Peter provides legal representation to sports organizations, athletes and coaches involved in doping, selection and other sports related disputes. Peter has appeared as counsel before the International Court of Arbitration for Sport centered in Lausanne, Switzerland and has served as the Chief Arbitrator for several national level sports disputes. Peter has often appeared as counsel before the Sports Dispute Resolution Center of Canada and has also been asked to present at the SDRCC Arbitrators & Mediators Conference on his experience with the SDRCC.
Peter also has broad experience with a wide range of litigation matters having spent more than a decade in a large Victoria, BC law firm where he was a partner. Peter has acted for clients in matters before all levels of court in British Columbia as well as the Federal Court of Canada, the Ontario Court of Appeal, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench, Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench, U.S. District Court in California and the Supreme Court of Western Australia. In addition to representing sports clients in disputes Peter teaches Sports Law at Camosun College and is often called upon to speak to various sports groups and organizations about legal matters, and more importantly, how to stay out of legal trouble.
Peter has been involved in High Performance sport for over 25 years in the sports of sailing, athletics and cycling. His commitment and impact in sport was recognized in 2012 when he was a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. A three time winner of a national Petro Canada Coaching Excellence Award Peter’s athletes have had remarkable success including breaking 27 World Records in athletics and winning over a dozen Paralympic or World Championships medals in both cycling and athletics.
Beyond direct coaching Peter is the Vice President of the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Ombudsperson of the Canadian Paralympic Committee and on the Board of Directors of ViaSport. Peter lives in Victoria, BC.
Peter R. Lawless 