Markson Law Professional Corporation
3 lawyers · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 455 handling Criminal Defence.
About Markson Law Professional Corporation
Markson Law Professional Corporation is a small criminal and regulatory defence firm at 365 Bay Street in downtown Toronto, and the firm's site says it has been operating in the city for over thirty years. Founder Joseph Markson was called to the Ontario Bar in 1992 after articling at Davies Ward & Beck, and holds an LL.M. from Trinity Hall, Cambridge University. A Harold G. Fox Education Fund Scholarship then funded a year of barrister training across three commercial chambers at London's Middle Temple, including marshal postings to High Court judges at the Old Bailey and the Cardiff courts. From 1995 to 2021, Markson worked as an Agent of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, prosecuting organized crime, tax evasion, white collar crime, and controlled substance cases before moving into defence work full time.
The practice today covers criminal litigation, white collar crime and tax evasion, regulatory litigation, crisis and risk management, and the law of policing, representing officers and police associations in internal investigations and discipline hearings. The team includes special counsel Kate Robertson, a former law clerk at the Supreme Court of Canada and past federal and provincial prosecutor, and Madeleine Ross, who practises criminal and regulatory litigation at both the trial and appellate level.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- The firm's site states it has been operating in Toronto for over thirty years.
- Founder Joseph Markson was called to the Ontario Bar in 1992 and earned an LL.M. from Trinity Hall, Cambridge University.
- A Harold G. Fox Education Fund Scholarship funded a year of barrister training across three commercial chambers at London's Middle Temple, including marshal postings to High Court judges at the Old Bailey and the Cardiff courts.
- Markson served as an Agent of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada from 1995 to 2021.
- Joseph Markson has been recognized in Best Lawyers in Canada for Criminal Defence every year since 2020, most recently in the 2026 edition.
- The firm is listed in Best Law Firms - Canada with a Tier 1 ranking, nationally and regionally, for Criminal Defence.
- Joseph Markson is a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and serves as President of The Harold G. Fox Education Fund, a charity established in 1966 that sponsors legal exchanges between Canada and England.
In the community
- Joseph Markson serves as President of The Harold G. Fox Education Fund, a Toronto based charity established in 1966 that sponsors legal exchanges between recently called Canadian lawyers and English barristers at the Inns of Court in London, and makes annual donations to several Canadian law schools to support their law faculties.
- Kate Robertson is a past director of Human Rights Watch Canada and has done pro bono work for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, the Criminal Lawyers' Association, and the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic.
- Kate Robertson is a past chair of The Advocates' Society's Criminal Law Practice Group and serves on the Criminal Lawyers' Association's Litigation and Law and Technology committees.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
By appointmentLawyers 3
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Called to the bar
- 1992 · median 34 years in practice 1 of 3 lawyers
- Law schools
- Queen's University, University of Ottawa, University of Toronto 3 of 3 lawyers
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
Markson Law's office sits at the southeast corner of Richmond Street West and Bay Street, in the heart of Toronto's financial district and only steps from Old City Hall and City Hall. The building connects into the underground PATH network and is a short walk from Union Station and the subway.
That downtown, transit connected location fits a firm whose law of policing practice reaches well past Toronto itself. Markson Law represents the Ontario Provincial Police Association, the Police Association of Ontario, and municipal police associations across the Greater Toronto Area and the province, including Durham, York, Peel, Barrie, Guelph, Peterborough, Niagara, and Kingston. An easily reached Bay Street office gives officers and association representatives travelling in from those regions a workable place to meet.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Markson Law represent police officers who are under investigation?
- Yes. The firm's law of policing practice represents officers and police associations, including the Ontario Provincial Police Association, the Police Association of Ontario, and municipal associations across the Greater Toronto Area and Ontario, in internal investigations and discipline hearings.
- Does Markson Law handle white collar crime and tax evasion cases?
- Yes. White collar crime and tax evasion is one of the firm's core practice areas, alongside criminal litigation, regulatory litigation, and crisis and risk management.
- How long has Markson Law been practising in Toronto?
- The firm's site says it has been operating in Toronto for over thirty years. Founder Joseph Markson was called to the Ontario Bar in 1992.
- Where is Markson Law located?
- The firm is at 365 Bay Street, Suite 811, in downtown Toronto, at Richmond and Bay, near Old City Hall and the financial district.
- Can Markson Law advise on a regulatory investigation, not just criminal charges?
- Yes. Alongside criminal defence, the firm's crisis and risk management and regulatory litigation practices advise on regulatory compliance and investigations.
- Has Markson Law been recognized for its criminal defence work?
- The firm is listed in Best Law Firms - Canada with a Tier 1 ranking, nationally and regionally, for Criminal Defence, and founder Joseph Markson has been included in Best Lawyers in Canada for Criminal Defence every year since 2020.
Where to find them
365 Bay Street, Suite 811, Toronto, Ontario M5H 2V1 · 416-366-0050
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