Hicks Adams
10 lawyers · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 455 handling Criminal Defence.
Free consultation
Free consultationAbout Hicks Adams
Hicks Adams is a Toronto criminal defence firm founded in 1995 by Christopher Hicks, Michael Block, and Colin Adams. The partnership covers criminal law broadly, taking on everything from minor charges to murder, guns and gangs prosecutions, and appeals, and its lawyers appear at every level of court in Ontario as well as the Supreme Court of Canada. The office is in downtown Toronto, but the firm's lawyers travel across the province to represent clients.
The firm describes itself as fully computerized with its own legal library, and it works with a network of outside experts, including toxicologists for impaired driving cases and firearms specialists for murder cases, to help build a defence. One of the founding partners has argued cases at the Supreme Court of Canada more than a dozen times and has been named to The Best Lawyers in Canada for criminal defence in multiple recent years. Hicks Adams also runs an annual program for four articling students and four summer students, who help manage the firm's set date court lists and prepare bail reviews and trial materials alongside its lawyers.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- Hicks Adams was founded in 1995 and now has ten lawyers focused on criminal defence.
- The Best Lawyers in Canada named Hicks Adams a Best Law Firm for 2026.
- Founding partner Christopher Hicks has been named to The Best Lawyers in Canada for criminal defence in the 2023, 2025, and 2026 editions.
- Christopher Hicks, a founding partner, was called to the Ontario bar in 1981 and has appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada more than a dozen times.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
By appointment
In-person servicesFees & payment
Free consultationLawyers 10
Christopher D. Hicks
Partner
Criminal Defence
David F. Walia
Associate
Criminal Defence
Ed Ducharme
Associate
Criminal Defence
Iris Liu
Associate
Criminal Defence
Mark Falovo
Associate
Criminal Defence
Miruna Mureseanu
Associate
Criminal Defence
Mohammed Jelassi
Associate
Criminal Defence
Mélanie Cantin
Associate
Criminal Defence
Stephen Whitzman
Associate
Criminal Defence
Tamaira Davidson
Partner
Criminal Defence
Certified Specialists
A designation granted by the Law Society of Ontario, not a self-declared area of focus.
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Called to the bar
- 1978–2024 · median 5 years in practice 7 of 10 lawyers
- Law schools
- University of Ottawa (2), Bora Laskin Faculty of Law, Griffith University, Osgoode Hall Law School, University of Arizona, University of Kent and 3 more 10 of 10 lawyers
- Languages on the roster
- English, French
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
The firm's office is at 18 King Street East, in the Continental Building at the corner of King and Victoria, just east of Yonge Street in the heart of Toronto's financial and Old Town core. The address sits along the King streetcar line and is steps from King subway station, with St Lawrence Market and the King East design district close by, a spot that suits a practice whose lawyers move around downtown Toronto and travel to courts across Ontario.
Frequently asked questions
- What kinds of criminal charges does Hicks Adams handle?
- The firm's practice covers the Criminal Code broadly, from assault, drug offences, and impaired driving to murder, guns and gangs prosecutions, and Charter challenges. It also handles bail hearings, appeals, and related regulatory work like liquor licence and workplace safety offences.
- Do I have to talk to the police if they contact me?
- No. Under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms you have the right to remain silent, and Hicks Adams advises against giving a statement, recorded or not, before speaking with a lawyer.
- Will I have to show up in court for every date?
- Not always. A lawyer can often appear on your behalf by filing a Designation of Counsel, though personal attendance is still required for things like witness testimony, jury selection, a guilty plea, or sentencing.
- How does a criminal appeal work at Hicks Adams?
- A Notice of Appeal has to be filed within 30 days of sentencing, and once the trial transcripts are ready the appeal must be perfected, meaning the supporting documents are served and filed, within 90 days. Hicks Adams's appeal lawyers, who regularly argue before the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada, can also bring a motion to extend a missed deadline.
- Does Hicks Adams only take cases in Toronto?
- The firm's office is in downtown Toronto, but its lawyers are available to travel anywhere in Ontario to represent clients.
- Does the firm take on articling or summer students?
- Yes. Hicks Adams takes on four articling students and four summer students a year, who work on set date court lists, disclosure review, bail reviews, and trial preparation, with applications following Law Society of Ontario guidelines.
Where to find them
18 King Street East, Unit 1501, Toronto, Ontario M5C 1C4 · 416-975-1700
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Criminal DefenceListing compiled from the firm’s public website in August 2026. Verify licence status in the Law Society of Ontario directory ↗