Hard as it is to believe, Women in Canadian Criminal Defence (WiCCD) is turning 5 in the New Year! Our wonderful organization was formally founded on Jan 4 2022. We have just about three month…

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On Saturday, October 3rd, 2026, WiCCD once again broke new ground. We held our first ever WiCCD’s Experiential Mentorship in Oral Advocacy Training program – an intervention moot. 20 wo…

The B.C. Supreme Court concluded that DULF kept people alive and did no public harm, Bruce Arthur writes.

Craig Thompson has been “closely following” the Star’s investigation into the use of long-term seclusion at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care.

WiCCD is rolling out another first, an innovative unique program of mentorship to support SCC interventions! Thank you to our organizers, to @WiCCD_Canada, our mooters & mentors, and Our Amazin…

The Ontario Review Board has ordered Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care to implement measures "recognizing the harm done by seclusion."

Jake Gordon now slowly being released from seclusion at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care. His mom credits the Star's ongoing investigation for the change.

There is something profoundly unsettling about a society that regards prolonged solitary confinement as unconstitutional in prison yet appears prepared to tolerate the same isolation when the person b...

YouTube video by WiCCD - Women In Canadian Criminal Defence

YouTube video by WiCCD - Women In Canadian Criminal Defence

YouTube video by WiCCD - Women In Canadian Criminal Defence

YouTube video by WiCCD - Women In Canadian Criminal Defence

YouTube video by WiCCD - Women In Canadian Criminal Defence

YouTube video by WiCCD - Women In Canadian Criminal Defence

The organization I founded in 2022 is not yet even five, but in our 4th year, has begun an intervention journey I couldn’t be more proud about. In a universe where older male counsel tend to …

Women In Canadian Criminal Defence is proud of our intervention team of Keara Lundrigan, Megan Stephens, Neha Chugh and Hamna Anwar for their role in today’s appeal in R v. Burke-Whittaker in…

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Three and a half years ago, I wrote in this column about the dangers of forcing treatment on people with serious mental health issues as a condition of keeping them living in the community.

YouTube video by WiCCD - Women In Canadian Criminal Defence

The Ontario Review Board had a duty to question the living conditions of Camelott Hamblett and recommend alternatives. Year after year, the board said almost nothing.

The first part of Women in Canadian Criminal Defence’s Habeas Corpus Series aired last Saturday, April 18th. You can learn more about it here: Today Part II – DIGGing Deeper is availabl…

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Some exciting news for WiCCD Members! In the coming months, we have a huge amount of new content being released weekly on our YouTube Channel so please tune in starting any time early on Saturday m…

The Honourable Michelle Stanford delivered a beautiful and energizing Keynote in celebration of Women Judges’ Day and our ongoing celebration of Black History month throughout the year. Thank…

The OPP report on the officers’ conduct in the Umar Zameer trial was a repackaging of the evidence already heard by an impartial jury that unanimously rejected the officers’ accounts and acquitted Mr....

Meet Cassandra DeMelo, 37, founding partner at DeMelo Heathcote and one of our 20 Under 40 Class of 2026 recipients

Congratulations to Cassandra DeMelo, President of Women In Canadian Criminal Defence for being named among the top 20 under 40 in London, Ontario. Cassandra has served as WiCCD’s President fo…

WiCCD participated as a partner organization this year, once again, in the Law Society of Ontario’s International Women’s Day Program with President Cassandra DeMelo providing some clos…

JOIN US! We have a wonderful gift for Member number 800!JOINING Women in Canadian Criminal Defence (WiCCD) – pronounced « WiCKED »If you’re a woman or gender diverse lawyer practising in crim…

JOIN US! JOINING Women in Canadian Criminal Defence (WiCCD) - pronounced « WiCKED » If you’re a woman or gender diverse lawyer practising in criminal defence, paralegal or a law student interested i...

JOIN US! JOINING Women in Canadian Criminal Defence (WiCCD) - pronounced « WiCKED » If you’re a woman or gender diverse lawyer practising in criminal defence, paralegal or a law student interested i...

A seemingly countless parade of male lawyers before us, but with one other woman representing the Saskatchewan AG, Kyla Lee represented WiCCD last, and was the only woman presenting for the defence…

Tomorrow morning Women In Canadian Criminal Defence makes our first appearance in the Supreme Court of Canada | Cour suprême du Canada intervening on a driving law case.Not bad for an organization …

What a wonderful, warm evening celebrating the start of our 5th year in operation as WiCCD in Canadian Criminal Defence. Big shout-out to WiCCD Exec member Sweta Tejpal for co-ordinating and hostin…

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Women In Canadian Criminal Defence is celebrating our 4th birthday on Feb 12 2026 and we are honoured to host Justice Shauna Pemberton and Justice Alayna Janai Vivienne Woodley as our Keynote speak…

YouTube video by WiCCD - Women In Canadian Criminal Defence

YouTube video by WiCCD - Women In Canadian Criminal Defence

YouTube video by WiCCD - Women In Canadian Criminal Defence