A guide to preparing and advocating effectively in criminal matters before Ontario courts.
Included with our Passes – Learn more
Justin Rochester and John Paul Rodrigues
June 29, 2026 at 9:00am EST
$150
5 hours
Attend Live Online and On-Demand Recording
This practical CPD program provides skills-focused training for paralegals and lawyers advising clients facing criminal charges, from the initial consultation through resolution and sentencing. The course emphasizes effective client communication, thorough case preparation, and confident courtroom advocacy, while reinforcing ethical obligations and professionalism in criminal practice. Participants will work through key stages of a criminal file, including advising clients, reviewing disclosure, developing defence strategies, conducting advocacy in bail, trial, and resolution contexts, and preparing effective sentencing submissions. The program equips practitioners with the tools needed to manage criminal files competently, ethically, and strategically.
• Obtaining instructions: what to ask and what to avoid
• Explaining the charge(s), procedure, and possible consequences in plain language
• Identifying immediate issues: release conditions, timelines, disclosure, potential witnesses, and next court dates
• Common risks: Over-promising outcomes and under-preparing cases
Fulfill your CPD requirements with our expertly curated passes. Dive deep into specialized topics or explore a wide range of courses—all in one convenient package. Learn more.
Paralegal and Legal Instructor
Justin is a seasoned legal professional with over eight years of experience and more than 7,000 court appearances to his name. His extensive courtroom experience, both as an agent and handling his own matters, has given him a deep understanding of legal procedures and judicial reasoning. Serving as a Set Date Court Agent, he has engaged in countless interactions with Justices of the Peace and Judges, gaining valuable insights into their decision-making processes. Beyond advocacy, Justin has trained lawyers and paralegals in law firms and has been actively involved in mentoring students through college co-op placement programs. His passion for education extends to his role as a professor at Centennial College, where he teaches courses on Summary Offences, Provincial Offences, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Practice Management, and Legal Communication & Writing. His teaching responsibilities include developing course materials, creating assessments, and instructing students on key legal skills such as filing motions, examining charging documents, and understanding legislative frameworks. Through his work in both the courtroom and the classroom, Justin remains committed to shaping the next generation of legal professionals while continuing to advocate for his clients with dedication and expertise.
John Paul Rodrigues
Lawyer and Legal Instructor
This session will be moderated by John-Paul Rodrigues, who is an award-winning legal instructor, being a past recipient of Career College Ontario’s Excellence in Teaching Award and the Instructor of the Year at one of the colleges that he teaches at. He is passionate about helping paralegal students accomplish their dreams and goals at a number of colleges, where he is focused on developing and nurturing future legal practitioners into becoming strong and successful advocates.
J.P. is also the host of the Justice in Pieces Guest Speaker Series, where he has discussed with 500+ lawyers, paralegals, judges, politicians and other guests about various areas of the law. J.P. is also an experienced lawyer, working as telephone duty counsel, providing advice to those in need.
Have questions? We’re here to help. Check out our FAQs to learn more about this Course.
Absolutely. Every LPEN course is recorded, and the recording is added to your account within a few business days. You can log in anytime to watch it on demand and still receive your digital certificate of completion.
LPEN seeks accreditation for each course from the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) and the Law Society of Ontario (LSO),the Law Society of BC (LSBC) when applicable. Accreditation details and approved CPD hours are listed in the CPD Credits section on each course page, so you can easily confirm how the course qualifies toward your professional development requirements.
A digital certificate of completion will be available once the course recording has been uploaded. After that, you can follow the steps at the top of your My Courses page—where you’ll also find a short video explaining how to download your certificate. Be sure to save it as part of your documentation for your CPD hours.
This course may be included in one or several LPEN Passes. Passes offer discounted rates and access to multiple courses, making CPD compliance simpler. Check out our Passes page to see where it is included.
You don’t need to create an account separately. When you register for a course or pass, an account is automatically created during checkout. You’ll be asked to enter your email address and set a password—these will be your login details for future access.
Don’t miss the chance to join one of our upcoming courses!
Join 10,000+ Professionals and get courses updates, news and free premium content and videos.
