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About

Dahlem Criminal Defence

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Professional History

I am a criminal defence lawyer based in Calgary, Alberta. I was called to the bar in Saskatchewan in 2001. I started practicing law in Alberta in 2003 and was called to the bar here in 2004. Since 2006, I have practised only criminal law.

After receiving my law degree in 2000, I articled with a large commercial and corporate firm in Saskatoon. I also worked there as an associate, practising mainly in civil litigation.

In 2003, I joined a small law firm in Canmore, Alberta. I practised family, civil and criminal law throughout the Bow Valley. 

In 2006, I started my own criminal defence law firm in Canmore. Since 2009, my main office has been in Calgary. From Calgary, I serve clients throughout Alberta.

I am a fluent French speaker, and one of very few lawyers in Alberta who has conducted trials in French. Through translators, I have also conducted trials for clients who speak other languages.

I am a dedicated negotiator and a successful trial lawyer. I started training in public speaking and debating as a teenager, and won both English and French competitions into university.

I have decades of experience in critical thinking, and in thinking on my feet. I use all my skill to get favourable outcomes for my clients, both in court and out.

Education & Achievements

While going to university in Ottawa, I worked for two years as a Page in the Senate of Canada. I was heavily involved with intercollegiate debate, serving in various executive positions with the English Debating Society at the University of Ottawa.

In 1996, I was chairman of the organizing committee of the Canadian University Society for Intercollegiate Debate National Championships. I also worked for the United Nations Association on the 50th-anniversary celebrations of the United Nations.

I moved back to Saskatoon to attend law school. In 1999, I was a member of the University of Saskatchewan College of Law team that won first place in the Western Canada Trial Moot Competition. Shortly after that win, our team competed at the national Sopinka Moot Competition, where we placed second.

“Mooters Marvin Klassen, Tyson Dahlem, Sandeep Dhir, and Will Clements with the Malcolm M. MacIntyre Memorial Cup. Missing from the photograph: coach Bill Roe. First place, followed by a second place at the Sopinka Moot, with only five weeks of practice.”

Source - On Campus News, Volume 6, No. 12. University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK. March 12, 1999.

In 2000, I competed in the Laskin Moot, where my teammate and I were undefeated in our competition rounds. The Laskin Moot is an appellate moot on an issue of administrative and regulatory law. It is a bilingual competition and I competed in French.

Also in 2000, I received a scholarship from the Center for Studies in Agriculture, Law, and Economics from the University of Saskatchewan that sent me to Jönköping, Sweden. I studied law and economics at the Internationella Handelshögskolan (Jönköping International Business School).

Member of an Association of Independent Law Firms

While I am the practice owner of Dahlem Criminal Defence, my firm is also affiliated with Dunn & Associates and Alberta Criminal Defence Lawyers.

We are an association of three independent law practices that have been working together for over a decade. We are based in Calgary. The principal criminal lawyers in our association are Greg Dunn, Matt Deshaye, Vince Semenuk, Joel Chevrefils, and me, Tyson Dahlem.

As an affiliated group of criminal law firms, we share office space, legal staff, and professional support. We also have different areas of expertise in criminal law and will refer clients to each other if appropriate. We will also work on files together to give the best possible service to our clients.

We are experienced defence lawyers. We have defended every charge in the Criminal Code, from murder to computer crime and sexual assault. We also offer bilingual services, in English and French.

Personal

Born and raised in Saskatchewan, I moved to Alberta in 2003. I’ve been lucky to live in Canmore the whole time, but I represent clients all across Alberta. I love the mountains for skiing, hiking, and bicycling.

The mountain scenery is spectacular and I am an avid photographer of all things Alberta—most of the photos on my website are mine. I live in Canmore with my family, though my main office is in Calgary to better serve my clients.

Memberships and Ratings

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