Kashif Alam

He has built his practice on thorough preparation, strategic focus and a genuine commitment to the people he represents, rather than only to the legal issues their cases happen to raise. He understands that for most clients a criminal charge is the most stressful and unfamiliar situation they have ever faced, and he places a strong emphasis on making sure people feel informed, supported and meaningfully involved from the beginning of a matter through to its resolution.

Criminal defence was always the direction he was heading. He worked in the area throughout law school and the licensing process, gaining practical experience with real clients and real cases well before he was entitled to appear on his own. He articled at a leading criminal defence firm in Toronto and has practised exclusively in criminal law ever since. Earlier in his training he also spent time at a general practice firm, which gave him exposure to a broader range of legal work and sharpened the analytical and advocacy skills he now brings to his own files.

Education and admission

He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto, earning an Honours Bachelor of Arts, before attending law school at the University of Southampton in England, where he graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Laws. After returning to Canada he completed the National Committee on Accreditation requirements and the Ontario bar examinations, and he is licensed to practise by the Law Society of Ontario.

The range of the practice

Over the course of his career he has represented clients on serious drug trafficking, firearms offences, sexual assault, aggravated assault, intimate partner violence, fraud, impaired driving, theft, possession of stolen property and a great deal else. He has dealt with virtually every category of criminal allegation, and he comes to each new file with the experience to know what matters in it and where it is likely to go.

How the work is done

His practice is built around a careful review of the evidence, early identification of the legal issues, and thoughtful engagement with the Crown throughout, always directed at the best available outcome for that particular client. A significant proportion of his matters resolve without ever reaching trial, whether through withdrawal, diversion or a negotiated resolution that protects a client’s liberty, their record, or both. Where litigation is required, the preparation and the focus do not change.

Bail

That preparation runs through everything, and it shows most clearly on a contested bail hearing. Getting a client released takes more than capable submissions. It means preparing the sureties properly, building a plan of release that holds up to scrutiny, and grounding the argument in the right case law and constitutional principles. He takes that work seriously and his results in the area reflect it.

The Charter, and keeping clients informed

He is equally attentive to constitutional issues at every stage of a proceeding and holds the Crown to its obligations throughout. He has appeared before both the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice and is a composed advocate in either setting. He also makes a point of keeping clients informed on an ongoing basis rather than only at the obvious moments, so that they always know where things stand, what is coming next and what their options are. In a profession where communication is one of the most common complaints clients have about their lawyers, he treats it as part of the job rather than a courtesy.