Raising the Bar

Professionally engaged, connected, and committed

Simon Borys

Simon Borys

Principal Lawyer

Simon Borys is a former police officer turned Correctional Lawyer. He regularly appears before the Parole Board of Canada, the Ontario Parole Board, the Federal Court, and the Divisional Court. He has extensive experience representing clients at all jails and prisons in Ontario in parole matters, habeas corpus applications, disciplinary court, grievances, and judicial review.

Simon is a Board Member of the Canadian Prison Law Association and Chair of the Association’s Advocacy Committee. He has represented the Canadian Prison Law Association at the Supreme Court, most recently in Chhina v Canada (Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness), 2019 SCC 29, on the scope of habeas corpus, and R v Bissonnette, 2022 SCC 23, on the constitutionality of stacked life sentences

Simon regularly lectures to other lawyers and law students on correctional law.

Education
  • Juris Doctor (Queen’s University Law School)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Legal Studies and Criminology (St. Jerome’s University & University of Waterloo)
Associations
  • Canadian Prison Law Association (Board Member and Chair of Advocacy Committee)
  • Criminal Lawyers’ Association
Publications and Speaking Engagements
  • Presentation on parole (Alberta Prison Justice Society/Legal Aid Alberta), 2021
  • Provincial vs Federal Custody – article in For the Defence magazine, vol. 41, no. 4 (2021)
  • Presentation on parole and correctional law (Law and Mental Disorder Association, 2021)
  • Presentation on parole, temporary release, and COVID-19 (Toronto Lawyer’s Association, 2021)
  • Panelist on corrections panel (Criminal Lawyers Association Recent Call Conference, 2020)
  • Presentation on temporary absences and parole during COVID-19 (Legal Aid Ontario, 2020)
  • Presentation on alternative release remedies (Nikki Knows, 2020)
  • Panelist – Bail, Parole, and Prisoners (Ontario Bar Association, 2020)
  • A Practical Guide to Correctional Law – paper presented at the DCAO/CCLA annual conference in Montebello, QC (2019)
  • Creative Uses of Habeas Corpus – paper and talk presented at the Canadian Prison Law Conference in Halifax, NS (2018)
  • Panelist – Sentencing and Correctional Law (Criminal Lawyers Association Recent Call Conference, 2017)
  • Training for Correctional Service of Canada officers on arrest authorities, use of force authorities, riots, and right to counsel (2015)