Aminollah Sabzevari working for justice
Iranian-born crown counsel from Edmonton shares tips on the Canada’s legal profession
Iranian-born Aminollah Sabzevari is a successful young lawyer promoting justice in Edmonton, Alberta.
As crown counsel with the Department of Justice Canada, he has conducted proceedings in all levels of courts, from the Court of Appeal of Alberta to the Federal Court of Appeal.
Working for a just society is not just his day job. He is also big on making a positive impact on his community by volunteering with the Edmonton Community Legal Centre, which provides free legal advice to people with low income, and serving as a mentor with the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers.
All of this is no doubt the reason he’s been a repeat Top 75 Finalist in the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards. We wanted to catch up with him to learn about what drives this dynamic litigator.
What does working in law mean to you?
Canada’s legal system is one of, if not the primary reason why Canada is a great country. There are many countries in the world that have some sort of system of democracy, but very few that have a legal system as strong as Canada’s legal system.
Democracy is not enough; there must be a strong legal system with an independent judiciary to prevent and punish corruption, to enforce rights, and to support peace, order and good government. And lawyers have an important role in the legal system as they are responsible for ensuring there is sufficient access to justice.
You came to Canada as a youth. How have you balanced growing up between cultures?
My parents were very proactive about adapting to life in Canada and making many friends here from a variety of backgrounds. I was able to grow up in Canadian culture while still understanding and respecting my family’s background and culture.
Nonetheless, it was difficult at times. Like many children, I just wanted to fit in. I did not like having such a long and distinctive full name, for example. But there were many immigrant children in North Vancouver, where I grew up, even at that time. It wasn’t particularly unusual to be an immigrant or to have a language other than English or French spoken at home. I had friends with even longer names than mine.
Did you always know you wanted to go into law?
No, I did not. I completed a science degree at the University of British Columbia. However, I also did a minor in philosophy, focused on applied ethics. From my studies of bioethics and legal ethics, I became interested in working as a lawyer. My parents were not surprised since they always said I was “good at making arguments.”
Tell us about your role as crown counsel.
I am a litigator, which means I work on files that involve litigation and appearances in Court. I work cross-portfolio, which means I have tax files, immigration files, Aboriginal law files and other files involving litigation with the federal Crown.
How often are you actually in court?
I usually appear in court at least once a week, and sometimes I have a full week of hearings. I travel to hearings mainly in Alberta, but I have attended hearings in B.C. and Ontario. Most days I am in the office preparing files for court hearings through the many preliminary steps that are involved before a hearing.
Has your immigrant background helped in your work?
I believe my immigrant background has helped my legal practice, as has volunteering with people from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds.
Practising law involves dealing with a variety of people with different backgrounds and a variety of factual situations. It is good to be able to try and consider situations from other points of view, because you need to be able to understand the best possible legal arguments the other side can make in order to be prepared to respond to them.
You’re so busy with work and volunteering … how do you unwind?
I was active in sports when I was in school. I play badminton twice weekly, which has always been my main sport. I play ultimate frisbee weekly as well, indoors in the winter and outdoors in the summer. I play squash, too. I believe it is important to keep up a physical lifestyle, because I spend so many hours each week sitting down and working on a computer like many modern professionals.
And what about living in Edmonton? Is it a good place for immigrants?
Edmonton has everything I need living in a modern city without being overcrowded or suffering from serious traffic problems. Housing is still affordable here. There are many local events and festivals, and the transit system is fairly good as well. The main difficulty with Edmonton is the long winter, but at least it is a dry cold, which makes it is easier to dress for than wetter cities.
What would you like newcomers to know about Canada’s legal profession?
Canada’s legal system is one of, if not the primary reason why Canada is a great country. There are many countries in the world that have some sort of system of democracy, but very few that have a legal system as strong as Canada’s legal system. Democracy is not enough; there must be a strong legal system with an independent judiciary to prevent and punish corruption, to enforce rights, and to support peace, order and good government.
Lawyers have an important role in the legal system as they are a self-regulating profession, are responsible for ensuring there is sufficient access to justice, and make up the pool from which future judges are selected. Because of that special role, law as a profession is often more respected in Canada than in other countries.
However, lawyers are not the only people working in the legal area. They work together with paralegals and legal assistants who provide important support on legal files. Modern legal practice would not be as effective as it is now without such support. There are many training programs for paralegals and legal assistants, which can be an excellent route to an interesting career.
What advice would you give newcomers, international students or young immigrants who want to make law a career?
You can theoretically enter law school with two or three years of undergraduate, but most people complete the four-year degree. Pick an undergraduate degree that is interesting or useful for you, as they are all treated equally in terms of applications to law school.
Try to shadow a lawyer and see what the practice of law is right. Don’t be afraid to network or draw upon your family or friends’ connections as most people have at least one connection to a practising lawyer.
Having good English and/or French language skills is important for practising law in Canada. It is important to practise your reading and writing skills as much as you can. Do not be discouraged if it is your second language, as long as you work to get it to the required level.
Furthermore, much of the private practice of law is a type of business, in finding and retaining clients for your law firm. Just like a realtor or other business person, you may be able to draw upon your immigrant background and networking with others in the immigrant community in establishing clients for your law firm.
If you determine that law is for you, make sure to explain to your family that law is as respected as a profession in Canada as engineering and medicine. The latter two are respected worldwide but as noted, the profession of law may not be as respected in different legal traditions.
And any tips for internationally trained professionals who already have legal education from their home country?
Becoming accredited as a working lawyer in Canada with a foreign law degree is very difficult, but it can be done. (See information on Osgoode Hall Law School’s program for foreign lawyers here.)
For foreign trained lawyers, I would suggest not limiting yourself while you are trying to become accredited. You may still be able to work as a paralegal or work in a position involving document review, which are tasks that use legal knowledge and training while you work on becoming accredited in order to be able to practise law.
Furthermore, many people taking law degrees in Canada do not ultimately end up practising law. There may be other career opportunities in academics, business or government.