Bio

Peter Senkpiel, K.C. is a leading barrister in British Columbia with a broad commercial litigation, alternative dispute resolution, and advisory practice. Peter has extensive experience as trial and appellate counsel in the BC Supreme Court and BC Court of Appeal in a broad range of matters including contract and business disputes, securities litigation, shareholder disputes, class actions, defamation, and trusts. In 2022, at just 38 and after only 12 years of call, Peter was appointed King’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. 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’s approach to counsel work reflects the influence of his mentors. After law school, Peter clerked for Chief Justice Lance Finch at the B.C. Court of Appeal, and then joined Nathanson, Schachter & Thompson LLP, where he has learned his craft from some of the province’s best trial and appellate counsel, Irwin G. Nathanson, K.C., Stephen R. Schachter, K.C., Murray A. Clemens, K.C., and Geoffrey B. Gomery, K.C. (now Mr. Justice Gomery). Recognizing that litigation can be stressful, time-consuming, and expensive, Peter protects his clients’ litigation and business interests both inside and outside the courtroom. Peter combines a strong facility with the law, creative problem solving, negotiation skills, tactical insight, practicality, and sound judgment 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. Peter’s contributions to the law extend beyond the boardroom and courtroom. For example, he is the editor of the Civil Appeal Handbook. He sits on the Board of Directors for the Vancouver International Arbitration Center. From 2015-2019, he was an adjunct professor at UBC Law teaching a course on the law of Restitution and Unjust Enrichment.