Criminal lawyer Brad Smith, KC advises and defends people who are under investigation by the police, charged with a criminal offence, or otherwise in trouble with the law. An accomplished criminal defence lawyer with a reputation for excellence, he has more than 22 years of experience in criminal law, including as a prosecutor. Brad is well-known and highly respected by fellow lawyers and judges throughout BC. In 2019, Brad was appointed Queen’s Counsel, a prestigious award conferred in recognition of demonstrated excellent performance and dedication to the legal system. In 2022, after the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen’s Counsel lawyers became King’s Counsel or KC.

Brad defends clients throughout BC, including in Kamloops, Williams Lake, Vernon, 100 Mile House, Salmon Arm. He has also defended clients charged with criminal offences in Prince George, Prince Rupert, Nelson, Vancouver.

Significant experience in criminal law

Brad has significant experience handling many different kinds of criminal law matters, including:

• crimes of violence such as assault, sexual assault, and murder
• property offences such as theft, break and enter, and robbery
• drug offences such as possession and trafficking all types of drugs
• white-collar crimes such as fraud

Specialized knowledge in criminal law

Before Brad started helping people as a criminal defence lawyer, he was a prosecutor. The experience he gained putting cases together as a prosecutor was invaluable. It gave him insights into the criminal justice system that many criminal defence lawyers never get. Brad knows how police and prosecutors work and how to protect your rights through the entire investigation and prosecution process. He knows what prosecutors look for when they are deciding whether to lay a charge and the strategies they use in getting ready for trial. This means Brad knows how to find any weak spots in the prosecution’s case and how to use that knowledge to maximum advantage when planning your best defence.

Passionate about criminal law

Unlike most aspiring lawyers, Brad went to law school because he wanted to practise criminal law. At law school he took as many courses as he could in subjects related to criminal law and he got into court helping people at every opportunity. While other law students were studying subjects like Tax Law, Brad was taking advanced litigation courses in subjects like Evidence or Trial Practice. Then, several years after he qualified as a lawyer, Brad completed a Masters degree in Criminal Law.

• Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), Osgoode Hall – 1999
• Master of Laws in Criminal Law (LL.M.), Osgoode Hall – 2009

Practise jurisdictions

• Brad has been a member of the BC Bar since 2000
• Brad is one of the few Canadian lawyers authorized to practise as defence counsel at the International Criminal Court in The Hague