Bruce Karten (Retired) » Client Feedback & Testimonials
See the following case studies / testimonials & client feedback for Toronto lawyer Bruce Karten:
Reviews From LawyerRatingz.com
Dear Bruce Karten Dec 18, 2015
I wanted to send a note to express my family’s gratitude for everything you have done for my brother. With his mental illness, and the serious charges that were laid against him that included arson and endangering life under the Criminal Code of Canada, we were terrified of what was going to happen to him. These charges could well have resulted in him being sentenced to jail for a period of 10 years or more.
I did not know what to expect when I made that first call to you, Bruce, but through the months it took to resolve this, your professionalism, knowledge and patience in explaining what you were planning to do in a way that we were able to understand, made us feel less anxious and more hopeful.
Thanks to you, his charges were substantially reduced and he received a sentence that allowed him to continue to receive the medical help he needs to recover and look to putting his life back together. Any period of jail would have been devastating to his chances of recovering from this devastating situation. We would recommend you, Bruce Karten, without hesitation, to anyone in need of an excellent criminal defense lawyer.
Thank you,
Shirley, T.
Whitby, Ontario
To Whom IT May Concern October 6, 2013
One of a parent’s worst experiences is when their children get in trouble with the law. This was the case for me this past summer. My teenage boy was out late with friends and was up to no good. He was involved in a twisted set of circumstances that led him to be charged with a serious criminal offence of Motor Vehicle Theft along with four other serious Highway Traffic Violations. The fact that no one was physically hurt was a miracle, and that relief only lasted so long.
The Legal and Liability nightmares started to creep up and take a toll on everyone involved. My son was just 2 weeks shy of his 18th birthday which meant he was charged as a young offender. Again this was not much relief. I was in a position that no parent wants to be in. I knew I had to get Legal help but where do I turn. I didn’t personally know of any lawyers and I didn’t want to ask friends or family if they could refer one in fear they would ask why. I turned to the internet and surfed for Criminal Lawyers in my Toronto area. Link after link I came across many criminal lawyers but Bruce Karten came up a few times. Each time I read his reviews one thing stuck in my mind (His 40 years of experience). I figured with 40 years under his belt Bruce would be the best to represent my son.
To make a long story short Bruce Karten is very detail oriented and considers all the facts, especially the facts that you think have no merit. He does not pretend to know all types of law if questions outside his expertise arise. He is very knowledgeable of the court system and is familiar with many people who work in them. In my experience he works best under pressure acting only when necessary in real time. He quickly adapts to the ever changing circumstances in the court room seamlessly. My son and I are grateful that the Theft of Motor Vehicle criminal charge was dropped and four serious traffic violations were reduced to 3 demerit points.
DavidToronto Ontario
Mr. Bruce Karten was an instrumental criminal lawyer in my case. He was able to help to extricate me from a very serious criminal case containing severe charges, including weapons –threat to use weapons, death threat, harassment,etc. He succeeded in winning my case; I was discharged; was able to keep my career, and no criminal record. This was a tremendous accomplishment, and I am very appreciative of that.
Mr. Karten possesses many valuable skills and talents that are so indispensable for a successful lawyer: he is intelligent, competent, very experienced, indomitable, determined resourceful, persuasive, and really committed to taking a good care of his clients.
In addition, Mr. Karten is a skillful communicator with superb presentation skills; he knows how to approach people, what to say to them and how.
In sum, Mr. Bruce Karten is a true professional who is confident about his abilities and obtaining positive results. He will do his best to defend his clients and succeed, as he has proven in my case. While no lawyer is a magician, he comes pretty close to being one.
I highly recommend Mr. Bruce Karten as your criminal lawyer if you are in need of one.
Nickolai V.Toronto, OntarioTo whom it may concern:
In July 2010, I was referred to M. Bruce Karten through my EAP program at work, after my elderly father found himself in need of a criminal attorney.
