We’re Criminal Defence Lawyers

Rusonik, O’Connor, Ross, Hershberg, Ghebrai & MacDonald LLP stands as a modern force in Canadian criminal defence—dynamic, diverse, and driven by excellence. With 22 partners working collectively, our firm represents one of the strongest concentrations of defence talent in the country. We are a team built on experience, shaped by mentorship, and united in the belief that every person deserves fearless and principled representation.

Our origins trace back to Pinkofskys Criminal Trial and Appeal Lawyers, one of the most influential criminal defence firms in Canadian legal history. Pinkofskys produced leaders, innovators, judges, and advocates whose impact on the justice system continues to resonate across the profession. Its alumni have guided legal policy, received national recognition, and demonstrated what dedicated criminal defence can achieve. Most notably, its founder, Jack Pinkofsky, earned the esteemed G. Arthur Martin Criminal Justice Medal—an honour symbolizing a career spent championing justice, fairness, and the rights of the accused.

We are proud to continue that legacy.

Our partnership includes twenty-two accomplished senior lawyers alongside six exceptional associates—the next generation of defence advocacy, each bringing their own skillset, voice, and courtroom experience. Together we form a team representative of the modern legal landscape: diverse in background, unified in purpose, relentless in defence.

Our motto, virtus et honos, reflects our values. We approach every case with strength—of preparation, of argument, of resolve—and with honour, respecting the rule of law and the dignity of every client we defend. We do not shy away from complexity, pressure, or challenge. Instead, we meet them with unfaltering commitment, breadth of experience, and the shared belief that justice requires courage.

In the courtroom, we are strategic and persuasive. In our offices, we collaborate, mentor, and refine. We understand that the best results come from a combination of skill, insight, and teamwork—qualities that define our practice every day. Whether defending serious criminal allegations, navigating appeals, or advancing groundbreaking legal arguments, our lawyers bring precision, dedication, and an unwavering defence of rights.

We honour where we come from. We embrace who we are. And we stand ready for what comes next.

What do we do?

We defend you. It doesn’t matter whether you did or didn’t do it, if you’re standing alone the whole might of the state is unfairly arrayed against you. You desperately need someone to stand with you against what is coming.

None of us practice any other type of law or are part-time Crown Attorneys or do any kind of prosecution work at all. We believe that would risk undermining our focus upon and our loyalties to the people we represent.

We’re criminal defence lawyers. It’s our living, but it’s also our passion. We don’t see the people who come to us in perhaps their greatest hour of need as marks to be exploited; we see them as honouring us with the opportunity to do the work that we love.

We’re a firm of criminal defence lawyers. While we admire and respect criminal defence lawyers who choose to practice alone, experience has taught us you need to be as big and strong as you can to go up against the size and strength of the police services and the Crown. Only one of us can be standing beside you upon your trial, but that does not mean you cannot have a whole firm behind you before and throughout as well.

If you’re charged with a criminal offence, it would be our great pleasure and pride to represent you. Please contact us through the e-mail on this page or through any of our direct e-mail addresses or telephone numbers you will find on our individual pages or, if you have an emergency and cannot otherwise reach one of us, please call our 24-hour number, (416) 598-1811, for assistance. Someone is always on call.

Photograph by George Kourounis

Testimonials

I want to thank you for all of your efforts and hard work on behalf of my son, S. B. The result was better than we had hoped for, and hopefully the counseling that he participated in has helped him to be a better person.

A.B.

You and your colleagues...guided their family members through a legal maze. You and your colleagues...not only represented the protestors, but you guided their family members through a legal maze...I have notes of several phone calls you made to me over the course of that affair, and one other memory in particular: encountering a cluster of concerned and bewildered parents in the courthouse hallway, you made a short, spontaneous speech, assuring us that not only had we no cause to be ashamed or embarrassed, but that our children had performed the kind of noble acts that a decent society depended on. This made an impact. It was a decent, sensitive thing to do, and it made an impression.

J. M.

Other counsel told me that I had to plead guilty and you got those charges dismissed for me. You have given me hope I will be able to change my life...Other counsel told me that I had to plead guilty and you got those charges dismissed for me.

