Steven Tress, Immigration Lawyer - Criminal Defence

A Canadian Immigration Lawyer and a Criminal Lawyer with a practice in downtown Toronto, Steven graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1986 and was called to the bar in Ontario in 1988.

With over 36 years experience, Steven represents clients in all types of immigration matters, both inside and outside Canada, as well as appeals from various types of decisions of Citizenship and Immigration Canada or the Canada Border Services Agency to the Federal Court of Canada, and the Federal Court of Appeal.

Steven represents clients charged with all types of criminal offences and conducts trials in all levels of courts, as well as conviction and/or sentence appeals. He also represents clients at bail hearings, bail reviews and bail pending appeal.

Steven is currently serving part-time as Adjunct Instructor at Queen’s University in the Immigration and Citizenship Law Graduate Diploma Program, which is a licensing prerequisite to becoming a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant. He is a member of the Toronto Lawyers Association and has been active with various sections and committees of the Canadian Bar Association (Ontario), including:

• Criminal Justice Section Executive
• Immigration Law Section
• Joint Committee on Court Reform
• Advisory Committee to the Attorney General of Ontario
• Annual Institute Committee
• Continuing Legal Education Committee

Steven has lectured for various Criminal Law and Immigration Law programs, as well as served as a Course Instructor at Seneca Polytechnic’s Immigration Case Management Program, Academy of Learning Immigration Consultant Program, Herzing College’s Paralegal Program and the Law Society of Upper Canada’s Bar Admission Course.

During his career, Steven has travelled to several countries to personally meet with clients and assist them in the preparation of applications under the entrepreneurial programs and self-employed category, including China/Hong Kong, Vietnam, India, Thailand, South Korea, Guyana, Jamaica, and Cuba. While sifting through mounds of business records at the clients’ places of business and working with KPMG – a leading accounting firm – in the preparation of business reports to support their applications, Steven has gained insight into how various countries conduct business affairs, and how such acumen can benefit the Canadian business environment.

Jane Li is an experienced legal professional with a diverse background in law, specializing in immigration policy. She holds a Juris Master’s degree from Liaoning University and has been licensed as a lawyer in Mainland China since 1999.

She is licensed in Canada by the Law Society of Ontario as a Paralegal and is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant, bringing nine years of immigration experience to the table.

Fluent in English and Mandarin, Jane is well-equipped to serve a diverse clientele and navigate complex legal matters with ease. She is currently on track to becoming a fully licensed lawyer in Canada through the National Committee on Accreditation and has successfully passed 9 out of 10 exams to date, demonstrating her dedication to the field and her commitment to those she serves.

Jane has become an integral part of the planning, strategy and execution of navigating clients through what can be difficult times.

Tracy is a Juris Doctor and Master of Social Work candidate at the University of Windsor. She obtained her Honours Bachelor of Arts at McMaster University studying Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour (Music Cognition Specialization).

Passionate about social justice and advocacy, Tracy’s legal interests include immigration and refugee law, human rights, and policies affecting marginalized communities. She recognizes the intersection between legal representation and social support and is interested in how law and social policy shape access to justice. Through legal research, policy analysis, and advocacy, Tracy aims to promote equity and systemic change.

At our firm, keeping up with recent developments in the law and procedures is essential to providing quality representation and ensuring desirable results.

Client communication is important to us. If we are not available to speak with you personally when you call, you may leave a detailed and confidential message and we will return your call within 24 hours. In urgent cases, we will return your call on a priority basis.
 