Mr. Karten met with us, and thoroughly explained the process of what we could expect. As this was the first time we had been exposed to the legal system, Mr. Karten took to the time to make sure we understood everything. Although the case was not very complicated, it was a domestic abuse case, the two parties were of compromised mental and physical capacity due to their age, and a quick resolution was expected. It didn’t turn out that way. Time after time court dates were set and postponed by the Crown. All the while Mr. Karten had to be present to represent my father on those dates. Many hours were spent on phone calls requesting medical reports and attending court on my father’s behalf.
The retainer provided to Mr. Karten at the onset had quickly been exhausted. A top up to the retainer was requested in September. At that time I explained to Mr. Karten our personal situation. Funds were limited. My father had come to live with myself and my husband, and was on a fixed seniors income with no other form of additional income. To make matters worse, my husband had been unemployed for a year, so we were not in a position to help financially. Mr. Karten was wonderful about this. He reduced the amount of the additional retainer, and advised us that he would not request any additional funds regardless of how long this went on. All the while my father’s physical and mental health had deteriorated to the point where we had to be moved to a nursing home.
On November 30, Mr. Karten advised us that the case would be stayed. This was wonderful news for all of us.
We are very grateful to Mr. Karten for all that he has done for us. Not only is he an excellent attorney he is also a good and compassionate human being. I have no doubt that he suffered financially in order to keep and resolve this case. He went over and above the call of duty on this and all his efforts are extremely appreciated by myself and my husband. Unfortunately my father due to his dementia is unable to understand and appreciate the extent Mr Karten went to to help him, but we understand and are forever grateful.
SincerelyIsabel M.Toronto, Ontario
Dear Atty. Bruce Karten,
Good evening Sir. First of all me and my wife, would like to express our very sincere appreciation for your extremely important efforts for resolving this morning my only case here in Canada.
Again from the depth of our hearts we sincerely thank you very much for being my Counsel on this case. We now can say you are the BEST and we will surely recommend you to our friends and anybody here we know who needs the best Lawyer in Ontario. You have done an extremely good job and we are very happy with the outcome this morning.
May GOD continue to bless you and your family always so that you can continue to help many others. Please take care all the time.
Sincerely,Roman A.Markham, ONBruce: You are a professional and an extinct breed. The care and concern you showed us during our dealings certainly helped to reduce the stress we were under. I would recommend you without a second thought. Your winning record is a bonus as well. My husband and myself can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done for our family.
Sincerely
Bruce,
Excellent news!!!!!!!!!
I am impressed especially after our meeting on Monday – I was resigned that something bad would befall me, so I am very blessed to have this outcome.
I thank you for the hard work that you have put into this case, and the dedication on getting me this fantastic outcome!
I am so glad that we retained you as my lawyer!
I do hope that I will never need you again – hope you understand! However, you have done an outstanding job and allowed me to now rebuild my life.
Blessings,Dave B.Ajax, OntarioBruce,
I just wanted to touch base with you regarding yesterday.
I really appreciate all your hard work and support during this very difficult time. I am happy with the outcome that you have secured for me, and am thankful that we used you for this situation that I found myself in.
I wanted to let you know that it was good that you went over the application of the weapons prohibition being included in the paper work that I had to sign. It turns out that the application was STILL included in the paper work that I was to sign. When I questioned the fact that you had told me that this WOULD NOT be included in the paper work to sign, she then checked and made some phone calls to confirm this.
Clearly it was good that you told me about this weapons clause, or else I would be signing something that would have been permanent. This again shows me that I had a lawyer who was on the ball and got me the best possible outcome for a situation that I thought was hopeless.
Dan C.Toronto, OntarioRe: Bruce Karten:
After having been charged with a criminal offence (domestic assault) for the first time in my life, I found myself experiencing a great deal of anxiety and uncertainty over how this would affect my family and my career. Bruce helped alleviate a great deal of that anxiety the first time I met with him. Bruce was always accessible to help guide me through the criminal justice system and navigate through various options. His ability to return my calls and emails in a timely fashion made me feel I’m not alone in this ordeal.
I am also happy to report that Bruce’s superior negotiation strategy and ability to present facts effectively helped convince the Crown to reduce his position.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Bruce for getting my charge withdrawn and keep my criminal record clean.
