Before the trial opened, a judge stayed nine of the charges, and Henein and Greenspan went on to win Regans acquittal on the rest. It just makes me rear up a little bit more because I dont like unfair play. Bryant opted to disregard those warnings, but as he soon discovered, hand-holding was not among the services Henein offered. Im a defence lawyer, which historically, by the way, has been a well-regarded profession. There, Joseph Henein set aside his own dream of becoming a lawyer for a career in pharmacy that, conveniently, proved to be more portable. Hiring her as his research assistant, he concluded she was a natural for that wing of the bar where bravado counted for more than good grades. If she thought I was being morose or lethargic, she had zero sympathy, he says. Henein Hutchison LLP 34 The former Eddie Greenspan protge and current lawyer for Jian Ghomeshi runs the hottest criminal defence firm in Toronto. I was becoming like a surly teenager. Greenspan felt sideswipedit was a breach that would take time to mendand for months after her departure, whenever a crisis came up, he would storm through the office fuming, Where the hell is Marie?. During her young age, her family moved to Lebanon and later to Vancouver. Not the way you might be thinking, Henein replied. Sign up for FREE and receiveThe Hubsweekly email newsletter. At times, Frost was frustrated that Henein refrained from going directly for the jugular, but she insisted on what he calls the slow burn. When he chafed at her obsession with what seemed like some minor detail, she retorted that no detail was too smallor, as it turned out, too lurid. He said, Youre the toughest person in this office. . It was like a movie, he says. The whole point, says Heneins former associate Margaret Bojanowska, is to annihilate the witness, really.. So, I saw a bit of the underbelly in Ottawa. Her smartest and toughest character has made her established as one of the highest paid lawyers. She is a partner of Henein Hutchison LLP, a law firm in Toronto. Were under siege. But no, not her. There is a point to having the vote.. Who do you think is standing there? [4] After graduating, Henein articled under noted criminal defence lawyer Edward Greenspan. While most criminal law firms subsist largely on Legal Aid, their fees set by the government, the plastic surgeons and other professionals who call on Henein to salvage their licences or save them from sexual assault charges can usually afford her steep rates, which can run as high as $800 to $1,000 an hour. They turn out to be just one pair from a collection so notorious that Ontarios former chief justice Warren Winkler once ribbed her, So are you going to buy a car or a new pair of shoes? Even with the benefit of those four-inch heels, Henein seems tinier than she did in the courtroom, her hourglass figure whittled away by twice-weekly weight training sessions, her boyish bob and kohl-rimmed eyes lending her the air of a gamine. Its astounding. Poised amid her team in a killer black sheath by Victoria Beckham, Henein stares into the camera with insouciant defiance, the incarnation of her calculated corporate image: hip, upscale and fearless. It was sort of an international incident at the schooleveryone knew about it, Nemchin recalls. From the first, friends characterize their relationship as a father-daughter dynamiccompelling, complicated and volatile. Reproduction in whole or in part strictly prohibited. Although he had to remortgage his house and sell his boat and his Jet Skis to pay nearly $200,000 in legal fees$5,000 a day for the two-week trial alonehe has no regrets. Its wrong. Heneins passion for the law has also earned her the esteemand occasional indulgenceof the judiciary. I cant focus on that. To an onlooker, that declaration from a lawyer whose cross-examinations have been compared to a machete has the distinct ring of a threat. In looks, age and background, Ghomeshi and Henein share eerie similarities, and, within legal circles, her star power is at least equal to his. The answer lay in the one file Greenspan had finally allowed her to take, a Legal Aid case in a murder that had already outraged the city with its wanton brutality. Theres this surface, and then what is bubbling below is generally hidden from view. Was she challenging public perceptions before a trial in which bondage and domination are sure to emerge as a theme? She convinced the other to mark all the locations on a crime scene diagram where he had misled police while she spat out the words, Lie, lie, lie, in a relentless tattoo. Eight months after the charges were laid, he announced the Crown was withdrawing them because there was no reasonable prospect of conviction. That is across the board. She is seen as one of the most successful Lawyer of all times. Toronto criminal defence attorney Marie Henein has broken her silence about the highest profile case of her 25-year career the trial of former CBC broadcaster Jian Ghomeshi. And in terms of current Canadian clients, no one has as high a profile as former CBC Radio host Jian Ghomeshi, charged with. None of it deals with the over-incarceration, in Canada of Indigenous communities and, in the United States, of Black Americans. Before Ghomeshi hired her, the highest-profile of Heneins clients was the provinces former attorney general, Michael Bryant, whose drive home from an anniversary dinner in August 2009 turned into a nightmare encounter that famously left a bike courier named Darcy Allan Sheppard dead. For example, where your riding happens to be, and whats at issue at that particular year. In 1982, Ghomeshis memoir of growing up as the child of Iranian immigrants in the citys northern suburbs, he writes poignantly of life as an outsider, acutely aware that his skin was not an acceptable shade of pale. She was married four times and had four children. We can sustain conversation and we can withstand opposite views. To the medias dismay, her client is nowhere in sight. But while Ghomeshis on-air charm may have carried him to the loftiest reaches of the CBC only to be exposed as a shaman artful