Joseph Beller

I am a Criminal Defence lawyer at Strategic Criminal Defence. Strategic Criminal Defence is a Full Service Criminal Defence Law Office, with central offices across Western Canada and Toronto.

My practice philosophy is to focus on the person behind the file number. In my practice, every client is provided with a high level of personal focus, ensuring they are involved every step of the way.

For many people drawn into the criminal justice system, the process is confusing and intimidating. My job is not only to help my clients navigate the system but understand it. I am always happy to explain the greater legal context of a charge, ensuring my clients understand the legal principles behind their case and why a certain strategy is best.

I open every file with a detailed intake and initial analysis of a case. As the file proceeds, my clients are kept in the loop with regular updates so they always know what is happening with their file and what their best possible outcome is in every situation.

I get to know my clients closely so I can understand who they are and what led them to me. Every client has a story; it’s my job to ensure it gets told.

I received my law degree from the University of Calgary. During my degree, I worked as the managing editor of the school newspaper, served as VP Academic on the student council, and was a founding executive of the Criminal Law Society club.

I also worked full-time with Student Legal Assistance (SLA), a pro bono legal clinic assisting low-income and marginalized people with a variety of legal matters. I gained a wealth of knowledge of the criminal justice system prior to graduating and obtained experience representing clients with a number of criminal matters. This has provided me with a level of familiarity with judges, courtroom procedures, and Crown prosecutors far beyond most lawyers of my vintage.

With SLA, I also worked on non-criminal matters, gaining experience advocating in Judicial Dispute Resolution, Academic Misconduct Hearings, Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service Hearings, and civil settlement negotiations. This has provided me with a well-rounded base of experience and advocacy strategies that I utilize with my criminal files.

During law school, I received a number of accolades including:

• Campbell McLaurin Achievement Award for high academic standing and making a significant contribution to the life of the law school;
• Groia & Company Criminal Law Bursary for the highest criminal law grades in the class of 2020;
• Jason Lang Scholarship for a competitive GPA;
• 7^th place ranking in the Justice Bora Laskin Constitutional Law Moot out of 72 oral advocates from across Canada.

I am a current member of the Alberta Criminal Defence Lawyers Association (CDLA) which provides access to a wellspring of useful information, keeping me apprised of new cases, available defences, and important changes in the law. One of my mentors, Ian Savage, is the long-time president of the CDLA, creating an even larger wealth of resources at my disposal.

I articled with Strategic Criminal Defence prior to becoming an associate, independently running nearly 100 low-complexity criminal and traffic matters and assisting senior lawyers with a number of serious and complex files. This provided experience assessing cases, negotiating resolutions, and preparing for and running trials.

I also have significant experience with pseudo-criminal administrative matters such as Immediate Roadside Sanction reviews and vehicle seizure reviews.

I represent clients across southern Alberta, both in Provincial Court and at administrative tribunals, such as SafeRoads.

I have represented clients in the following practice areas with a high degree of success:

• Domestic assaults and Violent Crime
• Fraud Under
• Firearms Offences
• EPO, Peace Bond, and Probation Breaches
• Drug Possession
• Impaired Driving and Provincial Suspension Appeals (IRS)
• Theft, Mischief, and Property Offences
• Provincial Traffic Violations
• Municipal Bylaw Infractions
• Young Offenders Charges

I offer flexible payment structures and will work tirelessly to get you the best outcome possible. No matter how you found yourself in this situation, you came to the right place.

If you have been charged with an offence, contact me for a free legal consultation to discuss your options and how I can help.

• Impaired Driving and Immediate Roadside Sanctions (IRS)
• Criminal Driving Offences
• Domestic Assaults and Violent Crime
• EPO, Peace Bond and Probation Breaches
• Firearm Offences
• Fraud, Forgery, and Identity Theft
• Drug Offences including Possession and Trafficking
• Theft, Mischief and Property Offences
• Provincial Traffic Violations
• Municipal Bylaw Infractions
• Young Offender Charges

• Law Society of Alberta
• Roster Lawyer, Legal Aid Alberta
• Calgary Defence Lawyers Association
• Calgary Bar Association

• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (2015)
• Juris Doctor (JD) from the University of Calgary (2020)