A.S.,Richmond Hill, OntarioAs a clinical MSW Social Worker in private practice in the Greater Toronto Area since 1974, I have on many occasions worked as a colleague with Mr. Bruce Karten. He over the course of time has referred many clients charged with criminal activity.
When it comes to Mr. Karten, the word ‘colleague’ so appropriately fits his style of acting on behalf of his clientèle. When someone solicits Mr. Karten as his defender in the court system, this client, from my perspective, is getting one of the top criminal lawyers in Toronto and the GTA.
Although I also receive other legal referrals throughout my practice, I see Mr. Karten as a singularly competent favourite because of the way I experience him attending to each of his clients, both at a personal and a legally functional level.
When Mr. Karten refers and works with me as a psychotherapist, he knows quite well that his client is in need of some psychotherapeutic input. At this point, the practice of doing what I do joins ranks with the particular skills of his function as a criminal lawyer.
And through this collegial relationship with him, I have been educated in the legal detail that surrounds every case he presents, as well as viewed with clarity how strongly he pursues and advocates on behalf of his clients in all his dealings before the courts.
These comments represent significant and strong reasons why I have absolutely no hesitation in my recommendation of Bruce Karten as a professional, skilled and results-oriented criminal defense counsel. It is a true pleasure to have been working together with this man, joined his work with my counseling help and, often times seeing the smiles on a thankful client.
Allen Fraser, M.S.W.,(psychotherapist)Dear Mr Karten,
I wish to express my gratitude and to say thanks for having taken my case. As you well know there were criminal charges against me including assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon dangerous to the public, brought by a strange, malevolent individual.
In July 2012, when I was arrested I was afraid, stressed and felt vulnerable at the prospect of jail time, even tough I was falsely accused of these crimes.
At the time I was working and through my work, thankfully they referred me to you but I didn’t know what to expect. On the first visit, from the get go I felt confident that my case was in the hands of a capable trial lawyer and I wasn’t wrong.
Indeed, Mr Karten, I found you very proactive, approachable, easy to talk to and when I needed to ask you anything about my case you always answered promptly and answered my questions in a manner which I always understood.
I know you felt confident to go to trial and win. Your preparations would have made a crucial difference in the forum of the courtroom but you were able and skilful to secure a peace bond without the necessity of a trial or additional court appearances. The result was that all charges were withdrawn against me.
I could keep on writing and I know that just saying ‘Thank you’ is not enough and this is one of those times, but please let me say that I have a new found respect for people and trial lawyer such as you, Mr Karten.
Very Sincerely,
George H.,
NorthYork
In May of 2012 I left a relationship of 5 years that had evolved into one of emotional abuse by my ex, resulting in my decision to leave the relationship. Two days after I did, my ex met with the police and accused me of Domestic Assault Causing Bodily Harm stemming from an argument we had had 2 months earlier.
I did not know what to expect, but Bruce guided my comportment at the police station, and also counseled me on what was and was not appropriate to disclose at this time to the police. In his discussions with them, he insured that I was released on bail terms that would not in any way interfere with my life.
In fact, throughout the whole criminal court experience, Bruce ensured I understood the points of law being addressed, the bases for his decisions and how I should conduct myself in the courtroom.
We spent a couple of extensive sessions in his office where he prepared me for what to expect when I was to be questioned by him and then Crown counsel on cross-examination. We went into great detail, and practiced questions and answers so I would be confident and consistent when on trial.
Bruce exploited inconsistencies in my ex’s testimony, and having prepared me so well, when my turn came to be questioned, first by Bruce, (whose questioning strategy itself continued to guide me), and then by the Crown Attorney, I presented a logical, consistent account of the event, and as a result, received a verdict by the Judge of not guilty on all charges.. Thank you Bruce for a job exceptionally well-done.
