceThis listing was generated by AI from public sources in October 2026. It may contain errors, and we can’t guarantee it’s accurate or complete. Before you rely on anything here, verify it on the firm’s own website. Verify licence status in the Law Society of Ontario directory ↗
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