Shannon Darby was called to the Ontario Bar in 2021 after completing her law degree with first class standing at Lakehead University. Before joining Embry Dann LLP, she clerked at the Superior Court of Justice in Brampton, Ontario.
While in law school, Shannon completed a placement with the Office of the Crown Attorney, in Kenora, Ontario. She was a caseworker with Lakehead University’s community legal clinic and a pro bono volunteer with the Thunder Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre’s Justice Services.
Before entering law, Shannon obtained a Masters in Community Music (2014) from the University of Limerick in Ireland, and a Bachelor of Music (2012), specializing in Violin Performance, from Brandon University in Manitoba. For four years, she worked for the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, managing an after-school orchestra program for disadvantaged children.
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.
Richelle Cickello earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Windsor in 2007. She graduated with Academic Distinction from the Accelerated Paralegal program at St. Clair College in 2012.
Richelle’s paralegal internships include the Windsor Crown Attorney’s office, Community Legal Aid clinic at the University of Windsor, Citizen’s Advocacy clinic, Multicultural Council of Windsor and Essex County, and the Windsor Essex Bilingual Legal Clinic. She has held a paralegal license with the Law Society of Upper Canada since 2013.
Richelle has completed training in Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) procedures, and has experience in Customs and Intellectual Property law.
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 Dann earned a bachelor of journalism from Carleton University in 2002 and received her LL.B. from Queen’s University in 2007, graduating first in her class at both Carleton and Queen’s. She clerked for the Honourable Justice Morris Fish at the Supreme Court of Canada and was called to the bar in 2008. Erin completed an internship in Lao PDR assisting in the implementation of the UN’s Enhancing Access to Justice Project before returning to Canada to work at the Crown Law Office Criminal. She joined the criminal defence bar in 2010.
Erin practices at both the trial and appellate levels. Erin is a member of the Pro Bono Inmate Appeal Program, a co-ordinator for the Supreme Court Advocacy Institute, and a member of the Queen’s Law Moot Advisory Council. She is a regular speaker at continuing legal education seminars and an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School and the Faculty of Law at Queen’s University.
