Our practice is focused on appellate and trial advocacy in criminal cases before all courts including the Court of Appeal for Ontario and the Supreme Court of Canada. We have been involved in precedent setting appeals and are routinely called upon to act as amicus curiae before the courts. We are engaged in a wide-reaching practice that includes complex constitutional litigation, acting as a referee for law office searches and litigating novel privilege issues.

We advance focused defences and creative legal arguments. We give clear, open and honest advice. We care about our clients. We are passionate about our work.

Arshia Hassani obtained an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree with high distinction from the University of Toronto, Trinity College in Ethics, Society & Law and Political Science.  He then went on to complete his law degree, also at the University of Toronto. 

During his time in law school, Arshia was a divisional leader at Downtown Legal Services for the criminal law and academic offences team. Arshia defended numerous clients as a law student, and won his first criminal trial during the summer before his second year of law school. 

After receiving his Juris Doctor degree, Arshia articled with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada where he had the chance to work on complex federal cases involving drug trafficking, terrorism and tax crimes. 

Arshia is a member of the Criminal Lawyers Association and speaks Farsi fluently. In his spare time, he enjoys cycling, swimming and travelling. 

Originally from Calgary, Alberta, Dean Embry attended the University of Calgary and earned an Honours Degree in Philosophy focusing on analytical thought and theories of morality. Dean moved to Toronto in 2000 to attend the University of Toronto Faculty of Law; graduating in 2003.

While at the University of Toronto, Dean was employed as a research assistant and as a shift leader at Downtown Legal Services; a clinic which provides representation to low income individuals charged with criminal offences. In his second and third year of Law School Dean split his time between primarily criminal law related classes and the clinic through which he had the opportunity to prepare for and conduct multiple criminal trials prior to graduation.

After completing his articles of clerkship at the criminal division of Sack Goldblatt Mitchell Dean was called to the Bar in 2004 and worked for a well-known Toronto criminal lawyer for two years before joining Schreck & Greene in 2007. Dean remained at that firm through its various incarnations until 2011 when he opened his own practice.

Dean’s practice includes the representation of clients on a wide variety of matters. A substantial portion of his practice involves complex conspiracy cases, fraud related matters, drug possession and trafficking matters, serious personal injury offences including sexual offences and matters involving accused dealing with mental health issues. Dean has appeared in all levels of court in Ontario and appears regularly before the Ontario Review Board.

Dean previously served on the Board of the Criminal Lawyers’ Association and on its Executive as Assistant Secretary. He current co-chairs the CLA’s Mental Health Committee.

Paul Socka is an associate at Embry Dann LLP, practicing at both the trial and appeal levels. He received his law degree from the Queen’s University of Faculty of Law in 2018, graduating as the gold medalist. While in law school, he worked with the Queen’s Prison Law Clinic, representing federal inmates at disciplinary hearings and before the Parole Board of Canada, and participated in the Gale Cup Moot, receiving the Peter Cory Factum Prize for best written argument.

Prior to joining Embry Dann, Paul articled at the Crown Law Office – Criminal and was called to the bar in 2019. He then clerked for Justices Doherty, Simmons, and Trotter at the Court of Appeal for Ontario, and for Justice Andromache Karakatsanis at the Supreme Court of Canada.

Paul is a member of the Criminal Lawyers’ Association.

Erin is a partner at Embry Dann LLP, with a focus on criminal appeals and complex trial matters. She has argued over 100 appeals at the Court of Appeal for Ontario and acted on 12 matters before the Supreme Court of Canada. She is regularly appointed amicus curiae in criminal cases involving mental health issues and as a referee in privilege litigation matters.  Erin served as Commission Counsel to the Public Order Emergency Commission and the Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions.

Since 2021, Erin has been recognized by Best Lawyers® in Appellate Practice and Criminal Defence and in the 2026 edition as “Lawyer of the Year” in Criminal Defence in Toronto.

Erin is a long-time volunteer with the Pro Bono Inmate Appeal Program, sits on the National Advisory Committee for the Supreme Court Advocacy Institute and on the Case Review Committee of Innocence Canada, and is an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School. She holds an LL.B. from Queen’s University, where she graduated as the gold medalist, and a Bachelor of Journalism from Carleton University, where she also graduated first in her class.

Erin clerked for the Honourable Justice Morris Fish at the Supreme Court of Canada and was called to the bar in 2008.

R. v. McDonald, 2025 ONCA 807R. v. J.W., 2025 SCC 16, 448 C.C.C. (3d) 285
R. v. Bharwani, 2025 SCC 26
R. v. McDonald, 2025 ONCA 807
R. v. Miller, 2025 ONCA 611
R. v. Ritch and Sparks, 2022 NSCA 52
R. v. Bissonnette, 2022 SCC 23, [2022] 1 S.C.R. 597
R. v. Stairs, 2022 SCC 11, [2022] 1 S.C.R. 169
R. v. Laming, 2022 ONCA 370, 413 C.C.C. (3d) 409
R. v. Mootoo, 2022 ONSC 367, 501 C.R.R. (2d) 110
R. v. Tutu, 2021 ONCA 805 407 C.C.C. (3d) 137
R. v. J.D., 2021 ONCA 376, 156 O.R. (3d) 126 (leave to appeal to S.C.C. refused)
R. v. Esseghaier, 2021 SCC 9
R. v. Pileggi, 2021 ONCA 4, 153 O.R. (3d) 561, 398 C.C.C. (3d) 274
R. v. Reeve, 2020 ONCA 381, 151 O.R. (3d) 65
R. v. Alexis, 2020 ONCA 334, 388 C.C.C. (3d) 266
R. v. McDonald, 2018 ONCA 369, 360 C.C.C (3d) 494
R. v. Lougheed; Sorbara, 2017 ONCJ 708
R. v. Assessment Direct, 2017 ONSC 5686, 142 W.C.B. (2d) 59
R. v. Tung, 2016 ONCA 782, 132 O.R. (3d) 561
R. v. Anthony Cook, 2016 SCC 43, [2016] 2 S.C.R. 204
R. v. Jordan, 2016 SCC 27, [2016] 1 S.C.R. 631
R. v. Campione, 2015 ONCA 67, 321 C.C.C. (3d) 63
R. v. Capano, 2014 ONCA 599, 314 C.C.C. (3d) 135
Canada (Citizenship and Immigration) v. Harkat, 2014 SCC 37
Nadarajah v. United States of America, 2012 SCC 70, 290 C.C.C. (3d) 349
R. v. Kobzar (2012), 110 O.R. (3d) 670, 284 C.C.C. (3d) 330 (Ont. C.A.)
United States of America v. Leonard, 2012 ONCA 622, 112 O.R. (3d) 496 (leave to appeal to S.C.C. refused)