Simran Soi1737077637 ★★★★★ I can't express how I grateful I am to Steven and Jane for all their hard work and dedication to make sure everything is done accurately and to the law. I love how meticulous and organized they are. They always answered all my questions (no matter how many I asked) and I always felt supported. I would 1000% encourage anyone who needs immigration services to hire this team. Even my friends who I have referred love their services.刘琪1736875834 ★★★★★ My family (my wife, daughter, and I) found ourselves in an incredibly stressful situation when we were issued removal orders by the immigration authorities for not meeting our residency obligations. It felt like an uphill battle, but thankfully, we had Steven, his assistant Jane, and our translator Gerrie by our side.Steven and his team demonstrated outstanding professionalism, dedication, and expertise throughout the entire process. Over the course of more than five months, they worked tirelessly to prepare a strong appeal for us, organizing and compiling over 1,300 pages of supporting documents. Their attention to detail, strategic approach, and genuine care made all the difference in our case.Thanks to their hard work and persistence, we successfully won our IAD appeal. We are deeply grateful for their support during one of the most challenging times of our lives. If you are looking for a compassionate, knowledgeable, and highly professional legal team, I cannot recommend Steven and his team enough. They truly changed our lives!Alex1733870537 ★★★★★ Steven Tress is an excellent lawyer and has my strongest recommendation.Awais Mehmood1724495502 ★★★★★ Best Immigration and Criminal Lawyer in GTA having more than 27 years of Practice; you can count on him and he should fight for your rights; I strongly recommend him and pledged to visit him atleast once as a second opinion and i believe you will feel your self in safe hands.Thank you, Steven, for your services to the diverse communities in GTA and Canada.Joseph M. S.1724371556 ★★★★★ I can't thank lawyer Steven and his assistant Jane enough for their incredible work on my complex case. My situation seemed hopeless after several immigration lawyers advised me to give up and return. But Steven was the only one who reassured me that there was no need to worry, and he delivered results. Thanks to his expertise, I regained my status in Canada and finally received my permanent residency!Steven is extremely knowledgeable and professional—he answers every question promptly and keeps you informed every step of the way. Jane is also exceptional; she’s organized, efficient, and always supportive. I would highly recommend him to anyone dealing with complicated criminal and immigration issues in Canada. If you need someone who truly understands both areas of law, Steven is the best of the best!Roven Surendra1724329915 ★★★★★ Was deported an him an him an his staff help me got a visa to visit my family in Canada.Jande Tarfa1718121285 ★★★★★ After applying for a study permit for three times without success, I met Steven and my application was approved within 6 weeks of submitting my application.During the application process, Steven and his team were very meticulous and detailed with my application. I am grateful to Steven Tress & team for their professionalism. I will highly recommend for anyone facing immigration hurdles to meet Steven Tress and his team for a professional advice.ilval vasavada1715724386 ★★★★★ I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Steven and his team for supporting with my citizenship application and completion very quickly. Steven is very professional knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommend!Ruthvika Salian1706563936 ★★★★★ Working with Mr. Tress and his team has been an exceptional experience. The process of obtaining permits was smooth, and their professionalism and efficiency were evident throughout. Alice's assistance was particularly noteworthy, and her friendly demeanor made the entire process pleasant. I highly recommend Steven Tress for legal services. Thank you!Theresa Natalie1704684259 ★★★★★ Thanks to Steven Tress and his team, my family is now finally reunited in Canada. This would not have been possible without Steven Tress and his team's help. Throughout an unusually complicated immigration process, his expertise, integrity and efficiency were exceptional and we are extremely grateful and highly recommend him. His knowledge of immigration law is paramount to any other immigration lawyers we consulted throughout a complicated and lengthy process. Communication was always direct, realistic and resulted in a positive outcome. Thank you so much!Wanda Tse1703799634 ★★★★★ I needed someone GOOD in the immigration area for my good friends, a married couple. It's not a simple case. They worked and lived in Canada legally for over 3 years, and was promised permanent residence but at the end, immigration didn't go through as promised by their employer, and they had to return to Switzerland.I first found a law firm on Bay Street, someone had mentioned it. I phoned and was told $250 was the consultation fee. Then I was transferred to another receptionist and it had gone up to $275. All they wanted was money! So business like, so uncaring.When I briefly explained about the case, she was already offering legal advice. Then she wanted $275 before she would book an appointment with a lawyer. She made sure I heard from her that their law firm occupies the entire 28th floor in that building on Bay Street! What's the relevance here?Anyway, then I thought I really should research more and then I came up with Steven Tress. I read all the good reviews and there was only one bad one (and I am not so sure about that bad one, just the way it was written, even before I contacted Steven).I phoned and he answered the phone! I asked many initial questions, all he answered promptly and courteously, without rushing me, without ever asking for money whatsoever.It was only when I suggested it was time for him to do a proper consultation with the couple directly via e-mail, that, and so reasonably so, that he said his charge was $200 (much cheaper) and at the end of very many e-mails, from my friends, and more from me, all their/my questions were fully answered to the finest details! Never met Steven but he would be my immigration lawyer from now on. I would highly recommend him. Steven is the best immigration lawyer, and one with a heart, and not just money-minded.In my life, I have different specialist individuals who bless me with their assistance: I have a great person in each of these fields: a GP lawyer, a GP doctor, a Chartered Accountant, a psychiatrist, a travel agent, an insurance agent, etc. And now I added Steven to my list of immigration (and God forbids, a criminal) lawyer!!