Daniel Brown

Daniel Brown is one of Canada's leading criminal defence lawyers, defending individuals, professionals, public figures, corporations, and organizations in high-stakes criminal, regulatory, and professional discipline matters. His practice spans trials, appeals, regulatory hearings, witness representation, crisis advisory work, and complex investigations where a client’s liberty, reputation, career, and future are on the line.

Daniel was called to the Ontario Bar in 2005 after graduating from Queen’s University’s Faculty of Law. He began his criminal law career at Pinkofskys LLP, then Canada’s largest criminal defence firm, and in 2008 founded Daniel Brown Law — building a boutique criminal defence firm known for sophisticated advocacy, strategic judgment, and discreet representation in serious and sensitive cases.

Daniel is certified as a specialist in criminal law by the Law Society of Ontario — a designation held by fewer than 2% of criminal lawyers in the province. Practising from the firm’s office in downtown Toronto, near the main courthouses, he represents clients facing charges ranging from domestic assault, drug possession, and impaired driving, to sexual assault, murder, fraud, and weapons offences.

Daniel’s clients often include people who have never before been involved in the justice system: professionals, executives, public figures, first responders, regulated professionals, and others whose reputations, livelihoods, travel privileges, and personal lives may be permanently affected by a criminal or regulatory investigation. In addition to defending people charged with criminal offences, Daniel advises crime victims, witnesses, professionals, and individuals under police investigation before charges are laid. He has appeared at every level of court in Ontario and he has acted as trial counsel before the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice, and as appellate counsel before the Court of Appeal for Ontario and the Supreme Court of Canada.

Daniel is a former president of the Criminal Lawyers’ Association, where he advocated on behalf of the criminal defence bar and contributed to public debate on criminal justice reform. In 2023, the Government of Canada appointed him to the Federal Judicial Appointment Advisory Committee for Toronto and the GTA for a three-year term which was renewed for a further three-year term in 2026. In that role, he evaluates candidates for appointment to the Superior Court of Justice, the Federal Court of Canada, and the Court of Appeal for Ontario.

He is frequently called on by the media for insight into criminal justice issues. Danielhas appeared on CTV Your Morning, CBC Metro Morning, CP24, Global News, CITY TV News, and eTalk Daily, and has been featured in The New York Times, USA Today, Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, National Post, and Toronto Sun. His experience with media-sensitive cases allows him to help clients manage public scrutiny, protect the integrity of their defence, and respond strategically when allegations attract unwanted attention.

Daniel is a member of the Law Society of Ontario, The Advocates’ Society, the Toronto Lawyers Association, and the Ontario Bar Association, and serves on the Case Review Committee for Innocence Canada.

A significant part of Daniel’s practice involves defending sexual offence allegations, including high-profile and media-sensitive sexual assault cases. He is the author of the bestselling legal textbook, Prosecuting and Defending Sexual Offence Cases, a leading Canadian authority cited by judges, prosecutors, and defence lawyers across the country, including by the Supreme Court of Canada. Daniel has also authored scholarly articles for legal journals and written criminal law commentary for The Toronto Star.

Daniel is an Adjunct Professor at Queen’s University’s Faculty of Law, where he teaches Advanced Criminal Law and oversees the law school's Criminal Appellate Externship Program. He has mentored students through Toronto Metropolitan University’s Law Practice Program and lectured at Dalhousie University, Queen’s University, the University of Toronto, and Osgoode Hall Law School.

He is regularly invited to speak on criminal procedure, forensic science, trial strategy, sexual offence litigation, gang culture, and criminal justice policy. He has appeared as an expert witness before both the House of Commons and the Senate, and has presented at programs hosted by the judiciary, the Crown and defence bars, the Law Society of Ontario, the Ontario Bar Association, and The Advocates’ Society.

Toronto's Top Lawyers

Post City Magazine

2026

Best Lawyers in Canada

Best Lawyers

2026

Canada’s Top Criminal Law Boutiques

Canadian Lawyer Magazine

2026

Best Canadian Law Firms

Globe and Mail

2026

H.R.S. Ryan Law Alumni Award of Distinction

Queen's University - Faculty of Law

2025