peter@cslitigation.ca
778.227.8077
Peter is recognized as one of B.C.’s leading dispute resolution lawyers.
Peter is a trial lawyer, appellate advocate, negotiator, and mediator.
In 2022, at just 38 years old and after only 12 years of practice, Peter was appointed King’s Counsel (formerly Queen’s Counsel) by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General for British Columbia. This honorary title recognizes exceptional professional merit, contribution, integrity and character. Peter is one of the very youngest King’s Counsel appointees in British Columbia’s history.
After law school at the University of Toronto, Peter clerked for Chief Justice Lance Finch at the B.C. Court of Appeal. He then joined one of BC’s leading litigation firms, Nathanson, Schachter & Thompson LLP, where he spent 14 years (7 as a partner) learning his craft from some of the province’s best trial and appellate counsel.
Recognizing that litigation can be stressful, time-consuming, and expensive, Peter works tirelessly and fiercely to protect his clients’ reputational, business, and litigation interests both inside and outside of the courtroom.
Peter combines a strong facility with the law, creative problem solving, tactical insight, practicality, experienced judgment, and an understanding of conflict dynamics and psychology, to advocate on his clients’ behalf.
When in court, Peter draws from a wealth of experience and skills developed during many long and hard-fought trials and appeals. He is recognized as a formidable cross-examiner and advocate, and has taught other lawyers cross-examination techniques and advocacy.
For example, Peter was retained on an urgent basis to represent former B.C. Solicitor General Kash Heed in the Cullen Commission on money laundering, a brief which involved first seeking standing and then cross-examining a former RCMP officer on very short timelines.
Peter’s counsel work was reported in the media as follows:
“The officer-in-charge of the RCMP’s now disbanded integrated illegal gaming enforcement team from 2005 until December 2007, Pinnock was pummelled over his allegations under cross-examination by Heed’s lawyer Peter Senkpiel Tuesday at British Columbia’s public inquiry into money laundering. ... For two hours, Senkpiel verbally hammered Pinnock, who complained about the stress of testifying, insisting over and over again that his memory of what happened more than a decade ago was correct”; and
“[Former BC Solicitor General Kash Heed’s] lawyer Peter Senkpiel savaged Pinnock’s testimony and said the ex-cop was angry over the end of his RCMP career — his testimony “made up on the spot,” “not reliable … not consistent … not credible.”
In addition to his commercial practice, Peter is often retained in difficult matters affecting the legal profession and the public. In A.B. v. C.D., he was appellate counsel for an intervenor in an appeal dealing with informed consent under the Infants Act in the context of transgender healthcare. He regularly acts for the Law Society of British Columbia both as discipline counsel and on appeal. He was appellate counsel for the LSBC in Walkom v LSBC, a case addressing important questions about statutory immunities and whether a duty of care is owed by the Law Society.
Peter is the former editor of the often-cited B.C. Civil Appeal Handbook.
Peter is a trained mediator (Harvard’s Mediating Disputes program, 2021).
Peter is a former director on the Board of the Vancouver International Arbitration Center.
Peter is a former adjunct professor at UBC Law (2012-2019) teaching restitution and currently an adjunct professor at UBC Law teaching Ethics and Professional Responsibility.
Perhaps most impactfully, Peter uses his prominent place in the profession and advocacy skills to speak in a refreshing, candid, vulnerable, and constructive way to young litigators about the mental health challenges that so many lawyers face with anxiety, depression, and/or neurodivergence.
Recognition
Benchmark Litigation Canada:
Shortlisted for the British Columbia Litigator of the Year Award in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Winner of an Impact Case Award for Pirani v Pirani, from Benchmark Litigation Canada, 2021.
Litigation Star, 2020-present.
In their 2024 commentary, Benchmark stated: “Peter Senkpiel, who a peer declares is “really getting out there and building his reputation in the market,” has illustrated substance to this claim with several pieces of commercial litigation. Senkpiel acts for the plaintiffs in connection with their claim against the defendants for, inter alia, breach of fiduciary duty relating to real estate ventures in Vancouver and Prince George. The plaintiffs invested millions into the projects by providing funds to the defendant corporations, and they allege that the defendants used those funds for their personal benefit, including to fund other side projects and their lifestyles. Senkpiel also acts for the plaintiff in an appeal by the defendant from a decision granting judgment regarding players in the bitcoin industry.”
