Committees

Below is a complete listing of CLA Committees and volunteers in alphabetical order.

ACCESSIBILITY
To promote access to public spaces and technology important for the provision of legal services. To address the issues and concerns of members of the Criminal Lawyers’ Association (CLA) who have one or more disabilities. To promote diversity in the CLA and the leadership of the CLA. To foster and promote opportunities for people with disabilities in criminal law.

Committee members:

Anthony J. Orazietti (Sault Ste. Marie) – Co-Chair
Sweta Tejpal (Mississauga) – Co-Chair
Sherry Abotossaway (Thunder Bay)
David Barrison (Oshawa)
Ed Ducharme (Toronto)
Benjamin Fulton (Mississauga)
Ingrid Grant (Toronto)
Jessyca Greenwood (Toronto)
Miranda Hlady (Lethbridge)
David O’Connor (Collingwood)
Marina Sotirakos (Stouffville)
David Robinson (Toronto)
Breana Vandebeek (Toronto)

2022-2023: COMMUNICATIONS & MEDIA RELATIONS – media@criminallawyers.ca
To coordinate CLA communications activities and implement communication strategies to support our objectives.
Committee members:

Michelle Johal (Brampton) – co-chair
Daniel Brown (Toronto)
Boris Bytensky (Toronto)
Stephanie DiGiuseppe (Toronto)
Jessyca Greenwood (Toronto)
Meaghan McMahon (Ottawa)
Eric Neubauer (Toronto)
Danielle Robitaille (Toronto)
Adam Weisberg (Toronto)

2022-2023: CRIMINAL LAW AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE
To develop positions on behalf of the CLA in relation to the significant impact of emerging technologies on criminal law, Charter rights and civil liberties; to advocate for our position on these issues in court and other public forums in coordination with the litigation committee; to consult with government and law reform bodies in relation to these issues; to educate and support our members in relation to these issues as they arise in cases and in terms of their use of emerging technologies in the practice of law.
Committee members:

Jessyca Greenwood (Toronto) – co-chair
Eric Neubauer (Toronto) – co-chair
David Anber (Ottawa)
Boris Bytensky (Toronto)
Gerald Chan (Toronto)
James Foy (Toronto)
Benjamin Goldman (Toronto)
Jaime Mor (Barrie)

2022-2023: CRIMINAL PRACTICE
Responsible for Courthouse Reps as well as to coordinate all aspects of court administration affecting the CLA membership.
Committee members:

Boris Bytensky (Toronto) – co-chair
D. Sid Freeman (Toronto) – co-chair
Eric Neubauer (Toronto) – co-chair
Margaret Bojanowska (Toronto)
Craig Bottomley (Toronto)
Lisa Carnelos (Windsor)
Scott Cowan (Goderich)
Jeffrey Fisher (Barrie)
Jordan Weisz (Toronto)

2022-2023: DIVERSITY – diversity@criminallawyers.ca
Committee members:

George Joseph (Thunder Bay) – co-chair
Tonya Kent (Toronto) – co-chair
Hussein Aly (Toronto)
Sherif Foda (Toronto)
Samiyyah Ganga (Toronto)
Arif Hussain (Toronto)
Michelle Johal (Brampton)
Emily Lam (Toronto)
Royland Moriah (Toronto)
Amanda Ross (Toronto)
Harpreet Saini (Brampton)
Chris Sewrattan (Toronto)
Maya Shukairy (Ottawa)
Andrew Vaughan (Toronto)
Adam Weisberg (Toronto)

2022-2023: EDUCATION
Oversee all CLA related CLE programming and CLA mentor activities.
Committee members:

Hussein Aly (Toronto) – co-chair
Adam Weisberg (Toronto) – co-chair
Cassandra DeMelo (London)
Sweta Tejpal (Mississauga)

2022-2023: ETHICS – ethics@criminallawyers.ca
Committee members:

Lisa Carnelos (Windsor) – Co-Chair
Christopher Raimondo (St. Catharines) – Co-Chair
Robert Barr (Brockville)
Andrew Bigioni (Toronto)
Adam Boni (Toronto)
Neha Chugh (Cornwall)
John Hale (Ottawa)
Matt Hodgson (Kingston)
George Joseph (Thunder Bay)
Robin Parker (Toronto)
Cassandra Richards (Ottawa)
Glenn Sandberg (Sudbury)
Francesca Yaskiel (Toronto)

2022-2023: FALL CONFERENCE – https://criminallawyers.ca/cla-programs/cla-fall-conferences/
Responsible for planning all aspects of the fall program including setting the agenda and securing the program speakers.
Committee members:

Meaghan McMahon (Ottawa) – co-chair
Adam Weisberg (Toronto) – co-chair
Jessyca Greenwood (Toronto)
Matthew Gourlay (Toronto)
Michelle Johal (Brampton)
Eric Neubauer (Toronto)

