Phone: (416) 323-3242
Email: info@mjwlaw.ca
Melanie’s Toronto-based law firm is devoted to criminal law at the trial and appellate levels. As a tireless and committed defender, she prides herself on her dedication to her clients’ best interests. Known for her highly organized and methodical approach to cases, Melanie makes full use of all available resources to mount a vigorous defence.
Melanie is a criminal trial and appellate lawyer. She was admitted to the Ontario bar in 2008. She received her law degree from the University of Toronto in 2007, her Master’s degree in Psychology from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2004, and an Hons. Bachelor of Science degree and Diploma in Music Performance from McMaster University in 2002.
Melanie practiced with prominent senior counsel for several years, before establishing her own firm in 2016.
Melanie has successfully defended clients on a wide array of complex matters, at all levels of court in Ontario. Her experience includes defence of clients on murder, kidnapping, criminal organization-related charges, large-scale drug and fraud prosecutions, dangerous offender proceedings, and human trafficking prosecutions, among others. She is frequently retained on serious sexual assault and related offences including cyber-crimes.
In addition to her work in criminal defence, Melanie has appeared before a variety of tribunals and commissions, including the Toronto Police Service Tribunal, the Ontario Civilian Police Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission, the Law Society Tribunal, and the Licence Appeal Tribunal, and she has represented individuals in significant complex cases out of province.
Melanie is a member of Legal Aid Ontario's Extremely Serious Criminal Matters (ESM) panel, as well as the Pro Bono Ontario Supreme Court of Canada Leave to Appeal Project roster. She is recognized by her peers in Best Lawyers in Canada in the area of Criminal Defence.
Melanie is the current Chair of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA), Criminal Justice Section, for 2025-2026. She was also actively involved as an executive member of the Ontario Bar Association (OBA), Criminal Justice Section for a number of years, serving in various positions including as Chair of the section (2019-2020). Since 2022, Melanie has served as a Toronto representative on OBA Council and presently serves as Secretary on the OBA Board of Directors.
In the course of her work for the OBA and CBA, Melanie engages in advocacy work on matters affecting the criminal bar and the legal profession. Such work includes participation in various legal committees and working groups at provincial and national levels, liaising with government and other stakeholders, drafting submissions on legislative and policy issues, and chairing and speaking at continuing professional development programs for defence and Crown lawyers. Melanie has spoken on criminal law issues before Parliamentary committees in the House of Commons, the Senate of Canada, and at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. She is a long-standing member of the Criminal Lawyers’ Association and Toronto Lawyers Association.
Melanie has published a number of articles on criminal law issues and is frequently asked to provide legal commentary in the news.
In service to the community at large, Melanie sat on the Board of Directors of Breakaway Addiction Services from 2011 to 2020.