As a leading Chinese criminal defence lawyer in Toronto, Hillson Tse has defended clients from all manners of serious criminal charges ranging from violent offences such as criminal negligence causing death to white collar financial frauds. Having devoted himself solely to criminal and regulatory defence law, Hillson Tse has secured acquittals for his clients at all levels of trial court in Ontario. He focuses on the defence of impaired driving, sexual assault, and domestic violence charges.
Lawyer Profile
Hillson Tse, Chinese Criminal Defence Lawyer
Services Available in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English

An experienced trial lawyer, Hillson Tse has fought trials across courts in Ontario and has conducted over 100 criminal bail hearings. He is respected for his cross-examination and legal argument abilities- being able to effectively attack the credibility of witnesses and evidence in complex criminal prosecutions. He is also a keen negotiator and has convinced prosecutors to drop charges against his clients even on serious charges like firearms possession. In defending his clients, Hillson Tse makes use of new digital technologies and has expertise defending criminal cases involving the internet or digital evidence.
A criminal conviction for foreign nationals can result in serious consequences such as jail or deportation from Canada. Hillson Tse understands the unique challenges that foreign students, permanent residents, and immigrants face when they are charged with a criminal offence. Hillson Tse works closely with resources in the Chinese community such as doctors, counsellors, and interpreters, to ensure that his clients are fairly represented.

ABOUT
Hillson Tse is active in the Chinese legal community and is a member of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers where he participates in the Advocacy and GTA North (Markham, Richmond Hill, Vaughn, etc) committees. He is also a member of the Criminal Lawyer’s Association where he organizes legal training and programming for other criminal defence lawyers. He acts as a mentor to young law students and lawyers with several legal organizations.
Prior to his legal career, Hillson Tse worked for the United Nations in Beijing where he assisted the Deputy Country Director and contributed to rule of law and good governance projects. In law school, he was the Student Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Journal of Human Rights and won the course prize for Public International Law.
Hillson Tse is fluent in Cantonese and works with a team of interpreters to provide legal services to Mandarin speaking clients.
PRIMARY PRACTICE AREAS
- Sexual Assault
- Domestic Violence
- Impaired Driving
- Financial Fraud
UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE AND STANDING DEFENCE
An academic misconduct finding from your university or college can end your lifelong ambitions and prevent you from pursuing a professional (eg. doctor, lawyer, accountant) career. The consequences of being found guilty of academic misconduct can include expulsion, student visa ineligibility, suspension, or a course failure. Many Ontario universities allow legal representation for students facing discipline or standing hearings. If you have been accused of plagiarism or cheating at your post-secondary institution, you should not fight the accusations alone.
Hillson Tse leverages his skills as an experienced trial lawyer along with his direct experience in the student discipline and standing system to provide a complete defence for your academic misconduct case. At the University of British Columbia, he judged student academic standing appeals as part of the university governing body. He then successfully defended students from the University in their academic misconduct and standing proceedings as the head of the student rights Advocacy office.
Similar to a criminal trial, academic discipline cases require that the university prove the offence they are alleging against you. With years of trial experience cross-examining witnesses, attacking evidence, and arguing against abuses of power, Hillson Tse can expose weaknesses in the allegations and present your response to the charges. He is also a creative negotiator and can resolve academic complaints at the earliest stages, before a formal discipline procedure is started.
If you have already been found guilty of academic misconduct, Hillson Tse can help you minimize the penalty that will be imposed or review your options of an appeal at the academic institution. Don’t make decisions that can upturn your life and career without first speaking with an experienced trial lawyer like Hillson Tse. You owe it to yourself or to your child to have the best defence available when faced with academic discipline or standing hearings.
ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE
- Plagiarism
- Cheating
- Academic dishonesty
- Sexual harassment
- On-campus criminal conduct
- Appeals on academic discipline decisions
ACADEMIC STANDING
- Suspension or expulsion due to poor grades
- Removal from a Faculty or professional program (eg, MD, JD, MBA)
- Failing grades in a mandatory work placement or research thesis
- Rejection from a University or College
- Appeals on academic standing decisions
MAJOR UNIVERSITIES THAT ALLOW FOR LEGAL COUNSEL OR SUPPORT PERSON (SUBJECT TO LIMITATIONS)
- University of Toronto
- York University
- University of Waterloo
- Queen’s University
- Western University
- Ryerson University
- University of Ottawa
- University of Windsor
- Ontario College of Art and Design University
Get an experienced Criminal Defence Lawyer on your side.
Mr. Graham Zoppi is second to none in the greater Ontario area when it comes to reviewing the details of your situation and constructing the strongest possible case for your defence!