Carter Fewer

I am an articling student at Strategic Criminal Defence, a full-service criminal defence law office, with central offices in Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Victoria, Saskatchewan, and Toronto.

My practice is based in Calgary.

I have a strong passion for criminal defence work and ensuring that all individuals are afforded the opportunity to defend themselves. I believe it is imperative that all accused are given or receive access to passionate legal counsel who will both listen and tirelessly and effectively advocate on their behalf.

My interest in the criminal justice system began early. I completed my undergraduate degree in Political Science and Philosophy at the University of British Columbia. During my studies, I placed a particular focus on the intersection between the legislative and judicial branches of government. This served to cement my interest and passion for working in the legal profession. After finishing my undergraduate degree, I promptly began my law degree at the University of Calgary the following Fall.

During my law studies I took several courses specifically focused on criminal law including criminal process and the criminal justice clinical course. These courses in particular provided hands-on experience with practical criminal law processes and procedures, and have served to deepen my understanding of our complex legal system. These courses in addition to other courses such as Evidence and Ethical Lawyering have provided me with the necessary tools to quickly and critically analyze legal matters.

In addition to my coursework, I became involved with Student Legal Assistance (SLA) during my second year of law school. SLA serves as a pro-bono legal clinic that provides legal information and representation to low-income individuals living in Calgary or the surrounding areas. I began volunteering with SLA at the start of my second year of law school, and worked as a summer caseworker at the clinic over the course of summer thereafter. During my time with SLA I prepared for multiple trials, represented numerous clients in court, and prepared and submitted Early Case Resolution proposals to the Crown Prosecution. I also had the opportunity to serve in a leadership capacity in my third year, where I was responsible for overseeing and assisting junior student caseworkers with their own matters.

In my third year of law school, I took on the position of Trial Confirmation Coordinator with SLA. In this position, it was my responsibility to oversee and run SLA’s Trial Confirmation Program, which sees caseworkers serving as duty counsel for unrepresented individuals each Friday afternoon in Courtroom 506 at the Calgary Court Centre. Serving as Trial Confirmation Coordinator has afforded me the opportunity to work with clients in a fast-paced real-world environment, and provided me with the experience necessary to develop the skills to think and act swiftly and critically in time-sensitive situations that often crop up in the context of criminal law.

I am committed to working directly with clients to ensure that they receive the assistance and advocacy that they both deserve and need. I believe that my practical hands-on experience in combination with the guidance of experienced criminal defence lawyers at Strategic Criminal Defence put me in the unique position to provide my clients with the advocacy necessary to reach the outcomes they are looking for.