OUR TEAM

Richard Posner

Partner

Richard Posner is the managing partner of Posner Craig Stein (“PCS”) and serves as counsel to TTL Health Law, a full-service firm for health practitioners and businesses.

For over 25 years, Mr. Posner has acted for individuals and corporations facing criminal, quasi-criminal and regulatory prosecution. His litigation practice is devoted to serious and complex cases at the trial and appellate level. He frequently conducts trials before judges, juries and regulatory tribunals and argues cases in the Court of Appeal for Ontario. His appellate experience extends to the Divisional Court, the Tax Court of Canada and the Supreme Court of Canada.

Mr. Posner advises individuals and corporations under audit and investigation by government and professional regulatory authorities. He regularly provides clients with strategic guidance on regulatory compliance and licensure in a variety of professional disciplines and in the commercial transport and financial service sectors. As a veteran criminal defence counsel, Mr. Posner has a mastery in the defence of alcohol-related driving offences and fatal motor vehicle collision cases. He also has considerable experience in complex fraud prosecutions and cases under the Income Tax Act and the Ontario Securities Act. Mr. Posner routinely provides advice to lawyers throughout Ontario in the handling of homicide and sexual assault cases.

Prior to forming PCS, Mr. Posner served as the managing partner of Lockyer, Campbell, Posner for 17 years. In his capacity as an articling principal since 2005, Mr. Posner has continuously acted as a teacher and mentor to many law students. He is a member of the Ontario Criminal Lawyers Association and a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School (class of 1995). Mr. Posner is also a long-distance runner and a classical pianist.

Mr. Posner can be reached through his assistant, Christa Wong, at +1.416.391.2118 ext. 228.

Alison Craig

Partner

Alison Craig is a founding partner of Posner Craig Stein. She graduated from the University of Guelph in 2002 with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. In 2005, Alison graduated from Queen’s University Law School. While a student at Queen’s, she volunteered for three years at the John Howard Society, serving as Vice President of the Board of Directors in her final year.

While she was in Kingston, Alison worked for the Correctional Law Project, a legal clinic run through Queen’s University. As an employee of the clinic, she represented federal prison inmates at their disciplinary court trials and parole hearings. She still conducts parole hearing for clients throughout Ontario. She has also represented clients before regulatory and licensing tribunals such as the Law Society of Upper Canada and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

In 2005, Alison joined Lockyer Campbell Posner as an articling student and after her Call to the Bar in 2006, joined the firm as an associate. In 2011, Alison was made a partner at the firm. She remained there until starting Posner, Craig & Stein.

In 2007 and 2008, Alison represented nine individuals at the Inquiry into Pediatric Forensic Pathology in Ontario who were convicted of homicides as a result of the flawed pathology work of Dr. Charles Smith. In the years since the Inquiry concluded, several of those convictions have been quashed by the Ontario Court of Appeal.

Alison has successfully conducted hundreds of trials at both the provincial and superior court levels. She specializes in defending people charged with murder, sexual assault, and drug offences. She has successfully defended persons accused of offences ranging from mischief to murder.

In addition to her trial work, Alison has argued conviction and sentence appeals at the Summary Conviction Appeals Court for Ontario, the Ontario Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court of Canada.

Gabriel Gross-Stein

Partner

Gabriel Gross-Stein is a founding partner of Posner Craig Stein. His practice includes the defence of individuals and corporations charged with criminal, regulatory, and disciplinary offences. His extensive preparation, skill, and experience lead to excellent outcomes for his clients, in and out of the courtroom.

Gabriel has had success at all levels of Court in Ontario, where he has conducted hundreds of trials, hearings, and applications. Gabriel regularly argues appeals before the Court of Appeal for Ontario. His focus is on providing you with the best possible result, and protecting your employment, reputation, and freedom. You can be sure that you will receive the best possible defence with him. Gabriel has successfully defended all types of criminal offences, from impaired driving, fraud, and sexual assault to first degree murder.

Gabriel has developed particular expertise in defending professionals before their regulatory bodies, including lawyers before the Law Society of Ontario and health professionals before the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. He appears regularly before professional regulatory authorities.

Gabriel also defends individuals who are sought for extradition, in the Superior Court of Justice at the judicial phase, and in drafting submissions to the Minister for the ministerial phase.

Gabriel holds an honours degree in Classics from the University of Kings College. He graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 2012, where he developed an intense focus in criminal law. While at Osgoode Hall, he was a member of the Innocence Project, which seeks to exonerate those who were wrongly convicted.

Gabriel joined Lockyer Campbell Posner in 2013 and was made a partner in 2019. In 2022, he formed Posner Craig Stein LLP with his partners, Richard Posner and Alison Craig.

Lance Beechener

Partner

Lance Beechener graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 2004 and was called to the Ontario Bar in 2005. He articled and was Crown counsel at the Crown Law Office – Criminal, where argued appeals regularly at the Court of Appeal for Ontario.

Lance joined the criminal defence bar in 2007 as an associate at a well-known downtown law firm where he worked on a wide variety of trial and appellate matters. In 2010, he became a sole practitioner, focusing exclusively on criminal law, with a particular interest in defending clients charged with drug offences. He has appeared in both the Ontario Court of Justice and Superior Court of justice all over Ontario. From 2014 to 2022, Lance was an associate lawyer at Lockyer Campbell Posner. His practice focused primarily on criminal appeals, in particular representing persons convicted of murder. In 2022, he joined Posner Craig Stein.