R. H.

I just wanted to say thanks to you and your team for getting me out of that mess and being honest and truthful the whole way. It's really appreciated. Thank you so much again for your time and efforts.

S.H.

Thanks so much for your hard work! I didn't think it would be possible to do what you did for me.

S

I just wanted to express my gratitude for your dedication when it came to my case. As you know, it was a long and upsetting process for me, which would have been a great deal longer had it not been for the hours you put in to help me clear my name. I am so grateful that you put up with all the stress my case has caused, I know that it must have been very laborious at times! The determination and faith that you have shown has restored my faith in the judicial system.

I was in a very tough period of my life and I was charged with assault and possession of a prohibited weapon. John Filiberto worked with me closely and all charges were stayed within one year. During the time John was always reachable and treated me like a normal person instead of a criminal. I would recommend John's services to anyone who might need them.

J. L.

I just wanted to thank you for everything you have done for me. My family is really happy and also thank you for keeping me out of jail. Over the past year I know I got my self into a little trouble and got a few charges but you did not hesitate to represent me. Not only that but you won every case and I still have a clear record which I thought was impossible for a lawyer to do. You have been the best legal help anyone could ask for and I cannot put in words how grateful i am with your efforts. Thank you very much. I will recommend you to anyone I know that needs a lawyer because you are the best.

F. S.

I would like to thank you very much for all your assistance in the past! I was charged a long while ago with possession of drugs and, with the support of my family and legal representative, was granted the ability to pursue my passion in academics and have now achieved a BA with Honours. If it were not for ____ and my family I would never have been afforded the chances I have recently been able to capitalize on. I have maintained a Dean's List standing for three consecutive years while I fast-tracked through my four year BA and am currently applying to graduate schools all across Canada! With regard to the legal aspects and conditions of my situation in the past, there is no way I would have been able to pursue university level academics inside a prison; therefore, I am forever in great debt to _______ for all his help, and his answering each and every question I had throughout the court proceedings.

E.S.K.

My gratitude for your kindness and wisdom almost two years ago now resonates with me daily. I feel somewhat ashamed and embarrassed that I haven’t written to you sooner to express such feelings and share with you the joy I get from the relationship I have with my daughter and her family now—a relationship that could have ended broken and irreparable if you hadn’t been there to guide us through the fear, doubt, and despair at that moment in our lives. Sir, if you’re ever having ‘one of those days’, please know you do make a difference and that someone out there really does appreciate your talent and ability for parting the oceans and moving mountains. You are hope on this earth and, for that, I will always be thankful and grateful.

Mr. C.

You and your colleagues...not only represented the protestors, but you guided their family members through a legal maze...I have notes of several phone calls you made to me over the course of that affair, and one other memory in particular: encountering a cluster of concerned and bewildered parents in the courthouse hallway, you made a short, spontaneous speech, assuring us that not only had we no cause to be ashamed or embarrassed, but that our children had performed the kind of noble acts that a decent society depended on. This made an impact. It was a decent, sensitive thing to do, and it made an impression.

J. M.

I just wanted to express my gratitude for your dedication when it came to my case. As you know, it was a long and upsetting process for me, which would have been a great deal longer had it not been for the hours you put in to help me clear my name. I am so grateful that you put up with all the stress my case has caused, I know that it must have been very laborious at times! The determination and faith that you have shown has restored my faith in the judicial system.

You’re the best! I will never be able to fully express my appreciation to you. On Friday, November ___, I heard the best two words of my life, “not guilty”! I will forever be grateful and thankful to you. Friday was the end of a three year nightmare. However, from beginning to end, you were nothing short of brilliant. I expected you to be good but you were beyond excellent. You were incredibly supportive and believed in me. Most importantly, you never wavered from your confidence in the case and me. You listened to me and I found your advice and guidance invaluable. You were always professional and I noticed that you quickly earned the respect of the judge, jury and other members of the court. You were extremely strategic, especially when picking the jury. Your clear, concise and compelling way of communicating your ideas made it easy for the jury to understand my defense and they believed you. I am convinced that your skillful cross-examination was one of the factors that resulted in my case’s positive outcome.