Peter Adourian (BA, 2011)

After graduating from Tyndale with a BA in History, Peter attended law school at the University of Windsor in a unique joint degree program where he earned Canadian and American law degrees. While in law school, Peter represented indigent US army veterans in disability benefits claims. He recently completed his Masters in Law at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto and practises law in a criminal defence firm.

Before becoming a criminal defence lawyer, Peter had not really encountered the reality of poverty. Issues related to addiction, mental health, living with violence and uncertainty are common themes in the lives of many of his clients.

As a criminal defence lawyer, his services are often limited when it comes to providing additional help beyond his profession to those who need it most. More recently, the law society has become aware of the holistic needs of clients and the role lawyers can play in directing them to the necessary resources they need, such as shelters or counselling services in the community. Peter knows he has a specific responsibility. “Excellence is something that I think each one of my clients deserves from me. The way I approach my practice, a lot of it is influenced by my faith and my faith informs my practice,” he notes.