Alexandra Mamo

Partner

Alexandra is an experienced trial lawyer who has successfully defended clients facing a wide variety of charges, including impaired driving, aggravated assault, sexual assault, robbery and possession and trafficking of drugs and firearms. Alexandra has obtained many acquittals at both the provincial and superior court levels, and has successfully argued for the exclusion of guns and drugs based on police violations of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Alexandra has experience contesting Dangerous and Long-Term Offender applications. She has successfully defended clients who the Attorney General of Ontario sought to have designated dangerous offenders and imprisoned indefinitely. Alexandra has secured acquittals for many individuals charged with sexual assault, and is particularly skilled in this sensitive and complicated area of the law. Alexandra Mamo graduated from the University of Guelph with an honours degree in Criminal Justice and Public Policy in 2011. She completed her Juris Doctor at Western University in 2014 and was called to the Bar of Ontario in 2015.

Alexandra gained experience in criminal defense law early on in law school from working at Western University’s renowned legal aid clinic: Community Legal Services. As a caseworker, and later the clinic’s head student supervisor, Alexandra represented individuals charged with various summary criminal offences, such as: mischief, assault and drug possession. Upon graduating from Western Law, Alexandra received the Colin D. Leitch Award, which is given to the student who shows the greatest potential for success as a practitioner in Criminal Law. Alexandra further received the Genest Murray Award in Advocacy for displaying outstanding skills in advocacy, and the David C. Scott Memorial Award for her contribution to the law school and to the London community.

Fiona McNestry

Partner

Fiona is committed to protecting the rights and dignity of her clients. She regularly appears before the Ontario and Superior Courts of Justice and takes pride in diligently preparing for each stage of criminal proceedings —from pre-charge and bail to trial and discharge planning. She also appears before the Ontario Review Board, Ontario Parole Board and National Parole Board.

Fiona secures excellent results for her clients. She represents individuals charged with a wide range of criminal offences, from impaired driving/”over 80” and fraud to sexual and domestic assaults, and firearm and drug offences. She is dedicated to achieving the best possible results in each case. As part of her practice, Fiona connects individuals in crisis to community supports in order to assist in their defence and general well-being beyond the criminal justice system.

Fiona joined a respected Toronto law firm after her call to the bar, where she developed a keen interest in assisting individuals facing mental health issues. Fiona joined Lockyer Campbell Posner as an associate in 2019 and remained there until joining Posner Craig Stein in 2022.While her primary focus is criminal law, Fiona also takes on select civil and regulatory cases.

Fiona graduated from the University of Toronto, Trinity College, with an honours degree in Psychology and Ethics. In 2016, she completed her Juris Doctor at Western University, where she gained valuable experience in client advocacy as a caseworker at Western University’s Legal Aid Clinic, Community Legal Services. While at Western, Fiona clerked at the Ontario Court of Justice in Scarborough and completed an internship with Peacebuilders Canada. She was called to the Bar of Ontario in 2017. Fiona continues to work closely with Peacebuilders Canada, and has been the Co-Chair of their annual fundraising gala, Spring for Peace, for two years.

Stefan Rinas

Associate

Stefan is a criminal trial lawyer who provides clear advice and highly effective advocacy. He is a compassionate and approachable resource for his clients and their support networks. He has represented clients with charges that require challenging search warrants or carefully drafting motions in sexual assault cases. No matter the charge, he takes great pleasure in preparing and executing his trial strategy.

Stefan has extensive experience representing young people facing criminal charges under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. He has represented many young people facing firearms possession charges in Toronto. He has guided his clients through police interrogations and negotiated the pre-trial withdrawal of serious criminal charges.

Stefan graduated from Columbia Law School with Honours. While at Columbia, Stefan assisted in editing the Jailhouse Lawyer’s Manual, a guide for self-represented incarcerated individuals. Stefan also holds the degree of Master of Laws from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University, where he majored in History. After being called to the bar in 2016, Stefan worked for a well-known sole practitioner prior to starting his own practice. Stefan joined Posner Craig Stein as an associate in 2024.

D’arcy Leitch

Associate

D’Arcy Leitch graduated from Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University. At law school, D’Arcy was the recipient of the J.S.D. Tory Writing Award for best paper, the Race and the Law Essay Prize for outstanding scholarship, and the Anderson and Clarence Lockerby Scholarship for academic excellence. Before law school, D’Arcy attended the University of Toronto, graduating with a Masters degree in philosophy. D’Arcy articled with the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General and joined the Brampton Crown Attorney’s office as an Assistant Crown Attorney after his call to the Bar. D’Arcy has extensive experience at every stage of criminal proceedings. D’Arcy’s practice includes defending charges under the Criminal Code, criminal appeals, and regulatory and quasi-criminal offences proceeding under the Provincial Offences Act. He has appeared at the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice throughout Ontario. D’Arcy joined the criminal defence bar, and Posner Craig Stein, in 2023.

Christa Wong

Office Manager

Christa Wong is the office manager of Posner, Craig, Stein.

Ms. Wong graduated from Ryerson University with a degree in urban and regional planning in 2003. Before joining Posner, Craig, Stein, for over 14 years, Ms. Wong served as a senior executive assistant at Lockyer, Campbell, Posner. She is knowledgeable in all areas of Ontario’s criminal court system and provides thoughtful guidance and assistance to the lawyers and clients of the firm. She is an exceptional manager. Ms. Wong is fluent in the Cantonese language and can be reached at +1.416.391.2118 ext. 228.