Lawyers

Michelle Psutka, B.Mus., J.D.

Tel: 416-363-3013
Cell: 647-676-1526
Fax: 416-955-1237
Email: mpsutka@fentonlaw.ca
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Michelle practices in the areas of criminal law, regulatory defence and constitutional law. She specializes in criminal appeals and extradition matters. She has appeared as counsel before all levels of court in Ontario, the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal, the British Columbia Supreme Court, and as an intervener before the Supreme Court of Canada. She is currently ranked as an Associate to Watch (Crime - Nationwide) with Chambers Canada.

Prior to joining Fenton Law Barristers, Michelle was an associate at a boutique criminal law firm in Toronto. She was also a judicial law clerk at the Court of Appeal for Ontario and articled with a respected criminal law firm in Ottawa.

Michelle graduated from the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law summa cum laude, among the top five students in her class. While in law school, Michelle received numerous prestigious awards including the Honorable Ray Lawson Scholarship for the highest standing in her first-year class and the Blake’s Scholar Award.

Michelle is currently a member of the Women in Criminal Law committee of the Criminal Lawyers’ Association.  She is also a member of the Court of Appeal for Ontario duty counsel roster.

University of Ottawa (2016)
Juris Doctor (summa cum laude)

Wilfrid Laurier University (2012)
Bachelor of Music (Honours with high distinction)

Royal Conservatory of Music (2009)
Associate to the Royal Conservatory of Music, Piano performance

Associate
Fenton Law Barristers
2020-present
Toronto, Ontario

Associate
Weisberg Law Professional Corporation
2018-2020
Toronto, Ontario

Judicial Law Clerk
Court of Appeal for Ontario
2017-2018
Toronto, Ontario

Articling Student
Abergel Goldstein and Partners LLP
2016-2017
Ottawa, Ontario

  • Law Society of Ontario

  • Criminal Lawyers’ Association
  • The Advocates’ Society
  • Women in Canadian Criminal Defence (WiCCD)
  • Pre-Charge Advocacy: Tips and Pitfalls (2025), For the Defence, Vol. 45, No. 1, co-author
  • “Your cross is not collateral: Knowing when the collateral fact rule does not apply” (2024), The Advocates’ Journal Vol. 24, No. 4
  • “Strip-Searching of Women in Canada: Wrongs and Rights” (2016), Canadian Bar Review Vol. 94 No. 2, Co-author.
  • R. v. Marineland of Canada Inc. (18 July 2025), Welland 4521-999-23-1028 (OCJ)
  • R. v. Rashed, 2025 ONCA 515
  • R. v. N.S., 2025 ONCA 399
  • United States of America v. Alan, 2025 BCSC 719
  • R. v. Al-Akhali, 2025 ONCA 229
  • R. v. Marineland of Canada Inc., [2024] O.J. No. 3763 (POA)
  • R. v. Archambault, 2024 SCC 35
  • United States of America v. Wickramasinghe, 2024 ONSC 5007
  • R. v. Cartmer, 2024 ONCA 674
  • R. v. Z.P., 2024 ONCA 219
  • United States v. Jones, 2024 ONCA 61
  • United States v. Alan, 2023 BCSC 2228
  • R. v. Coristine, 2023 ONCA 517
  • Ontario Securities Commission v. M. Litwin, et al. (15 December 2022), Toronto 4811-999-21-12001058 (OCJ)
  • R. v. Zahor, 2022 ONCA 449
  • R. v. Greenwood, 2022 NSCA 53
  • R. v. Bagheri, 2022 ONCA 357
  • United States of America v. Jones, 2022 ONSC 1711
  • R. v. Charity, 2022 ONCA 226
  • United States of America v. Jones, 2022 ONSC 11
  • R. v. Piotrowski (15 October 2021), Cobourg CR-20-98-00AP (SCJ)
  • R. v. J.K., 2021 ONCA 256
  • R. v. J.D., 2021 ONCA 376
  • Ontario (Attorney General) v. G, 2020 SCC 38
  • R. v. Liverance, 2020 ONSC 1753
  • R. v. A.T., 2020 ONSC 3938
  • R. v. S.H., 2020 ONCA 34
  • R. v. Atkinson, 2019 ONSC 7132
  • R. v. M.B., 2019 ONCJ 349
  • R. v. Chis, 2019 ONCA 289
  • Panelist, Testifying: advising clients and obtaining instructions - Criminal Lawyers' Association 11th Annual Recent Call Conference (September 2025)
  • Presenter, Barriers to retention and advancement of women and BIPOC lawyers in Ontario's criminal defence bar - Law Society of Ontario Equity Summit (September 2025)
  • Panelist, Case law update - Osgoode Professional Development 15th National Symposium on Money Laundering and Financial Crimes (April 2025)
  • Panelist, The Charter in POA prosecutions - Osgoode Professional Development POA certificate (January 2025)
  • Panelist, Pre-charge advocacy - Criminal Lawyers' Association 52nd Annual Fall Conference (November 2024)
  • Panelist, The POA practitioner's update 2024: what's new and important - Osgoode Professional Development (April 2024)
  • Panelist, The Charter in POA prosecutions - Osgoode Professional Development POA certificate (January 2024)
  • Panelist, Admissibility of statements: breaches and exclusion after 2022 - Criminal Lawyers' Association 9th Annual Recent Call Conference (October 2023)
  • Panelist, Using and challening digital evidence - The Advocates Society, Digital Evidence for Litigators (March 2023)
  • Panelist, 11(b) in regulatory and tribunal matters - Ontario Regulatory Authorities Annual Conference (August 2022)

Phone: 416-955-1611Fax: 416-955-1237

488 Wellington Street West, 5th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M5V 1E3

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