mask concealing an alleged mean streakHenein seems to have gone out of her way to cultivate a forbidding persona. In this new zeitgeist, there seems to be a distinct unease about the notion of a whip-smart woman defending a man charged with sexual violence. MARIE HENEIN: Yes. For pursuing higher education in the law, she enrolled at the Columbia Law School to complete her Master of Laws degree. Even growing up in a neighbourhood populated largely by other immigrants, most from Italy, Henein and her kid brother, Peter, felt they didnt quite belong. From their married life, the couple is blessed with two talented sons. Her achievement can be judged by The National Post which mentioned her as the most high profile Canadian criminal defense lawyer. Theres a difference between being obnoxious, offensive, insulting, racist or sexist, and having a view that is a different view about society, law, or anything. By Sarah Boesveld MARIE HENEIN: Well, thats a great question. degree in the year 1991 and entered the bar in 1992. Thats one of her assets. It wasnt the public crying out for it. She has also represented Bradley Harrison, former Ontario attorney general Michael Bryant and John Magno. Occupying more than 5,400 square feet, the property is located in the guard-gated Calabasas Park . Then, homing in on a pivotal 28 secondslater the title of Bryants memoirshe set about dissecting every millisecond in that time frame. Lets come back to my first question about your career choices, and the path that they put you on. Five of her associates are former Supreme Court clerks, including rising star Matthew Gourlay, who spent a year on the staff of Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin and was married in her Ottawa living room. In a profession where an ad in the Yellow Pages was once considered showy, that website shot has provoked heated debate. He never once told me to tone it down, she says. And if you give information to members of the public, they are not stupid. I dont feel the need to justify myself.She went further to say theres no way a man would be seen in the same light. Her birthplace is in Cairo, Egypt and was born as the daughter of Lebanese Maronite parents. All she knew about the profession she had gleaned from reading about Eddie Greenspan, the superstar defender whose CBC series, The Scales of Justice, recapped famous trials in a way that made criminal law seem both noble and enthralling. "The Jian Ghomeshi Case: A System on Trial". Her tactics kept Michael Bryant out of jail. Big., Some lawyers only take cases they know they can win, but Henein never turns down a client. Well, good luck with that, he had scoffed. For your client, its his life., Of all her cases with Greenspan, the biggest media sensation was the 1998 trial of former Nova Scotia premier Gerald Regan, charged with 18 counts of sexual assault. Its the formula Henein herself followed, juggling appeals for child porn cases with her chauffeuring duties as a soccer mom. Considering her year of birth, Marie Henein is at the age of 52 years old as of 2018. Beneath the antique stained glass of the societys Convocation Hall, some jaws dropped, incredulous. [15] On 24 March 2016, the judge delivered the verdict. From the time she was in Grade 7, she knew her destiny was to be a criminal lawyer, the path her father regretted not taking. The Supreme Court of Canada denied Regan's appeal, but he was ultimately acquitted of all charges. Contents 1 Early life 2 Education 3 Legal career 4 Notable cases 5 Personal life 6 References 7 External links Early life [ edit] Henein was born in Cairo, Egypt, to Lebanese Maronite parents. TORONTO (November 3, 2022) Canadian charity The Shoe Project has launched its annual online auction and among the 50+ items up for grabs are Louboutin and Yves Saint Laurent shoes from prominent litigator, Marie Henein. Thanks, Marie, for this fascinating conversation, and congratulations on the book. Its interesting what people see, she says. The fourth she will take on in a separate trial scheduled for next June. What do you think of the state of Canadian institutions in 2021 given that weve had legislatures sit infrequently, our courts have experienced significant delays, Charter rights have arguably been undermined, and, as you know through your work, the Canadian military is in great disarray? Very bold. But after reinvestigating her new witnesses, he came to trust her assessments. In religion class, where most students chose heartwarming essay topics, Henein argued the merits of abortion and premarital sex. Those statistics echo a larger crisis in the profession: although women still make up more than half of all law school graduates, an alarming number are cashing out after only five to seven years in private practice, just when their careers ought to be approaching liftoff. A graduate of York University's Osgoode Hall Law School and Columbia University, Henein worked for Edward Greenspan, arguably the best-known defence lawyer in Canada, who has represented well-known defendants such as Robert Latimer, Garth Drabinsky and Conrad Black, The Globe and Mail reported. Theres no question in my mind. She was in the highlight after being able to save Michael Bryant from going jail. When a politician weighs in, thats a little bit more concerning to me because youre a person who should be more knowledgeable about what youre commenting on, Henein said. The Shoe Project MEDIA ADVISORY. [5] Henein was called to the bar in 1992. Marie defended Gerald Regan who was accused of sexual-misconduct charges in 1998. And a lot of it is who you know, and where youre being positioned. [14] The trial lasted eight days. For months, she and her first associate, Jennifer Gleitman, sifted through volumes of witness statements, charting the inconsistencies, often with Heneins son playing on the floor. A Toronto based criminal lawyer Marie Henein was born in 1966. We resolve most of our cases out of court.. According to the narrative Henein developed for the case, Frosts accusers were small-town girls, once besotted with his visiting players, who were now