Neil P. Steen
Lawyer
he/himNeil Steen is a partner at Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP, practising in civil litigation with a focus on regulatory enforcement, professional discipline, administrative law, family law and criminal defence.
Profile
Neil Steen is a partner at Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP, practising in civil litigation with a focus on regulatory enforcement, professional discipline, administrative law, family law and criminal defence. His practice also includes quasi-criminal and criminal-adjacent matters, including protection orders and peace bonds.
He advises and represents individuals, professionals, and organizations in regulatory investigations, enforcement proceedings, and prosecutions involving municipal, provincial, and federal legislation. His practice includes matters arising from government oversight, licensing, and compliance regimes, where he provides strategic, trial-ready counsel in high-stakes situations.
Neil has extensive courtroom experience, having appeared before all levels of court in Manitoba and the Supreme Court of Canada.
Prior to returning to his private practice at TDS, Neil served for 13 years as a Crown Attorney with the Department of Justice, where he prosecuted a wide range of criminal and regulatory matters. He brings a practical understanding of how government and regulatory authorities investigate, assess, and advance enforcement actions.
He was called to the Bar in 2010 and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theatre from the University of Manitoba and an LLB from York University
Additional Information
Bachelor of Laws, 2009, University of Manitoba
Bachelor of Fine Arts, 2002, York University
Manitoba, 2010
Faculty of Law, Robson Hall
- Recipient, The Elizabeth Thomson Advocacy Award
- Valedictorian
- Recipient, D’Arcy McCaffrey Prize for Advanced Advocacy
- Recipient, Western Canada Moot Award for Best Cross-Examination
- Recipient, A.J. Christie Prize for Advocacy
- Recipient, Hon. Archie S. Dewar Award for Advocacy
- Winner, Solomon Greenberg Moot Court Competition
Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre & Manitoba Bar Association
- Joint theatrical production (2011-2016, 2018)
- Board Member (2013-2016)
Guest Teaching and Advocacy Contributions
- Guest Advocacy Coach, Solomon Greenberg Moot Competition, Robson Hall (2025 & 2026)
- Guest Lecturer, Advanced Criminal Law, Faculty of Law, Robson Hall (2014 & 2015)
- Guest Lecturer, Advocacy, Faculty of Law, Robson Hall (2014)
- Guest Lecturer, Negotiations, Faculty of Law, Robson Hall (2014)
Neil has given many presentations relevant to Advocacy, Police investigations and Court Testimony and has spoken on the following issues and topics:
- Court Preparation & Testifying as an Affiant
- Writing Gang Expert Reports
- Firearms Investigations
- Statements, Confessions & Right to Counsel
Neil has also given presentations on the following topics:
- Post-Offence Conduct
- Sentencing
- Res Gestae Hearsay Exception
- Search Warrants
- Impaired Driving
- Article04|25|2025
We live in interesting times. The Director of the Consumer Fairness and Market Fairness Division of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (the “CFIA”) recently spoke at a conference on safe… Learn More
- Article07|17|2024
Historically, food in Canada has been regulated under an array of statutes, including the Food and Drugs Act, the Fish Inspection Act, the Meat Inspection Act, and so on. In… Learn More
- Article03|08|2024
It can happen to anyone. It doesn’t take much to turn a routine traffic stop into a criminal investigation because police are always on the lookout for signs of consumption… Learn More
