I received a not guilty verdict on my DUI charge in a trial back in April of 2023 and it really is…read morea huge credit to James for what seems to me as phenomenal work in accomplishing this verdict for me. It was an accident that occurred late night 2:30 AM back in July of 2022 wherein I was driving and got caught in an accident where the front bumper was ripped off the car and the underneath of the car caught fire (radiator) causing the fire depertment to arrive in addition to the police. The police talked did smell beer on my breath and then took readings of 70 and 80 on me and then charged me with DUI (also dangerous operation). Although I was NOT impaired and highly coherent at the time, I can see how the evidence looked rather damning against me, so much so that even the claims agent from my insurance company behaved very negatively towards me. I felt like I needed a lawyer who specialized in DUIs and sure enough "impairedlaw.ca" appeared so I thought I'd give him a try. During initial arraignment - wherein I still didn't procure a lawyer at that time - I pleaded not guilty and then the judge there said I needed a lawyer so that's when I approached James. In November he had an initial meeting with the crown and judge to try to get them to drop or at least to reduce the charges (to possibly careless driving or something non-criminal) but before that he did warn me that it was going to be with a judge who was very tough on such cases and so after the meeting he informed me that his attempts did not succeed and they decided to proceed with taking me to trial which was scheduled to occur in the spring of the following year (at that time). He followed up with me the following (last) January and then informed me of my impending trial date in April (today) and scheduled for us to meet in person (for the first time) a couple of weeks before that. So during that meeting (before that the only contact was over the phone) he pulled out stacks of sheets of evidence and testimonies from the crown as well as a toxicology report against me and slammed them on the desk and stated to me that he had a "game plan" , believing that I had a 75% chance at the time of a not guilty verdict. The crown did have a seemingly pretty tough case including 5 witnesses as well as a toxicology forensics expert so despite his confidence it was still very difficult for me to feel to optimistic. However, during the trial he did a great job cross-examining each testimony sufficiently to generate sufficient reasonable doubt for the judge to warrant the verdict, including (but not restricted to) citing prior related cases as well as being able to even refute the scientific evidence from the toxicology expert that the crown had used as a witness as well. For each witness the questioning he did was awesome, "surgical" really. During a 15 minute break before the last witness (the toxicology expert) was presented by the crown he felt our chances improved from 75% to around 90%. To me it didn't seem so obviously "hopeful' because the crown was pretty tough with the gargantuan amount of evidence they presented. But still after the way he cross-examined each witness as well as the toxicology expert and then especially after the closing arguments (wherein he cited prior precedents as well that I noticed raise the judge's eyebrow) it did become clearer to me that I "had a chance for not guilty", and one then finally after a 2 hour break before reconvening for the judge's verdict I already felt that even if I was found guilty (which incidentally would be untrue because again I was not impaired at the time just saying) I had no regrets going with him regardless (I had already decided this and said I'd buy him dinner if I got not guilty just as a bonus which I did offer but he didn't take it). The not guilty verdict was awesome for me even if it came out guilty I firmly believe no one else could have put me in a better position to succeed in this trial (by orders of magnitude, really). It really was like an law&order episode right before my eyes. Thank you very much Mr.McGillivary!

From the owner: James X.P. McGillivary is a sole practitioner Criminal Lawyer who's practice is exclusively centred…read moreon the area of Impaired and "Over 80" driving offences. Mr. McGillivary has been practising Criminal Law since being called to the bar in 1988. He is routinely invited to lecture on impaired driving law at Judicial Conferences, law school functions, and media events. Mr. McGillivary's practice extends to the following areas: Ottawa, Cornwall, L'Orignal, Brockville, Kemptville, Morrisburg, Kingston, Napanee, Perth, Renfrew, Pembroke and Alexandria. Please contact our office either by phone or email regarding your questions or to arrange a free consultation to discuss your case.

I was charged with Care and Control, and over 80. I was sleeping in the drivers seat of my car with…read morethe car turned on when I was suddenly arrested. I contacted Brett for a consultation and he assured me I had a good chance of beating the charges. Brett was professional and knew what he was doing in the courtroom. I am very thankful for his services and would highly recommend him, as he is very knowledgeable in this area of criminal law.

Brett his a very professional and respectful person. The kind of person you could really trust to…read morerepresent you has a top Ottawa criminal lawyer.

Michael A. Johnston is a very professional lawyer and is one of the best…read more He does everything he can to help his clients out of difficult situations. I handed two cases to Mr. Johnston, and I am satisfied with the outcomes. For one of the cases, my citizenship and job were at risk. I could have gotten my citizenship revoked and could have lost my job as well. The professionalism and competence of Mr. Johnston saved me and got me out of that difficult situation. He's a compassionate person and takes care of his clients. I was in a poor financial situation, and it was hard for me to pay the fee. I talked to Mr. Johnston about it. He was very understanding and gave me a very generous discount just out of compassion. Unlike other lawyers, Mr. Johnston focuses on getting people out of bad situations and solving the problem because he understands what people go through. Mr. Johnston thoroughly studies the cases and goes through the laws to find flaws to provide the best defense possible. Mr. Johnston is a man of his words and a great man overall. I would highly recommend him to anyone.

From the owner: Navigating the criminal justice system can be a nerve-wracking ordeal and being arrested and…read morecharged with a crime may be the worst day of your life but it doesn't need to define the rest of your life. Our expert team of lawyers will stand by your side through all stages of the process, from investigation to appeal. For the past fifty years, we've helped our clients through every type of criminal charge in Ontario under the Criminal Code, the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, and other related legislation. We have also represented individuals and businesses in regulatory investigations and prosecutions, from the Ontario Highway Traffic Act to the Canadian Lobbying Act. Based in Ottawa, Ontario, our criminal defence lawyers work diligently to ensure that our clients obtain favourable results at the bail stage, through guilty pleas and sentencing, in judge-alone or judge-and-jury trials, and on appeal. No one should deal with the criminal justice system without proper representation and protection. If you or someone you know is facing charges, please contact us for a free consultation. Protect your rights and freedom with an experienced criminal defence lawyer

This law firm helped us get through one of the most difficult times in our lives. They handled the…read morecourt case flawlessly and allowed my son to keep his life intact. I highly recommend this law firm. Thank you

Competent and reliable lawyer. Fully recommended. Very proficient in civil and commercial law.read more

From the owner: Stanley Desmoulins will assist you with your legal needs for Family Law, Privacy Law, Criminal Law,…read moreSports Law, Business Law, Immigration Law, Wills and Estates.