Our team

Ema Ibrakovic.

Criminal defence lawyer. Trial and appeal work shaped by clerkships up to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Ema’s practice involves a mix of criminal trials and appeals. She understands that facing criminal charges can often be one of the most serious and frightening challenges a person experiences in their lifetime. In those difficult moments, Ema is passionate about championing her clients’ interests while treating them with respect and dignity. She uses that passion, coupled with her robust understanding of the criminal law, to help clients navigate the complexities of the criminal justice system with a full understanding of the criminal process.

Clerkships

Before joining Daniel Brown Law, Ema spent three years honing her knowledge of criminal law by clerking at all levels of court in Ontario. After law school, she assisted several prominent criminal trial judges at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on cases involving the most serious charges in the Criminal Code. This was followed by a clerkship at the Court of Appeal for Ontario with Associate Chief Justice Fairburn and Justices Simmons and Trotter.

Ema’s experience dealing with the finer points of criminal law at both the trial and appellate levels served her well during her final clerkship at the Supreme Court of Canada with Justice Suzanne Côté. This combination of clerkship experiences has given Ema exposure to the most pressing criminal legal issues in Ontario and across the country, and a critical insight into judicial decision-making at all levels of court — a perspective of crucial importance in making strategic decisions for a client at trial or on appeal.

How she works

Championing her clients’ interests while treating them with respect and dignity.

Advocacy

Ema completed her law degree at the University of Toronto, where she graduated as Valedictorian. Throughout her time in law school, Ema was a prolific mooter, earning the Stephanie Fleur Couzin mooting medal for her advocacy in the Gale Cup and Grand Moot, and for her time spent coaching more junior students. Ema’s passion for appellate advocacy continued after graduation, leading her to coach the University of Toronto’s Gale Cup moot team to two consecutive championship victories.

Background

While obtaining her law degree, Ema also worked as a teaching assistant for law courses at Toronto Metropolitan University and managed a tutoring program for the University of Toronto’s first-year law students. She spent her summers working in the litigation departments of large commercial firms in Toronto and New York City. Ema also worked with a number of experienced defence lawyers on legal aid-funded criminal appeals as part of an externship program. Prior to law school, Ema completed an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Ethics, Society & Law, Political Science, and Philosophy at the University of Toronto.

Ema is a member of the Law Society of Ontario and the Criminal Lawyers’ Association.

Credentials

Clerkships: Ontario Superior Court of Justice; Court of Appeal for Ontario; Supreme Court of Canada (Justice Suzanne Côté)
Education: University of Toronto, law degree (Valedictorian); Honours BA in Ethics, Society & Law, Political Science, and Philosophy, University of Toronto
Memberships: Law Society of Ontario; Criminal Lawyers’ Association
Recognition: Stephanie Fleur Couzin mooting medal

Teaching and coaching

Coach, University of Toronto Gale Cup moot team (two consecutive championships)
Teaching assistant, law courses at Toronto Metropolitan University
Tutoring program for University of Toronto first-year law students

Ema defends every kind of criminal charge

Here are some of the charges we defend most often. We also defend charges not listed here.

See all practice areas

The strength of the whole firm, on every case

Ema is one of 16 criminal defence lawyers at Daniel Brown Law. Every client has the firm’s collective trial and appeal experience behind them, in courthouses across Ontario.