Introduction
A combined 75 years of courtroom experience across all levels of British Columbia’s court system sets Marshall Massey Alberto apart from most law firms practicing on Vancouver Island. Operating from its office at 1519 Amelia Street in Victoria, British Columbia, the firm has built a reputation that extends well beyond the city: its lawyers are well-known to Crown Counsel and to judges throughout the Island, a product of appearing in court on nearly every working day. That constant courtroom presence is not incidental. It reflects the firm’s commitment to active, litigation-ready advocacy for every client it takes on.
The firm handles criminal defence cases ranging from the least serious property offences to murder, as well as family law, professional discipline matters, and a specialized practice representing pharmacies in PharmaCare audits. Confidential consultations are free, flexible payment plans are available, and the firm maintains 24-hour, seven-day-a-week availability for clients who need urgent assistance.
Phone: 250-920-0144. Website: ameliastreetlawyers.com.
Practice Areas
Criminal Defence
Marshall Massey Alberto’s criminal defence practice covers the full range of charges that come before British Columbia courts. From mischief and property offences at one end of the spectrum to aggravated assault, sexual assault, and murder at the other, the firm brings the same intensity of preparation and courtroom presence to each file. The attorneys at the firm know the prosecutors and judges who appear in courts across Vancouver Island not from reputation but from repeated direct interaction, and that familiarity is a genuine practical advantage in litigation.
Immediate roadside prohibition appeals are a specific area of focus. These matters carry a strict seven-day deadline from the date of the prohibition, and clients who miss that window permanently lose their right to contest the prohibition. The firm is structured to respond quickly to these situations.
Family Law
Roberto Alberto leads the family law team at Marshall Massey Alberto. His practice covers child custody and child support proceedings, as well as matters involving the Ministry of Children and Family Development. He appears in both BC Supreme Court and BC Provincial Court, giving the firm the capacity to handle family law matters at whatever judicial level the situation requires.
Ministry of Children and Family Development proceedings, in particular, demand swift and experienced advocacy. When the Ministry seeks to remove a child from a parent’s care or restrict contact, the timeline is compressed and the stakes are as serious as any matter in the family law system. Roberto Alberto’s courtroom experience in these proceedings is a central part of the firm’s value to clients facing those situations.
Professional Discipline
The firm represents professionals facing regulatory and disciplinary proceedings. These proceedings differ from criminal court in their procedures and standards, but the consequences, including suspension or loss of a professional license, can be career-ending. Marshall Massey Alberto brings its courtroom experience to bear in these forums, providing the same level of preparation and advocacy that it applies to criminal and family matters.
PharmaCare Audit Representation
Marshall Massey Alberto has years of experience representing pharmacies subjected to PharmaCare audits in British Columbia. These audits can result in substantial repayment demands, and the firm has achieved significant reductions in those amounts for its pharmacy clients. This is a specialized area that requires understanding of both the regulatory framework governing pharmacy practice and the audit and appeal procedures specific to the PharmaCare program.
Attorney Profiles
Roberto Alberto leads the family law practice at the firm. His work spans child custody, child support, and Ministry of Children and Family Development proceedings in both Supreme and Provincial Court levels. He also contributes to the firm’s criminal defence and leadership responsibilities alongside his family law focus.
Partners Massey and Alberto jointly lead the firm and share responsibility for criminal defence and overall firm direction. Their combined experience, along with that of the broader team, constitutes the 75-plus years of collective practice that the firm has accumulated across all levels of BC courts.
The firm’s attorneys are not occasional courtroom participants. They appear before judges nearly every day, making them known figures in the Victoria and Vancouver Island legal communities and giving their advocacy a credibility that comes from sustained, visible presence.
Notable Case Results
The firm’s track record includes several matters that demonstrate the breadth and seriousness of its criminal defence work.
In R. v. M.D. (Nanaimo Registry), a client facing two counts of aggravated assault was detained prior to the firm’s involvement. After Marshall Massey Alberto took over the representation, the client was released. That outcome, achieved in a serious assault matter, reflects the firm’s ability to shift the trajectory of cases that appeared to be moving in the wrong direction.
In R. v. R.Z. (Courtenay Registry), the firm obtained a not guilty verdict for a client charged with sexual assault. Sexual assault charges in BC carry significant potential consequences, and a not guilty verdict at trial represents full vindication for the client.
In MCFD v. S.F. (Victoria Registry), a child was returned to a parent following a two-day contested presentation hearing. Ministry of Children and Family Development proceedings move quickly and the hearings are adversarial. Securing the return of a child at that early stage required focused, effective advocacy in a compressed timeframe.
Location and Service Area
Marshall Massey Alberto operates from 1519 Amelia Street in Victoria, British Columbia. The firm’s geographic reach extends throughout Vancouver Island. The firm’s attorneys are regularly present in courts across the Island, including in Victoria, Nanaimo, and Courtenay, as reflected in the case registries cited in its notable results.
For matters requiring immediate attention, including immediate roadside prohibition appeals subject to the seven-day deadline, the firm’s 24-hour, seven-day availability ensures clients can reach legal counsel without delay.
Phone: 250-920-0144. Website: ameliastreetlawyers.com.
Client Focus
The firm works with clients across a wide spectrum of criminal, family, and regulatory matters. Free consultations and flexible payment plans make the firm accessible to clients in a range of financial circumstances. The 24-hour availability policy is particularly relevant for clients facing urgent situations: an arrest, an immediate roadside prohibition, or a Ministry of Children and Family Development intervention does not happen on a schedule that respects office hours.
The firm’s sustained courtroom presence, repeated appearances before the same Crown Counsel and judges throughout Vancouver Island, means clients are represented by lawyers who operate in these courts as familiar and experienced practitioners, not occasional visitors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an immediate roadside prohibition (IRP) and how quickly must I act?
An IRP is an administrative driving prohibition that BC police can issue following a roadside sobriety demand. The appeal deadline is seven days from the date of the prohibition. Missing that deadline removes the right to contest the prohibition. If you have received an IRP, contacting the firm immediately is essential.
Does the firm represent clients outside Victoria?
Yes. Marshall Massey Alberto’s attorneys appear in courts throughout Vancouver Island, including in Nanaimo, Courtenay, and other communities across the Island.
What is involved in a PharmaCare audit, and how can the firm help?
PharmaCare audits of pharmacies can result in demands for repayment of dispensing fees and drug costs. The firm represents pharmacies through the audit and appeal process and has achieved substantial reductions in repayment amounts for its clients. The process is technical and requires knowledge of both pharmacy regulations and the audit procedures administered by PharmaCare.
Can the firm handle Ministry of Children and Family Development matters?
Yes. Roberto Alberto has direct experience in MCFD proceedings in both Supreme and Provincial Court, including contested presentation hearings where the return of a child to a parent was at issue.
Are payment plans available?
Yes. The firm offers flexible payment plans for clients who need them. Initial consultations are free.
Closing
Seventy-five combined years of BC court experience, a daily presence before Island judges and Crown Counsel, and a track record of results in criminal, family, and regulatory proceedings: these are the foundations of Marshall Massey Alberto’s practice. For clients who need a law firm that is ready to be in court tomorrow and experienced enough to make a difference when it gets there, this Victoria-based team offers the kind of practical, courtroom-tested advocacy that cannot be replicated by reputation alone.
Marshall Massey Alberto is located at 1519 Amelia Street, Victoria, British Columbia. Phone: 250-920-0144. Website: ameliastreetlawyers.com.