BARRISTER & SOLICITOR
NOTARY PUBLIC
m.izadi@izadidefence.com

Melody is a criminal defence and appellate lawyer who has a particular interest in litigating multifaceted and unique issues under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, especially as it relates to racial profiling. Before founding Izadi Defence, Melody was a senior associate at a well-respected criminal defence firm in downtown Toronto for almost a decade. There, she focused her practice on litigating complex criminal and parole matters including murder, high level drug trafficking, and firearms charges.

Melody has been asked to speak at numerous legal conferences on various issues in the law including Enhanced Pre-Sentence Reports, which are reports used to litigate the impact of systemic racism at sentencing. She has conducted jury trials, has represented clients at the Ontario Court of Appeal and routinely represents inmates for provinicial and federal parole hearings.

Melody is a senior member of the Criminal Lawyers’ Association, helps produce Canada’s Court Podcast, and in her spare time is a criminal law columnist for LawNow magazine. Melody has been published in various legal publications on topics such as search and seizure laws under The Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

A Charter Application was litigated regarding the excessive use of force used by police on our client and all charges were withdrawn.

After a vigorous defence and lengthy testimony by the accused, the jury acquitted our client of all charges including kidnapping and assault causing bodily harm.

The client was not sentenced to jail for serious offences after the impact of systemic racism was litigated using an Enhanced Pre-Sentence Report.

After successful Charter litigation due to a right to counsel breach by police, a novel stay of proceedings was granted and the client was set free.