Biography
Being a member of the Barreau du Québec and having graduated from the University of Ottawa in 1990, Me Michel Swanston has been practicing in criminal, penal and deontological law for over 30 years. Along with his colleagues Mr. Paul Charlebois and Mr. Sébastien Gagnon, he is one of the three founding members of CSG Avocats, the largest and most prestigious criminal law firm in the Outaouais region.
Not only is Mr. Swanston an accomplished lawyer, he is also a seasoned litigator and a brilliant strategist who works on almost all types of cases: murder, fraud, theft, sexual assault, assault, drugs, impaired driving, etc.
A passionate and enthusiastic advocate of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, he has greatly contributed to the implementation of the rule relating to court appearances on weekends in all Quebec judicial districts (Lamoureux v. The Queen). Thanks to his valuable efforts, any person under arrest can now be released in a timely manner.
To this day, Mr. Swanston still strives to make changes and improvements to the law. Following his passion, he had led several constitutional challenges with the intention of declaring the new provisions for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs unconstitutional.
He regularly leads important investigation files and maintains thorough knowledge of the criminal proceedings by pleading both before the courts of first instance and the courts of appeal. Throughout his career, he has often argued before judges and juries while representing clients accused of serious crimes.
Mr. Swanston has served as an advisor, vice-chair and as the chair of the Association des avocats et avocates de la défense de l’Outaouais. He has participated in several round tables with coordinating judges of the Court of Québec and the Superior Court, and was a member of the Comité de la pratique privée of his Barreau.
Mr. Swanston has also assisted teams of students representing the University of Ottawa in criminal law pleading competitions.
Mr. Swanston’s reputation, both in the Outaouais region and throughout the Quebec province, is firmly established. Patient and understanding, he knows how to guide his clients through difficult times and to protect their interests.
Past and Present Involvements
- Association des avocats et avocates de la défense de l’Outaouais
- Round tables with the Court of Québec and the Superior Court
- Comité de la pratique privée
Accomplishments
- Excellence Award presented by the Association des avocats et avocates de la défense du Québec for his remarkable work in dealing with impaired faculties cases.