2022-2023: GALE MOOT CUP – Galecup@criminallawyers.ca
https://www.galecupmoot.com/en/home/
CLA Committee members:

Daniel Brown (Toronto) – co-chair
Breana Vandebeek (Toronto) – co-chair
Lindsay Board (Toronto)
Anne Marie Stewart (Simcoe)
Sweta Tejpal (Mississauga)
Adam Weisberg (Toronto)

2022-2023: GOVERNANCE
Committee members:

Boris Bytensky (Toronto) – co-chair
Jessyca Greenwood (Toronto) – co-chair
Hussein Aly (Toronto)
D. Sid Freeman (Toronto)
Michelle Johal (Brampton)
Adam Weisberg (Toronto)
One Women’s Committee co-chair – Stephanie DiGiuseppe (Toronto)
One Diversity Committee co-chair – George Joseph (Thunder Bay)
One Indigenous Committee co-chair – Jessica Belisle (Sault Ste Marie)

2022-2023: INDIGENOUS – indigenous@criminallawyers.ca
Committee members:

Jessica Belisle (Sault Ste Marie) – co-chair
Kaley Hepburn (Hamilton) – co-chair
John Hale (Ottawa)
Ryan Heighton (Kitchener)
Jason Herbert (Bracebridge)
Lysandra Moreno (Toronto)
Robin Parker (Toronto)
Naomi Sayers (Sault Ste Marie)
Rubaina Singh (Windsor)

2022-2023: Le Comité de la langue française
The mandate of the committee is to address the issues in relation to the French language in Ontario and to facilitate access to the French language throughout Ontario. The committee will also work on facilitating interprovincial work between the provinces of Quebec and Ontario.
Committee members:

Maya Shukairy (Ottawa) – Chair
Nathalie Ferland (Ottawa)
Ines Gavran (Toronto)
Maija Martin (Toronto)
Maggie McCann (Ottawa)
Karin Stein (Ottawa)

2022-2023: LEGAL AID – legalaid@criminallawyers.ca
To address all legal aid related issues affecting the criminal defence bar.
Committee members:

John Hale (Ottawa) – co-chair
Norman Panzica (Newmarket) – co-chair
Jordan Weisz (Toronto) – co-chair
Daniel Brown (Toronto)
Lisa Carnelos (Windsor)
D. Sid Freeman (Toronto)
Brendan Neil (Milton)
Daniel Paton (Toronto)
Alan Richter (Oshawa)
Maya Shukairy (Ottawa)
Louis Strezos (Toronto)
John Struthers (Toronto)
Sweta Tejpal (Mississauga)
Adam Weisberg (Toronto)

2022-2023: LEGISLATION – reform@criminallawyers.ca
The Legislation Committee members regularly attend at House of Commons and Senate committees to provide input on criminal legislation. Members are consulted by lawmakers on draft legislation and the Legislation Committee is working on producing position papers in various priority areas of criminal justice policy.
Committee members:

Meaghan McMahon (Ottawa) – co-chair
Megan Savard (Toronto) – co-chair
Annamaria Enenajor (Toronto)
Daniel Brown (Toronto)
Stephanie DiGiuseppe (Toronto)
Ingrid Grant (Toronto)
Anne-Marie McElroy (Ottawa)
Michelle O’Doherty (Ottawa)
Michael Spratt (Ottawa)
Jon Doody (Ottawa)
Adam Weisberg (Toronto)

2022-2023: LITIGATION (intervention) – litigation@criminallawyers.ca
Committee members:

Megan Savard (Toronto) – co-chair
Mark Halfyard (Toronto) – co-chair
Daniel Brown (Toronto)
Stephanie DiGiuseppe (Toronto)
Matthew Gourlay (Toronto)
Nader Hasan (Toronto)
Anil Kapoor (Toronto)
Howard Krongold (Ottawa)
Michael Lacy (Toronto)
Maija Martin (Toronto)
Kate Robertson (Toronto)
Breana Vandebeek (Toronto)
Adam Weisberg (Toronto)

Second Chair Roster:

Andrew Bigioni
Brian Badali
Lindsay Board
Arash Ghiassi
Nicole Langille
Caroline McKenna
Meaghan McMahon
Laura Metcalfe
Michelle Psutka
Marianne Salih
Riaz Sayani
Jessica Zita

2022-2023: MEMBERSHIP – membercommitttee@criminallawyers.ca
Manage all aspects of membership recruitment, retention and recognition.
Committee members:

