Rudnicki & Company
3 lawyers · 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 Rudnicki & Company
Rudnicki and Company is a criminal defence firm in downtown Toronto with three lawyers who take cases across Canada, not only in Ontario. Lead counsel Chris Rudnicki holds a law degree and an advanced Master of Laws degree with a specialization in criminal law and procedure. The firm's practice covers three areas: criminal trials, appeals, and bail hearings. Rudnicki has been selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in Canada for criminal defence and appellate practice, and the firm ranks in Tier 1 for criminal defence in Best Law Firms in Canada.
The firm puts particular weight on appellate work, noting that few criminal trial lawyers also practice appeals. Rudnicki teaches Criminal Appellate Advocacy at Queen's University and Advanced Criminal Law at Toronto Metropolitan University, and writes the appeals chapter of McWilliams' Canadian Criminal Evidence. Senior associate Theresa Donkor argues conviction and sentence appeals at the Court of Appeal for Ontario and the Supreme Court of Canada, while associate Ranya El-Sharkawi handles trial work, including bail hearings and Charter motions, after a clerkship at the Federal Court of Canada.
The firm describes its guiding belief as wanting a world without prisons, working to keep clients out of custody through bail hearings, Crown resolution discussions, and appeal work. Bail matters are handled around the clock through a dedicated line, with free consultations and flat fee billing.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- Lead counsel Chris Rudnicki holds a law degree and an advanced Master of Laws degree with a specialization in criminal law and procedure.
- Rudnicki has been selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in Canada for criminal defence and appellate practice, and holds Fellowship status in the Litigation Counsel of America, a society whose membership is limited to 0.5 percent of North American lawyers.
- Rudnicki and Company ranks in Tier 1 for criminal defence, nationally and locally, in Best Law Firms in Canada, and Doyle's Guide includes Chris Rudnicki among its recommended criminal lawyers in Toronto.
- Rudnicki teaches Criminal Appellate Advocacy at Queen's University and Advanced Criminal Law at Toronto Metropolitan University, coaches Toronto Metropolitan's Gale Cup moot team, and writes the appeals chapter of McWilliams' Canadian Criminal Evidence, publishing as well in the Supreme Court Law Review, Criminal Law Quarterly, and Canadian Bar Review.
- Chris Rudnicki serves on the board of the Criminal Lawyers' Association, is a member of the Pro Bono Inmate Assistance Program at the Court of Appeal for Ontario, and sits on Legal Aid Ontario's Criminal, Gladue, and Extremely Serious Matters panels.
In the community
- Senior associate Theresa Donkor is Director of Advocacy for the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers and a board member at Eva's Initiatives for Homeless Youth, and has made Senate submissions on the impact of proposed criminal legislation on Black communities.
- Theresa Donkor has discussed racial justice and criminal law on CBC, TVO, and CP24, and mentors law students.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
By appointmentFees & payment
Legal aidLawyers 3
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
The firm's office is on Soho Street in downtown Toronto, a five minute walk from Osgoode subway station. The firm's own materials note the office is a short walk from the Court of Appeal for Ontario, which matters for a practice built around appeals and bail hearings that sometimes need a same day court appearance right after sentencing. Public parking is available on Soho Street for clients who drive in.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Rudnicki and Company only take cases in Toronto?
- No. The firm is based in Toronto but takes criminal cases across Canada, including trials, appeals, and bail hearings outside Ontario.
- I've been charged with a serious offence like drug trafficking or sexual assault. Can Rudnicki and Company defend me at trial?
- Yes. The firm's criminal trials practice covers serious matters including sexual assault, drug trafficking, and offences involving personal injury, along with challenges to wrongful guilty pleas and Charter breaches.
- Can Rudnicki and Company get someone out on bail quickly?
- The firm handles bail matters at every level, from rapid response hearings at local bail centres to complex reviews at the Court of Appeal for Ontario, and runs an emergency bail line for weekends and holidays through the Weekend and Statutory Holiday court.
- I already pleaded guilty. Can the firm still help?
- Rudnicki and Company handles appeals that seek to set aside guilty pleas, along with conviction and sentence appeals, arguing them at the Superior Court of Justice or the Court of Appeal for Ontario depending on the offence.
- How much does a consultation cost?
- The firm offers a free initial consultation and bills criminal matters on a flat fee basis rather than by the hour.
- Where is the office and how do I get there?
- Rudnicki and Company is at 26 Soho Street, suite 400, in downtown Toronto, a five minute walk from Osgoode subway station, with public parking available on Soho Street.
Where to find them
26 Soho Street, suite 400, Toronto, ON M5T 1Z7 · 416-629-4800
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