Rotenberg Shidlowski Jesin (RSJLAW)
3 lawyers · Established 1992 · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 455 handling Criminal Defence.
Accepts Legal Aid
Accepts Legal AidAbout Rotenberg Shidlowski Jesin (RSJLAW)
RSJLAW, formally Rotenberg Shidlowski Jesin, is a small criminal defence practice in downtown Toronto. Robert Rotenberg and Alvin Shidlowski founded the firm in 1992 to offer one on one client service, and Jacob Jesin joined as a partner in 2006, giving the firm its current name. The three lawyers practise in association and, together, count more than 70 years of combined courtroom experience. They take on criminal and regulatory matters across the Greater Toronto Area and Southern Ontario, from theft and impaired driving to sexual assault, large scale fraud, and murder.
Each partner brings a different background to the practice. Shidlowski started in corporate and merger and acquisition law at Torkin Manes, then built a criminal practice focused on commercial crime, and continues to advise on business law alongside it. Jesin has developed a niche representing complainants and witnesses in sexual assault and domestic violence matters, and both Jesin and Shidlowski sit as panel lawyers for Ontario's Independent Legal Advice for Survivors of Sexual Assault program. Rotenberg is also the author of five novels and a screenwriter, alongside the criminal law practice.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- Robert Rotenberg and Alvin Shidlowski founded the firm in 1992.
- Jacob Jesin joined as a partner in 2006, and the firm took the name Rotenberg Shidlowski Jesin.
- Alvin Shidlowski graduated from the Ivey School of Business in 1983 and Osgoode Hall Law School in 1987, and was called to the bar in 1989.
- Jacob Jesin holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from York University and a law degree from Queen's University. Jesin won the Robinson-Ryan Award at the school's legal clinic and was called to the bar in 2006.
- Robert Rotenberg holds degrees from the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall Law School, along with an LLM from the London School of Economics.
In the community
- Alvin Shidlowski and Jacob Jesin both serve as panel lawyers for the Ministry of the Attorney General's Independent Legal Advice for Survivors of Sexual Assault Pilot Program.
- Jacob Jesin lectures childcare providers on legal issues, speaks regularly at Ontario Camps Association conferences, and chairs the board of a private day school in Toronto.
- Jesin has also held board positions with the Criminal Lawyers' Association and the Canterbury Marc Perri Clinic.
- Robert Rotenberg has practised criminal law in downtown Toronto for more than thirty years, representing clients across the economic spectrum, including people experiencing poverty and homelessness, and wrote about that experience for Law360 Canada's The Lawyer's Daily.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
By appointmentFees & payment
Legal aidLawyers 3
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Called to the bar
- 1989–2006 · median 28 years in practice 2 of 3 lawyers
- Law schools
- Osgoode Hall Law School (2), Queen's University 3 of 3 lawyers
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
RSJLAW's office sits on King Street East, in Toronto's old St. Lawrence neighbourhood. King Street was one of the first streets laid out in the 1793 town plan of York, and once the St. Lawrence Market opened nearby in 1803 it grew into the main commercial street of early Toronto. The original commercial blocks burned in the Great Fire of 1849 and were rebuilt afterward, and today King Street East is known for its concentration of furniture and design showrooms, a different kind of commercial district than it started as, but one that still trades on the same stretch of road.
It's a fitting setting for a firm built around long standing relationships rather than a high volume practice: a historic, walkable corner of downtown Toronto rather than a tower on Bay Street.
Frequently asked questions
- Does RSJLAW defend people charged with sexual assault?
- Yes. Sexual assault defence is a core part of RSJLAW's practice. The firm's lawyers also act as panel lawyers for Ontario's Independent Legal Advice for Survivors of Sexual Assault Pilot Program, which gives them experience on both sides of these cases.
- I've been charged with fraud or another white collar offence. Can RSJLAW help?
- Yes. Alvin Shidlowski built a background in corporate and merger and acquisition law before moving into criminal defence, and has acted as counsel in large scale fraud matters, including income tax and excise tax evasion, and competition act and securities cases.
- Does RSJLAW represent young people charged under the Youth Criminal Justice Act?
- Yes. The firm takes on cases under the Youth Criminal Justice Act in Ontario's youth court, alongside its adult criminal defence work.
- How long has RSJLAW been practising in Toronto?
- Robert Rotenberg and Alvin Shidlowski founded the firm in 1992, and Jacob Jesin joined as a partner in 2006. Between the three lawyers, the firm counts more than 70 years of combined courtroom experience.
- Can RSJLAW represent someone at a bail hearing?
- Yes, bail hearings and peace bond applications are among the firm's services. Anyone arrested and held in custody has the right to a bail hearing within 24 hours, and RSJLAW's lawyers prepare and argue those hearings.
- Where is RSJLAW's office and how do I reach the firm?
- RSJLAW is located at 144 King Street East in downtown Toronto. The firm can be reached by phone at 416 591 9100 or by email at contactus@rsjlaw.ca.
Where to find them
144 King Street East, Toronto, Ontario M5C 1G8 · 416-591-9100
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