BALPREET SINGH BOPARAI SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED HIS 2008-2009 ARTICLING TERM AT BAKERLAW AND HAS SINCE BEEN CALLED TO THE BAR. CONGRATULATIONS BALPREET!

Balpreet Singh grew up in a small community north of Toronto. He studied political science at the University of Toronto and graduated with a B.A. (with distinction) in 2003. During his time at the University of Toronto, Balpreet Singh became very involved in the local Sikh community and was a founder of a Sikh educational institute in Brampton, the Institute of Gurmat Studies, established to educate local Sikh children about their faith and counsel them on the challenges they face growing up in Canada. During his work within the community, Balpreet Singh encountered a number of legal issues such as human rights complaints, refugee applications, etc. and decided to study law at the University of Ottawa where he took a particular interest in constitutional, administrative and human rights law.

While at the University of Ottawa, Balpreet Singh pursued a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission against Via Rail for their restriction on the kirpan. The complaint was settled and as a result, Via rail changed its policy in order to accommodate the kirpan.

Balpreet Singh spent the summer of 2007 working with the World Sikh Organization’s legal department, assisting at the Air India Inquiry and also working on a number of different human rights issues affecting the Canadian Sikh community.

Balpreet Singh looks forward to articling with Bakerlaw and having the opportunity to practise in the area of human rights and equality law.