In their 2022 commentary, Benchmark stated: “Peter Senkpiel received high acclaim from peers.” A client describes Peter as “outstanding as the legal representative on my matter and is definitely in the top tier of lawyers I have dealt with over the past 40 years. [He is] Extremely knowledgeable as it pertained to my position, circumstances, and standing. Over the many years of my involvement in the administration and enforcement of laws, I have not come across a lawyer who was so committed to ensuring that my interests were protected and represented.”
In their 2021 commentary Benchmark stated: “Peter Senkpiel is another younger partner seeing a steady ascent in profile.” A peer notes, “‘Peter is getting a lot of buzz around town right now, doing good Law Society work…I do get a bit jealous when I see his name on things.'”
In their 2020 commentary, Benchmark stated: “Peter Senkpiel is observed by peers as someone who ‘will be moving into the upper echelons at that firm. He is a good guy to litigate opposite of. He’s difficult, creative, advances things and puts up a good fight, which I find very fun’.”
“40 & Under Hot List,” 2018-2022.
Ranked in Corporate Commercial Litigation.
Leading Lawyers Under 40 Award winner, 2020 (at age 35)
Leading practitioner in Corporate & Commercial Litigation.
Leading individual for dispute resolution in British Columbia, 2024.
In their 2022 commentary, The Legal 500 describes Peter as a “key figure among the next generation of top counsel”.
Scholarship/Teaching
Editor, Civil Appeal Handbook (regularly cited; eg 2018 BCCA 436).
Adding Some Curb Appeal, (re new CA act/rules), Advocate, 2021.
Three’s a Crowd: Third-Party Litigation Funding, Class Action Review, 2009.
“Evidence”, Annual Review, 2009-2015.
Adjunct Professor, UBC, Ethics and Professional Responsibility, 2025-present.
Adjunct Professor, UBC, Restitution, 2012-19.
Guest Lecturer, UBC Ethics, Conflicts.
CLE panellist and presenter:
Mental Health/Practice Issues, Litigation Junioring, 2020/2022.
Constructive Trusts, 2021.
Co-Chair, Restitution, 2014/2019.
Minority Oppression, Commercial Litigation, 2019.
Pre-Trial Injunctions, 2019.
Commencing Appeals, 2022.
Cross-Examination, Kelowna Bar, September 2022.
Chair, Appellate Practice (New Rules and Act), Fall 2022.
Appellate Advocacy, upcoming 2025
Founding Co-Chair Appellate Advocacy, CBABC, 2013-2018.
Education/Work
JD, University of Toronto, 2009.
Clerkship to Finch CJBC, BCCA, 2009-10.
Called to the B.C. Bar, 2010.
Nathanson, Schachter & Thompson, Partner, 2018-2025.
Harvard Mediating Disputes, 2021.
Crabtree + Senkpiel Litigation LLP, 2025-present.
Cases of Interest:
Cullen Commission, Counsel for former Solicitor General Heed, 2020-2022.
Counsel for the defendant, Couturier, in Hallat v. Couturier, 2024 BCSC 901.
Counsel for the defendants (including Hyfluence Systems Corp.) in Powertech Labs Inc. v. Das, 2023 BCSC 1187.
Appeal counsel for the Northwest Organics respondents, in Northwest Organics, LP v. Maguire, 2014 BCCA 454.
A.B. v. C.D., 2020 BCCA 11
Appellate counsel for an intervenor, the Canadian Professional Association for Transgender Health, in an appeal dealing, in part, with informed consent under the Infants Act in the context of transgender healthcare.
Ming Sun Benevolent Society v Philippine Women Centre of B.C., 2020 BCSC 423 Lead counsel for the Ming Sun Benevolent Society in successfully setting aside a default judgment. The Society has been working to redevelop its building, located in Vancouver’s historic Chinatown, into low-cost social housing, with financial assistance from the BC Housing Management Commission. The judgment creditors had sought damages of over $3,000,000. This result allows the Society to continue to pursue development. NST continues to represent the Society in the dispute.
