SEBASTIAN ENNIS
Associate Lawyer
EXPERTISE
Sebastian has extensive experience in the areas of public law, constitutional law, Indigenous law, civil litigation, and criminal defence. His work has ranged from litigating complex constitutional challenges and high-profile criminal defence cases to negotiating Aboriginal rights claims and advising various administrative bodies. He is quick to simplify complex areas of law and provide straightforward advice to clients.
Prior to joining Iris Legal, Sebastian worked at leading boutique litigation firms in Vancouver. He also clerked at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal.
Sebastian regularly volunteers on human rights and Indigenous law projects. His past work includes serving as a board member of an international human rights non-profit, a researcher for the UN Human Rights Committee, a member of the CBA’s International Law Section, and a founding member of the CBABC’s Indigenous Justice Advocacy Committee.
He is a member of the Law Society of BC and the Law Society of Yukon.
SELECT CASES
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Part of a national and international legal defence team for Ms. Meng Wanzhou, the CFO of Huawei, regarding the United States of America’s request for her extradition.
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Assisted in the representation of 15 Canadian youth challenging the federal government’s response to the climate crisis in La Rose v. Her Majesty the Queen.
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Assisted in the preparation of submissions defending the constitutionality of the jurisdiction of the BC Civil Resolution Tribunal in Trial Lawyers Association of BC v. BC (Attorney General).
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Lead counsel for the BC Civil Liberties Association in a motion for special costs related to public interest litigation challenging the constitutionality of national security legislation in BCCLA v. Canada (Attorney General), 2021 FC 766.
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Prepared legal arguments for the Supreme Court of Canada which successfully lead to the dismissal of an appellant’s application for leave to appeal a special costs decision.
EDUCATION
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University of British Columbia, JD, 2017
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University of King’s College, BA Hons, 2013
MORE ABOUT SEBASTIAN
When not working on legal files, you’ll find Sebastian playing the guitar, bass, or more recently, the mandolin. He also has a passion for food and loves exploring new recipes and local farmers’ markets.