About the Criminal Lawyers’ Association (CLA)

Choosing a DUI lawyer who is a member of the Criminal Lawyers’ Association (CLA) ensures your representative is part of Canada’s largest specialty legal organization dedicated to criminal defence. This membership provides several indirect but critical advantages for your case:

• Specialized Expertise: Active CLA members must devote a “significant portion” of their practice to criminal defence. This ensures your lawyer is not a generalist but someone deeply immersed in the nuances of criminal and constitutional law.

• Access to Collective Intelligence: Members have access to a private listserv of over 850 criminal lawyers to discuss complex legal issues, share strategies, and seek advice on unique case scenarios.

• Up-to-Date Legal Knowledge: The CLA provides extensive continuing legal education (CLE) and hosts the most comprehensive annual criminal defence conference in Canada. This keeps your lawyer informed on the latest changes in DUI legislation and Charter of Rights arguments.

• Network of Expert Witnesses: Members have access to a specialized experts database, making it easier for them to find and retain the right toxicologists or accident reconstructionists needed to challenge breathalyzer results or police procedures.

• Professional Resources: The association provides members with a library of legal precedents and case briefs, which can be instrumental in building a strong technical defence against DUI charges.

• Commitment to Justice: As an organization that regularly intervenes in Supreme Court of Canada cases, CLA members are part of a community actively fighting for civil liberties and the proper administration of criminal justice.

Read more about the Criminal Lawyers’ Association (CLA)