Mark Ertel

First Year of Call

Areas of Practice
Criminal Law

Description
Mr. Ertel is a Past President of the Defense Counsel Association of Ottawa. In that position, he met with judges, prosecutors and court staff to streamline local procedures and resolve disputes, lobbied the government about law reform and planned education programs for Eastern Ontario lawyers.

Mark Ertel has been at Bayne Sellar Ertel Macrae since he began his articles in 1990. He was called to the bar in 1992 and has been a criminal defense lawyer ever since. In 1999, he became a partner in the firm. He is certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a specialist in criminal law. In his 30 years of experience, Mr. Ertel has successfully defended virtually every type of criminal case including theft, fraud, weapons offences, partner assault, drug offences, proceeds of crime, robbery, arson, impaired driving and other driving offences, manslaughter, murder and terrorism. He has also successfully defended people charged with provincial, “quasi-criminal” offences such as wrongful death charges contrary to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, environmental offences and Worker Safety Insurance Board offences, as well as offences against the Canada Labour Code.

Mark Ertel has lectured on criminal law at the Bar Admission Course and Continuing Education programs of the Law Society of Upper Canada. He was the co-chair of the annual Defence Counsel Association fall conferences at the Chateau Montebello from 2006 to 2009. He has lectured law students at the University of Ottawa and criminology students at Carleton University. Mr. Ertel has also participated in education programs for young lawyers and Judges of the East Region. He retired from the position of President of the Defence Counsel Association of Ottawa in 2009 after serving two terms.