Pradeep Chand

• Civil and Commercial Litigation
• Regulatory Compliance and Defence
• Administrative Law
• Professional Regulation and Discipline
• Criminal Defence

I am a skilled litigator, trusted advocate and counselor-at-law with almost two decades of high-stakes and diverse legal experience. I do not falter in any battle or crisis and always welcome the opportunity to serve and protect all clients in difficult positions in and outside of the courtroom.

Following my call to the bar I worked as a Federal Prosecutor, appearing in Ontario Provincial and Superior Court for trials, bail hearings, bail reviews, preliminary inquiries, judicial pre-trials, and pleas on behalf of the Attorney General of Canada.

As a federal prosecutor, I led investigations and prosecuted various federal statues and acquired an in depth understanding of drug cases, conspiracies, organized crime, terrorism, tax evasion, wiretap law, large scale police investigations and search and seizure. While employed by the Department of Justice, I provided legal advice to specialized police units to target high-profile organized crimes. I now rely on this in-depth, unique knowledge of the inner workings of a police investigation to defend my clients.

After my time with the Department of Justice I practiced with two prominent law firms before forming Chand & Co.

My prosecutorial background and knowledge made me particularly effective as I have considerable experience representing accused persons in the Ontario Court of Justice and Superior Court of Justice and the handling of high profile cases.

I have successfully defended clients in an array of complex criminal matters, including large scale drug projects (possession, trafficking, production), firearms trafficking, fraud over $5,000 and secured the acquittals of clients facing trial for aggravated assault, sexual assault, impaired driving/over 80 and other serious offences. I have extensive experience guiding individuals and corporations, large and small, through the treacherous waters of criminal, regulatory and disciplinary investigations and various forms of civil/commercial litigation. Much of my results in favourable resolutions before a case becomes public or goes to trial.

I understand that clients entrust me with their assets and lives. As such I endeavour to provide the finest service and to obtain the best results for clients quietly, discreetly and efficiently as possible. Effective representation in a criminal investigation or regulatory prosecution requires not only knowledge of the relevant legislation but also experience with the offices and agencies that enforce them.

I have significant and successful experience with the government agencies which bring these investigations and prosecutions. Some of my greatest victories have not become public because we have persuaded regulators and prosecutors not to lay charges and have been effective at resolving cases before they draw public scrutiny.

I am also regularly retained to provide preventative advice to corporate clients regarding the implementation of effective compliance procedures designed to reduce exposure to regulatory prosecution as well to provide advice to corporations and institutions in connection with their obligations in responding to warrants, judicial authorizations and other law enforcement requests for Information.

My familiarity and ease in the courtroom, as well my negotiation skills in countless boardrooms, provide my clients with the comfort level they need as I resolve their problems, whether criminal or civil in nature. My experience in both the criminal and civil arenas has given me a depth and breadth of experience that is rare to find amongst litigators.

I am also a skilled advocate at public inquiries and inquests and have represented both individual and corporate clients at all levels of court, including the Federal Court, Commissions of Inquiry, and numerous administrative tribunals. I have acted in some of the most significant Public Inquiries and Royal Commissions in Canada including:

• As Counsel for the Government of Canada (RCMP and CSIS) in the Commission of Inquiry into the Actions of Canadian Officials in Relation to Maher Arar;
• As Counsel for the World Sikh Organization, an Intervenor, at the Commission of Inquiry into the Investigation of the Bombing of Air India Flight 182;
• As Counsel for a key figure in the Cornwall Public Inquiry; and
• As Counsel for the owners of the Algo Centre Mall at the Elliot Lake Inquiry

I have appeared as a commentator on many television, radio and print media and made contributions to Canadian Lawyer, Lawyers Weekly, Law Times, the WeeklyVoice, Canadian Occupational Health and Safety Magazine, and the Ottawa HR Magazine.

I am fluent in English, Hindi and Punjabi.

• Police Foundations, Algonquin College (1997)
• Public and Private Investigations, Algonquin College (1997)
• BA, Law/Criminology, Carleton University (1999)
• LLB, University of Ottawa (2003)
• Called to the Bar (Ontario) (2004)
• Certificate in Workplace Investigations, Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA)

• First recipient of the Young Practitioner of the Year Award by the South Asian Bar Association (SABA), 2008
• First canadian recipient of the Trial Advocacy Scholarship by the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA), 2003