colluding to spin accusations they hoped would bring them a payoff. Preparations for Lisa Marie Presley's grave site have begun, with new photos showing how close it is to where her father and son were buried. I just dont feel a need to justify what I do or explain myself., Thats hardly an unexpected riposte from a woman who has never been constrained by what others thinkone who refuses to be limited by the usual definitions, whether as a lawyer, a mother or a feminist. She said, Just do the work, Greenwood recalls. This was the full power of the government directly focused on an accused person, and when you began to peel back the layers, it was not very nice. The answer to Heneins critics may, in fact, be hanging at home on her living room wall: a neon sculpture in the colours of the rainbow that spells out the words, You Can Have It All.. Our very best stories, recipes, style and shopping tips, horoscopes and special offers. Publishing a critical insiders report of a student retreat, they were summoned to Sister Bonaventures office and ordered to reveal their source. In this perfunctory courtroom conference, she shows no expression as she pulls a gilt pen from her Yves Saint Laurent handbag to sign off on an agreement that spells out her first small victory. Another case in 2008 of hockey agent David Frost, Henein defended him by eliminating the charges of sexual exploitation that he was accused. He hired Marie to represent him in the court and defend him against the charges he was accused of. Heneins courtroom skills have since been recognized by the American College of Trial Lawyers, an exclusive association that has invited only 365 Canadians to join its 5,700-member ranks. But I dont like unfair fights. As Anthony Moustacalis, president of the Criminal Lawyers Association, points out, Theres traditionally been a macho culture of wanting a tough guy to fight for you.. Henein started working with Marc Rosenberg who was the partner of her earlier boss Edward Greenspan. But the wide-ranging, 20-minute interview revealed a lot about her views of the criminal courts, feminism and the social media haters. Moving to her personal life, Marie Henein is a married woman whose husband name is Glen Jennings. Its not out of the question. You get elected, and your next priority is to get ready to run for re-election for the next four years, or whatever your term is. There was nothing else I wanted to do that would interfere with that, she says. Its all part of the bullshit Cinderella story. She dishes out the same tough-love brand of feminism in speeches and articles, blaming Martha Stewart and her ilk for their toxic message of perfectionism. It was. We dont need our intake of information constantly curated and censored. In 2010, the Law Society of Upper Canada found that while more than 50 per cent of its new members were female, among those who had been at the bar for five or 10 years that number dropped to 35 per cent. There isnt. In social gatherings across the city, I hear the same question: how could a feminist take on Jian Ghomeshi as a client? What did it feel like personally? Women need to be told to stay in the profession, she says. Her client Daniel Weiz was defended by Henein and was successfully acquitted of the charges of killing a teen named Dmitri Baranovski. When she argued the appeal of Marcia Dooley, convicted of murdering her seven-year-old stepson, Randal, in what the judge called Canadas worst case of child abuse, Henein says she felt it was an obligationone of those cases where youre really at your last kick at the can. Still, her kids occasionally pay the price for such a caseload, bridling against her hypervigilance. While . Lawyer Marie has handled his case. Heneins brother, Peter, now an intellectual property lawyer at Cassels Brock, sees the impact of that loss today. Her tactics kept Michael Bryant out of jail. She is associated with a law firm named Henein Hutchison LLP. These days, when she is scheduled to argue a case, fellow criminal lawyers often slip into the back rows to watchbut for those who expect fireworks, Henein advises them to try TV. Without uttering a word, Marie Henein commands the room. On June 11, 2019 Marie Henein retired as the chair of the Pro Bono Inmate Appeals Program ("PIAP") after twenty years of service. As a criminal lawyer, youre always an outsider. Like Greenspan, she sees her role as not to judge the guilt or innocence of the accused, but to ensure that legal truth prevails. 'Discomfort is a home of sorts to me': An excerpt from Marie Henein's new memoir, Nothing but the Truth Marie Henein Special to The Globe and Mail Published September 25, 2021 Updated. It was a constant inquiry: Where are you from? Henein hired an advertising agency to promote her firm, Henein Hutchinson. With footage from every surveillance camera along Bloor Street West, Henein hired an expert video analyst to recreate his fateful drive. She has also been serving in the Canadian Criminal Cases as its Associate Editor. She is known for being the most popular sought-after defense lawyer in the country. Other witnesses statements contradict Brison on these key points, namely that the leaks did not impact the government decision to proceed with the Davie contract, and that the . With a two-year-old at home, she and Jennings had just bought a house in Forest Hill they could ill afford. Michael Bryant recalls Henein pausing in mid-conference whenever one of her boys called, instantly transformed from merciless inquisitor to solicitous major domo solving a domestic crisis. Like Ghomeshi, he had already been convicted in the media even before his trial opened in Napanee. Our human nature makes us sitting ducks. Bio, Age, Wife, Net worth and Family, Is Willy Moon still Married? Within months, he was dead. When she hasnt been in court for a while, she admits, she gets as agitated as a junkie: I need the fix, she says. Delivered a couple of times a week. And its from people who are supposed to be educated. The job that Im doing is part of the justice system. 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