Services For Clients

We provide clients with exceptional service – always explaining every step of the process and staying in constant communication, so you know what we’re doing and when we’re doing it. We also explain exactly what the costs of every stage are, so there are no surprises.

Criminal Trial Work

Because we are a small boutique criminal law firm, we take fewer clients and make sure we can do our utmost for them. We have the knowledge and skills to advance the best defence in for those who need us. We are uniquely suited to defend all criminal charges, but we have focused on:

•Sexual Assault
•Murder
•Fraud/Theft
•Regulatory Offences
•Mischief
•Possession/Trafficking/Production/Importation of Drugs
•Serious violent offences, including (Assault, Assault with a Weapon, Aggravated Assault)
•Firearms/Weapons Offences
•Youth Criminal Justice matters

Sankoff Criminal Law is dedicated to providing legal services to individuals who need us in court and to lawyers who need guided analysis on complex legal issues.

Criminal Appeals

Criminal appeals are serious matters – and you should choose your lawyer carefully. Peter Sankoff is a successful appellate lawyer who has won numerous cases at both the Alberta Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. He is regularly sought out by other lawyers to consult on their appeals as well. He has literally written the books on criminal law and evidence law, and is one of the country’s leading experts in these fields - regularly teaching students, lawyers, and judges.

We will explain to you how an appeal works and how to maximize your chances of success. Most clients don’t give much thought to an appeal when in the process of completing their trial. One thing you should know from the outset: it is never wise for your trial lawyer to also act as your appeal lawyer. No matter how well they may have performed, there is a good chance that they will be asked to defend or explain choices made at trial, which is not an issue for a new appeal lawyer who will be given the benefit of the doubt. An appeal lawyer can also approach the matter with a fresh set of eyes and find errors the trial lawyer would not even have considered. In truth, being an appellate lawyer is quite different from being a trial lawyer, and many of the best trial lawyers are not very good at running an appeal. Our specialty lies in reviewing transcripts, searching out legal error, and giving you the very best chance at getting a new trial or an acquittal.

The appeal process has timelines you need to be aware of. It’s important to be prepared to act quickly and consult with an appeal lawyer as soon as possible, even before you have been sentenced. The quicker you act, the less the appeal will cost and the better your chances are of getting a successful outcome – including bail while the appeal is being considered.