Leora Shemesh Criminal Law
2 lawyers · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 455 handling Criminal Defence.
About Leora Shemesh Criminal Law
Clients rate this firm highly on Google.
Leora Shemesh Criminal Law is a small Toronto criminal defence firm, with a team of two barristers and solicitors and a law clerk working out of an office on University Avenue. The firm's founder, Leora Shemesh, graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 2000 and articled first with Greenspan Humphrey Levine and then with Paul Burstein. After several years as a partner at Neuberger Rose LLP, the founder opened an independent practice under the Leora Shemesh name in 2006.
The firm defends clients charged with a wide range of criminal offences, including drug offences, domestic assault, drinking and driving, gun and gang offences, property crimes, sexual assault, white collar crime, and youth criminal justice matters, and represents clients across the Greater Toronto Area and elsewhere in Ontario. A significant part of the practice has centred on Charter of Rights litigation involving search warrants, search and seizure, and police conduct, alongside serious matters such as murder, manslaughter, and attempted murder. The firm's cases have drawn coverage from outlets including the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail, and the Hamilton Spectator over nearly two decades, and Toronto Life named the founder to its 2025 list of the city's 50 most influential people.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- The founder won the Gale Cup Mooting Competition and the Criminal Law, Stephen Leggett award while studying at Osgoode Hall Law School.
- The founder took part in Regina v. Hitzig, a case that helped shape the legal framework for medical marijuana access in Canada.
- Toronto Life included the founder in its 2025 list of the city's 50 most influential people, at rank 46.
In the community
- The founder serves as Vice President of the Abraham Global Peace Initiative, an organization that works against racism and antisemitism.
- The founder has worked as an educator with the Advocates Society and the Criminal Lawyers' Association's group for young lawyers, and has guest lectured at Osgoode Hall Law School, mentoring newer criminal defence lawyers in Toronto.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
By appointmentLawyers 2
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Called to the bar
- 2005 · median 21 years in practice 1 of 2 lawyers
- Law schools
- Osgoode Hall Law School, University of Kent 2 of 2 lawyers
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
The firm's office is in a 21 storey tower at University Avenue and Adelaide Street West. The building was renovated in 2013. University Avenue continues north past several of the city's courts, including the Superior Court of Justice's criminal courthouse at 361 University Avenue.
Frequently asked questions
- What kinds of criminal charges does Leora Shemesh Criminal Law handle?
- The firm defends clients facing drug offences, domestic assault, drinking and driving, gun and gang offences, property crimes, sexual assault, white collar crime, and youth criminal justice matters, as well as more serious charges such as murder and manslaughter.
- Does the firm take cases outside Toronto?
- Yes. The firm represents clients across the Greater Toronto Area and elsewhere in Ontario, in addition to its downtown Toronto office.
- Will Leora Shemesh Criminal Law take a case funded through Legal Aid Ontario?
- Yes. If a client is issued a Legal Aid Certificate, the firm accepts it and can act as certificate lawyer.
- Does the firm handle Charter of Rights challenges around search and seizure?
- Yes, this has long been a focus of the practice. The founder has argued Charter cases involving search warrants, search and seizure, and police conduct at multiple levels of court.
- How big is the firm, and who works on my file?
- The team is small by design: two barristers and solicitors and a law clerk, so clients deal directly with the lawyers on their file rather than a large roster of staff.
- How do I reach the firm or book a consultation?
- Call 416-944-8111 or use the online contact form to request a consultation. The office is at 155 University Avenue, Suite 1920, in downtown Toronto.
Where to find them
155 University Avenue, Suite 1920, Toronto, ON M5H 3B7 · 416-944-8111
Similar firms in City of Toronto
Addo Law Professional Corporation is a client-focused law firm with offices in Toronto and Ottawa, practicing civil litigation, family law, construction law, and real estate law, including real estate litigation and t…
Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Family Law
Construction Law
Real Estate Law
Weisberg Law Criminal Lawyers LLP is a Toronto criminal defence firm led by Adam Weisberg, a Certified Specialist in Criminal Law. The firm defends allegations ranging from white-collar crime to homicide across Ontari…
Criminal Defence
Karapancev Law is a criminal defence firm based in Toronto, with a second office in Mississauga. It represents individuals and corporations across the Greater Toronto Area in matters including DUI and impaired driving…
Criminal Defence
Administrative & Regulatory LawListing compiled from the firm’s public website in August 2026. Verify licence status in the Law Society of Ontario directory ↗