Maija Martin (Toronto) – co-chair
Meaghan McMahon (Ottawa) – co-chair
Sherry Abotossaway (Thunder Bay)
D. Sid Freeman (Toronto)
Tonya Kent (Toronto)
Royland Moriah (Toronto)
Stephen Proudlove (Kitchener)
Harpreet Saini (Brampton)
Glenn Sandberg (Sudbury)
Sweta Tejpal (Mississauga)

2022-2023: MENTAL HEALTH – md@criminallawyers.ca
To coordinate all aspects specific to mental health issues in the Criminal Justice System.
Committee members:

Cassandra DeMelo (London) – co-chair
Jordan Weisz (Toronto) – co-chair
Ramona Abraham (Oshawa)
Frank Alfano (Toronto)
Kate Brindley (Thunder Bay)
Misha Feldman (Toronto)
Nicholas G. Gehl (Waterloo)
Laura Giordano (Toronto)
Jessyca Greenwood (Toronto)
Stephen Hebscher (Toronto)
Jamie Kopman (Toronto)
Jeff Marshman (Toronto)
Meaghan McMahon (Ottawa)
Daniel Medd (Toronto)
Mary Murphy (Toronto)
Dan Stein (Toronto)
Anita Szigeti (Toronto)

2022-2023: MENTORING
Committee members:

Katie Heathcote (London) – co-chair
Norman Panzica (Newmarket) – co-chair
Andrew Guaglio (Toronto)
Brett McGarry (Ottawa)
Adam Newman (Toronto)
Christopher Raimondo (St. Catharines)
John Struthers (Toronto)
Robert Tomovski (Markham)

2022-2023: PRISONS/JAILS
To coordinate all aspects specific jails/prisons/incarnated persons.
Committee members:

D. Sid Freeman (Toronto) – co-chair
Christopher Raimondo (St. Catharines) – co-chair
Simon Borys (Kingston)
Tyler Botten (Ottawa)
Jeffrey Fisher (Barrie)

2022-2023: PROFESSIONAL REGULATION – proreg@criminallawyers.ca
Committee members:

Mark Halfyard (Toronto) – co-chair
Kaley Hepburn (Hamilton) – co-chair
Tyler Botten (Ottawa)
T. Sam Boutzouvis (Toronto)
Lisa Carnelos (Windsor)
John Scott Cowan (Goderich)
Matthew Friedberg (Toronto)
Glenn Sandberg (Sudbury)
David Smith (Toronto)

2022-2023: RECENT CALL – https://criminallawyers.ca/cla-programs/cla-legal-programs/
To coordinate all aspects specific to recent calls.
Committee members:

Tonya Kent (Toronto) – co-chair
Maya Shukairy (Ottawa) – co-chair
Myles Anevich (Toronto)
James Bray (Toronto)
Brandon Chung (Toronto)
Emily Dyer (Barrie)
Sandra Kimberg (Toronto)
Trevor Lau (Toronto)
Caroline McKenna (Hamilton)
Laura Metcalfe (Toronto)
Maria Rosa Muia (Toronto)
Jessica Proskos (Toronto)
Yadesha Satheaswaran (Toronto)
Brittany Shales (Toronto)
Rubaina Singh (Toronto)
Justin Yuen (Toronto)

2022-2023: SPRING CONFERENCE – https://criminallawyers.ca/cla-programs/cla-spring-conferences/
Responsible for planning all aspects of the Spring program including setting the agenda and securing the program speakers.
Committee members:

Cassandra DeMelo (London) – co-chair
George Joseph (Thunder Bay) – co-chair
Katie Heathcote (London)
Sweta Tejpal (Mississauga)
Patricia Vo (Thunder Bay)

2022-2023: WOMEN IN CRIMINAL LAW – https://criminallawyers.ca/about-us/cla-womens-committee/ – women@criminallawyers.ca
To promote and protect the interests of the female members of the Criminal Lawyers’ Association (CLA). To promote diversity in the CLA and the leadership of the CLA. To foster and promote opportunities for women in criminal law.
Committee members:

Michelle Johal (Brampton) – co-chair
Stephanie DiGiuseppe (Toronto) – co-chair
Carrie Bellan (Orangeville)
Lindsay Board (Toronto)
Danielle D’Alonzo (London)
Cassandra DeMelo (London)
Samiyyah Ganga (Toronto)
Jessyca Greenwood (Toronto)
Shansan Gu (Toronto)
Melody Izadi (Toronto)
Riali Johannesson (Parry Sound)
Lisa Johnson (Toronto)
Tonya Kent (Toronto)
Shelly Krishnan (Brampton)
Laura Metcalfe (Toronto)
Shonagh Pickens (Peterborough)
Joanne Prince (Toronto)
Cassandra Richards (Ottawa)
Sharon Sabourin (Timmins)
Yadesha Satheaswaran (Toronto)
Maya Sengupta-Murray (Toronto)
Maya Shukairy (Ottawa)
Jessica Zita (Toronto)