D.R., Oshawa
Bruce Karten, my hero… Our entire family was in crisis when our adult son was charged with numerous serious criminal offenses and Mr. Karten helped us through this very difficult period. A brief summary: our son has various medical issues and was facing years in jail because he was charged with dangerous driving, trafficking in cocaine, possession of marijuana and failing to comply with bail conditions as well as other court orders. These charges were laid against him at different times over the course of about one year, with the drug matters falling under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and the others under the Criminal Code of Canada,
Mr. Karten successfully argued in a contested bail hearing to have our son released so that he could obtain medical treatment and counseling. This was a challenging task because the Crown Prosecutor and the Police were strongly against releasing him since he did not obey previous court orders and the drug charges involving cocaine made it that much more difficult. Mr. Karten formed a plan for the best possible outcome for our son, taking into consideration his future and his particular circumstances, reaching out to the medical doctors to be an integral part of the defence plan.
Mr. Karten negotiated with several Crown Prosecutors during the same period because our son’s charges were in three different jurisdictions. In one jurisdiction the negotiations had yielded a conditional sentence ( house arrest ) for the trafficking in cocaine charges but to secure this superb sentence, a last minute in-court decision was made by him to transfer the matter to another court room.since the original presiding judge was not in favour of conditional sentences. This is the type of insight Mr. Karten brings to the court room, along with his wonderful skills as an experienced criminal lawyer. In this case, it had the result of avoiding at least a period of one year in jail and the Prosecutor withdrawing several serious Criminal Code charges, including dangerous driving. Of course, this will allow my son to clear his record that much sooner.
Mr. Karten was completely straightforward in handling the case, updating us on developments, following up before court dates and was always available to answer our questions through the entire judicial process.
Bruce, our family is most grateful for your service in helping our son receive a second chance to rebuild his life, thank you.
Regards,
Max M., Toronto
I am an employee of an overseas-based firm specializing in international asset investment. A few months ago when I was back in Canada on leave, something very unpleasant happened to me. I had been charged by the police with a very serious criminal offense. Fortunately, with the amazing efforts of Bruce Karten of The Criminal Law Team, the case has been resolved. In this regard, I would like to sincerely thank The Criminal Law Team for such a completely successful outcome.
My case involved improper motor vehicle operation that amounted to an offense under the Criminal Code of Canada.. Although during police detention the Duty Counsel provided me with some brief telephone support, I understood that in order to fully protect my legal rights, I had to seek help from professional criminal lawyers. I started to search for the right one online. Finally I short-listed three law firms as their credentials stood out. The search was a totally unfamiliar experience and an unpleasant one. I did not know what it took to make a good criminal lawyer as I had had no previous encounter with one in my life. What allowed me to choose The Criminal Law Team was a lengthy meeting I had with a one of their members, Mr. Bruce Karten. During this discussion, I had the feeling that Mr. Karten was an outstanding communicator who has a profound understanding of the concerns of a person charged with a criminal offence. Within the span of the two hour meeting, a file of my case had been created (account of the incident, dialogue with the police, uncertainties etc.). His meticulousness and his ability to get to the point was far superior to the other lawyers I met.
In addition, Mr. Karten thoroughly answered all my questions and provided me with a complete picture of the relevant law and court procedure I was facing.
In the following months, we had numerous meetings (outside the courtroom after appearances and in his office) to discuss the case. We went over the information related to the case in detail many times. We discussed all possible developments in the case based on the evidence and the attitude of the police. After the initial rounds of negotiation with the police, we had made some progress – the police agreed to downgrade the charge from criminal negligence to dangerous operation of a motor vehicle. On that day we had a meeting in Mr. Karten’s office to discuss future developments..
We attended the court appearances according to schedule. We made sure sufficient time was given to negotiate with the prosecutor before a trail was set. After the final round of negotiations, Mr. Karten broke me the good news– his discussions with the Crown Attorney had reached the consensus that the nly remaining charge against me would be withdrawn. On the day of the next court appearance, the Crown Attorney did exactly that and I was completely free of the potential consequences of being found guilty of this offense – no driving license suspension, no jail and for me, what was extremely important was no criminal record whatsoever.
Because of Mr. Karten`s tireless effort and expertise, I was able to learn the lessons from this unfortunate incident and move on with my life. Thanks once again to The Criminal Law Team for so successfully resolving the criminal charge against me.