Thomas Richards

Barrister, Solicitor & Notary Public

Thomas George Richards was born in Toronto (1954), and as the child of an Air Force fighter pilot he lived in Germany and Italy, before returning to Canada.

Mr Richards attended the University of Ottawa (now Ottawa University) where he completed his undergraduate degree (BA (English Literature)) and law degree (LLB, Legal Doctorate) in 1986. After completing Articles and Bar Admission exams, Mr Richards became a lawyer at the Call-to-Bar ceremony in April 1988, and has practiced law since then.

Also an Instructor of Law, Mr Richards has taught law courses to over 1000 students at public and private colleges.

He lived in Guangzhou, China for three (3) years (1999-2002), where he practiced Canada immigration law, and established and taught a Legal English program, in association with the Guangzhou Lawyers’ Association, attended by lawyers and judges.

Mr Richards has represented clients in most areas of the law, but for the last ten (10) years has mostly limited himself to a Barrister practice, including criminal defence law, and immigration inadmissibility removals (deportation) defence law.

Criminal

As a criminal-law Barrister, Mr Richards has defended 100s of accused before judges in various courts across Ontario.

Mr Richards has defended clients charged under various legislation, including:

• Criminal Code of Canada
• Controlled Drugs & Substances Act
• Immigration & Refugee Protection Act
• Copyright Act
• Trademark Act
• Excise Act
• Employment Insurance Act
• Income Tax Act
• Tobacco Tax Act
• Smoke Free Ontario Act
• Fisheries Act
• Endangered Species Act
• Trespass Act
• Highway Traffic Act

Mr Richards works closely with both the client and the Crown prosecutor to reach a negotiated resolution that, in most cases, avoids a criminal record.

Immigration

Mr Richards does assist clients to immigrate to Canada, but mostly defends clients during inadmissibility proceedings for misrepresentation, criminal conviction causing inadmissibility, and other grounds.

Mr. Richards defends clients at every stage of the removals processes provided for in the Immigration Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) during interview interrogations and trials:

• IRCC - Immigration Refugee Citizenship Canada
• CBSA - Canada Border Services Agency
• IRB - Immigration Refugee Board (Immigration Division, Refugee Division)
• IAD - Immigration Appeal Division
• RAD - Refugee Appeal Division
• FC - Federal Court (Trial, Appeal)
• SCC - Supreme Court of Canada

The facts and circumstances of each case are different, and Mr Richards works closely with clients to assemble the best defence to government efforts to remove his clients from Canada.