Vanora Lynn Simpson

Anyone accused of committing a crime or violating professional standards should have a tenacious advocate standing beside them. Vanora Simpson has devoted her career to being that lawyer. Whether it is giving legal advice, negotiating with police and prosecutors, or taking difficult cases to trial, Vanora fearlessly works to achieve favourable outcomes for her clients.

An effective defence lawyer knows how to advocate both inside and outside the courtroom. When involved early, Vanora has been able to avoid charges being laid against clients. She also knows how to advocate effectively with prosecutors, negotiating positive resolutions to cases that protect her clients’ interests. Most importantly, she knows how to give clear, useful advice to her clients so that they can make important decisions with the confidence of fully understanding their situation and options.

Inside the courtroom, Vanora is a tireless advocate. She understands that cross-examining a police officer requires a different approach than questioning a young witness, and knows how to do both effectively. She walks into the courtroom having prepared meticulously, knowing the facts and the law and ready to argue both.

Vanora’s dedication to her clients comes from her deep seated passion for defending the rights and interests of the disadvantaged against the power of the state. Her commitment to these ideals both informs her day-to-day practice and inspires her to public interest work that advocates for more systemic change. She acted for the Association in Defence of the Wrongly Convicted (now Innocence Canada) at the Goudge Inquiry in order to ensure that innocent people aren’t convicted on the basis of junk science, she has challenged the constitutionality of unfair laws in the Court of Appeal for the Criminal Lawyers’ Association, and she mentors young women lawyers starting their careers in criminal law.