Lacy Naster LLP
3 lawyers · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 455 handling Criminal Defence.
About Lacy Naster LLP
Lacy Naster LLP is a small litigation firm in Toronto, founded by Michael Lacy and Jay Naster. The firm practices in criminal, regulatory, administrative, securities, and competition law, representing clients at the trial and appellate level across Canada. Marcela Ahumada, who built a criminal and regulatory practice at another Toronto litigation firm before joining, is the third partner at the firm.
Lacy is a Law Society of Ontario Certified Specialist in Criminal Law and a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Lacy has appeared as counsel on more than 150 appeals to the Court of Appeal for Ontario, has argued appeals at the Supreme Court of Canada for primary litigants, and has appeared as intervention counsel for the Criminal Lawyers' Association and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. Lacy also teaches at Osgoode Hall Law School and is a past president of the Criminal Lawyers' Association.
Naster was called to the bar in 1986 and spent 11 years as Crown counsel in the Crown Law Office (Criminal), focusing on white collar prosecutions, before joining the Ontario Securities Commission in 1997 as senior litigation counsel. Naster moved into private practice in 2005 and now represents clients in regulatory investigations and proceedings before bodies including the Securities Commissions of Ontario and British Columbia, the Financial Services Tribunal, the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization, the Law Society of Ontario, and the License Appeal Tribunal.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- Michael Lacy has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada in the criminal law category and co-authored A Practical Guide to the Charter.
- Michael Lacy is a past president of the Criminal Lawyers' Association.
- Jay Naster spent 11 years as Crown counsel in the Crown Law Office (Criminal) before serving as senior litigation counsel at the Ontario Securities Commission starting in 1997.
- A partner at the firm received a distinguished oralist award at Osgoode Hall Law School and competed in the 2019 Gale Cup Moot.
In the community
- Michael Lacy has taught at Osgoode Hall Law School for the past 10 years, as a lecturer in the International LLM program in Criminal Law and as an instructor in Forensic Science and the Law.
- Michael Lacy is an invited advocacy adviser registered with the Supreme Court Advocacy Institute.
- Michael Lacy is a member of the Pro Bono Inmate Appeal Program in Ontario.
- A partner at the firm volunteered with the criminal division of CLASP and coached Osgoode Hall Law School's Baby Gale moot team for the 2019 Cassels Brock Cup Moot.
- A partner at the firm serves on the Recent Call Committee of the Criminal Lawyers' Association.
Lawyers 3
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
- 1986 · median 40 years in practice 1 of 3 lawyers
- Law schools
- Osgoode Hall Law School 1 of 3 lawyers
- Languages on the roster
- Spanish
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
The firm's office is in the tower at 18 York Street, in the area just south of Toronto's financial district. The building sits one block from Union Station and connects into the city's underground PATH network, and it's next to Maple Leaf Square, a mix of restaurants, bars, and entertainment space. It's a newer stretch of downtown, developed largely since the tower went up in 2011 as PricewaterhouseCoopers' Canadian head office, rather than one of the city's older legal blocks around Osgoode Hall.
Frequently asked questions
- I've been charged with a criminal offence. Can Lacy Naster LLP represent me?
- Yes. The firm's lawyers practice criminal defence at the trial and appellate level across Canada, including white collar and regulatory matters.
- Does Lacy Naster LLP handle appeals?
- Yes. The firm describes a balanced practice of both trial and appellate work, and its lawyers have appeared before the Summary Conviction Appeal Court, the Divisional Court, the Court of Appeal for Ontario, and the Supreme Court of Canada.
- I'm facing a securities or regulatory investigation. Does the firm handle that kind of case?
- Yes. Lacy Naster LLP represents clients in regulatory investigations, audits, and proceedings, including matters before the Capital Markets Tribunal, the Financial Services Tribunal, the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization, the Law Society Tribunal, and the Tax Court.
- How big is Lacy Naster LLP?
- It's a small firm with three lawyers: founding partners Michael Lacy and Jay Naster, and partner Marcela Ahumada.
- Does anyone at the firm speak Spanish?
- Yes, a lawyer on the team is fluent in Spanish.
- Where is Lacy Naster LLP located and how do I reach the firm?
- The office is at 18 York Street, Suite 430, in Toronto, one block from Union Station. General inquiries can be sent to info@lacynasterllp.ca.
Where to find them
18 York Street, Suite 430, Toronto, M5J 2T8
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