Spirit Bay Limited Partnership (Beecher Bay First Nation) (2021 BCSC 1414) (appeal from arbitration award re reserve development).
Pirani v Pirani, 2020 BCSC 974
Acting as lead counsel throughout the litigation and trial, Peter acted in a case involving allegations of breach of trust arising from the winding up of one of four family trusts that held significant assets, including hotel properties in BC and the United States. The trial lasted four weeks and involved over 10 days of cross-examination of the defendants by Mr. Senkpiel. In a judgment released June 30, 2020, the trustees were found to have acted in bad faith and to have breached their fiduciary duties. Disgorgement was ordered.
72-day complex civil trial, Mayer (2018 BCSC 8).
Counsel for a former Telus executive, Golberg, inTelus v. Golberg, 2018 BCSC 1825, resisting an injunction brought by Telus.
Counsel for the plaintiffs in Derencinovic v. 7 West Homes Ltd., 2024 BCSC 2090.
Appeal counsel for Nelson in Gokturk v. Nelson, 2023 BCCA 164.
Supreme Court of Canada, co-counsel:
McCormick v. Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, 2014 SCC 39
Co-counsel for a leading national law firm before the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada in relation to a former partner’s human rights age discrimination complaint. McCormick was listed by Lexpert magazine as one of the top 10 business cases of 2014.
Sun-Rype Products Ltd. v. Archer Daniels Midland and Others, 2013 SCC 58
Co-counsel for one of the defendants before the Supreme Court of Canada in a class proceeding alleging a conspiracy to fix prices in the sale and distribution of high-fructose corn syrup. Sun-Rye was part of the Supreme Court’s “Class Action Trilogy,” and listed by Lexpert as one of the “Top Ten Cases of 2013.”
Niemela v. Google (precedent setting case for Google; claim struck; Google not publisher of material in search results).
Behan. Plaintiff’s co-counsel (pro-bono 18-day civil jury sexual assault trial).
Counsel for Green Power Design in DeltaQ Technologies Corp. v. Pylon International Limited, 2020 BCSC 2059.
Counsel for Giuffre in Giuffre v. Nevada Copper Corporation, 2017 BCSC 1658.
Counsel for Lettuce Eatery Development Inc. (parent company of Freshii) in Houm Services Inc. v. Lettuce Eatery Development Inc., 2020 BCSC 430.
Counsel for Reliable Mortgages Investment Corp., in Vancouver City Savings Credit Union v. Bui, 2022 BCSC 2165.
Northwest Organics Limited Partnership (2014 BCCA 454) (appeal re defamation, civil procedure, and alleged SLAPP litigation).
DNM Systems Ltd (2015 BCSC 2014) (setting aside domestic arbitration award because arbitrator exceeded jurisdiction by adding non-parties to arbitration).
Co-counsel for Reservoir Minerals Inc. in Canaccord Genuity Corp. v. Reservoir Minerals Inc., 2018 BCSC 674.
International PBX Ventures Ltd. (2015 BCSC 302) (defending breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and counterclaiming for breach of fiduciary duty).
DaKow Ventures Ltd. v Daski Contracting Ltd., 2018 BCSC 2016, and 2018 BCSC 2128 Lead trial counsel for New Wave Energy Services and Daski Contracting Ltd. in obtaining an interlocutory injunction enforcing a restrictive covenant prohibiting certain competition by a former principal and employee and a related company.
LSBC appellate counsel:
Law Society of British Columbia v. Guo, 2022 BCCA 154
Partner Peter R. Senkpiel successfully represented the Law Society of British Columbia at the British Columbia Court of Appeal in an important appeal dealing with the definition of “trust funds” under the Law Society’s Rules. The Court of Appeal affirmed a Law Society Tribunal decision that funds received by a lawyer pursuant to fixed or flat fee arrangement for services to be performed are trust funds that must be deposited into a trust account until the services have been performed, unless there is an express agreement with the client.
Walkom v. Law Society of British Columbia, 2019 BCCA 391
Lead appellate counsel fr the Law Society of BC in an appeal addressing important questions about statutory immunities and whether a duty of care is owed by the Law Society.
Ganapathi (2020 LSBC 36);
Linde (2024 LSBC 10).