Business Details
12 Years
experience
Criminal Defence Lawyers in London, Ontario
Demelo Law Professional was founded in 2014 by Cassandra DeMelo to ensure fair representation for individuals facing criminal charges across London and Southwestern Ontario. The firm specializes in criminal defence, with a focus on mental health, addiction, and access to justice. Our team includes experienced lawyers, paralegals, and legal professionals committed to vigorous, judgment-free advocacy. We prioritize client confidentiality, cultural sensitivity through multilingual services, and community engagement.Our expertise spans all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada. We accept Legal Aid certificates to ensure accessibility and have successfully resolved complex cases involving murder, sexual assault, drug offences, and more. Our lawyers hold leadership roles in legal associations and have received regional and national recognition for excellence and community service.
Services
Criminal Defence
Bail Hearings
Appeals
Mental Health Advocacy
Legal Aid Services
Drug Offences
Sexual Assault Defence
Human Trafficking Cases
Charter Rights Violations
Record Suspensions
Details
- Year established: 2014
Highlights and features
- We have over a decade of combined experience in criminal law and mental health advocacy.
- Our team includes multilingual lawyers fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, French, Urdu, and Hindi.
- We accept Legal Aid certificates to ensure accessible legal representation.
- Our lawyers hold leadership roles in regional and national criminal defence associations.
- We have secured landmark resolutions in murder, sexual assault, and drug trafficking cases.
Associations and certifications
- Best Lawyers
- Middlesex Law Association (Access to Justice Award)
What people say
Judgment-free representation
Multilingual support available
Successful charge reductions
Accessible via Legal Aid
Expertise in complex cases
Services
Criminal Defence
Demelo Law Professional provides comprehensive criminal defence for charges ranging from DUI to murder. Our team advocates in all Ontario courts, focusing on mental health, addiction, and Charter rights. We prioritize client confidentiality and judgment-free representation, with a track record of reducing charges and securing acquittals.
Bail Hearings
We specialize in urgent bail applications and pre-sentence custody advocacy. Our firm negotiates enhanced credit for custody time and addresses mental health or addiction factors in bail conditions. We work to secure release with minimal restrictions while preserving client rights.
Appeals
Our team handles appeals at the Ontario Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Canada. We focus on Charter violations, sentencing errors, and wrongful convictions. We collaborate with experts to build robust appellate arguments for overturning unjust outcomes.
Mental Health Advocacy
Cassandra DeMelo's expertise in mental health law informs our approach to cases involving psychiatric assessments and bail board hearings. We advocate for clients' rights while addressing systemic issues in the criminal justice system's treatment of mental health.
Legal Aid Services
We accept Legal Aid certificates to ensure affordable representation. Our services cover court-appointed defence for low-income clients, with a focus on equitable access to justice for marginalized populations facing criminal charges.
People
Cassandra DeMelo
Founding Partner
Cassandra DeMelo founded the firm in 2014 after articling at Lerners LLP. She specializes in criminal law, mental health advocacy, and drug reform, holding a Master of Law and serving as a Western Law lecturer. She leads regional legal associations and has won national recognition.
Katie Heathcote
Partner
Katie joined in 2022 after graduating from the University of Windsor and University of Detroit Mercy. She focuses on criminal defence and community advocacy, serving on the Criminal Lawyers Association board and mentoring through Big Sisters.
Shayne Stroud
Associate Lawyer
Shayne advocates for vulnerable clients, balancing law school with single parenthood and hospital work. He mentors law students and focuses on criminal defence, with experience in advocacy competitions and community legal clinics.
Adriana D'Arpino
Associate Lawyer
Adriana graduated from Queen's University with awards for mentorship and advocacy. She represented low-income clients at Legal Aid and assisted with wrongful conviction appeals, focusing on Charter rights and social justice.
Melanie Da Silva
Law Clerk
Melanie supports victims of human trafficking through program development and trauma-informed care. She brings six years of frontline experience in anti-trafficking advocacy and homeless outreach to her legal support role.
Questions
What areas of law does DeMelo Heathcote specialize in?
We focus exclusively on criminal defence, including DUI, assault, sexual offences, drug charges, bail hearings, appeals, and cases involving mental health or addiction issues.
Do you accept Legal Aid clients?
Yes, we accept Legal Aid certificates to ensure accessible representation for eligible clients facing criminal charges in Ontario.
What makes your firm different from other criminal defence practices?
Our team combines national award-winning expertise with community-focused advocacy, offering multilingual services and specialized knowledge of mental health and addiction issues in criminal law.
Can you handle cases outside London, Ontario?
Yes, we represent clients across Southwestern Ontario and have experience with cases in regional, provincial, and national courts including the Supreme Court of Canada.
