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"The best test of a civilised society is the way in which it treats its most vulnerable and weakest members."

Mahatma Gandhi

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Pivot Legal Society and Pivot Legal LLP staff

		Darcie Bennett, Legal Researcher and coordinator of the Jane Doe Legal Network Darcie came to Pivot in October of 2006 as research coordinator for Pivot’s child welfare campaign. She is also the coordinator of Pivot’s Jane Doe Legal Network, a project that focuses on enhancing access to justice for women who have experienced violence through legal education, advice and advocacy. Darcie has an extensive background working with community-based women’s organizations as both a researcher and an organizer on issues related to housing, income assistance, labour regulation, child care and the intersection of poverty and violence in women’s lives. Darcie holds a PhD in sociology from the University of British Columbia. Her doctoral research focused on private security work in Vancouver’s gentrifying neighbourhoods. She is the co-author of two Pivot reports Broken Promises: Parents Speak about BC’s Child Welfare System and Security Before Justice: As Study of the Impacts of Private Security on Homeless and Underhoused Vancouver Residents. e-mail dbennett [at] pivotlegal [dot] org
		Douglas King, Lawyer Douglas joined Pivot in June 2008 from the Downtown Eastside Residents’ Association to head the policing campaign for Pivot Legal Society and is also an associate with Pivot Legal LLP. He graduated from UBC Law in 2006 and was called to the bar in January of 2008 after articling with the appeals section of the Legal Services Society. During law school Douglas worked as a clinician for UBC’s Law Students Legal Advice Program. e-mail dking [at] pivotlegal [dot] com
		Katrina Pacey, Lawyer Katrina Pacey is a partner with Pivot Legal LLP and a staff lawyer with Pivot Legal Society. She practices in the areas of criminal, prison, mental health and human rights law. She graduated from the University of British Columbia Faculty of Law in 2004 where she founded the UBC Law Students’ Social Justice Action Network. While in law school, Katrina was awarded the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award. Katrina also received a Master of Arts in Women’s Studies and Gender Relations from the University of British Columbia in 2001. During graduate school, Katrina authored a number of publications including a legal handbook for immigrant and refugee women who are victims of domestic violence. Katrina is past president of Pivot’s board of directors and has worked on many of Pivot's initiatives, including the sex work law reform project, the addiction campaign, and the policing campaign. Katrina is a co-author of three Pivot reports, *To Serve and Protect: A Report on Policing in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, Voices for Dignity: A Call to End the Harms Cause by Canada’s Sex Trade Laws* and Beyond Decriminalization: Sex Work, Human Rights and a New Framework for Law Reform. e-mail kpacey [at] pivotlegal [dot] com
		John Richardson, Executive Director John founded Pivot Legal Society with Ann Livingston in the fall of 2000, while an articling student at Sierra Legal Defence Fund. When he completed his articles in January of 2002 he began working for Pivot full-time as its executive director, a job that has changed constantly as Pivot has evolved and grown. In November 2005 John was awarded an Ashoka Foundation fellowship for his vision of strategically using the law to advance the rights of the most marginalized members of society. Before starting Pivot, John attended Lester Pearson College of the Pacific, where he obtained an International Baccalaureate degree. From there, he obtained his B.Sc. (Hon) in Mathematics and Philosophy at the University of Toronto (Trinity College), and his law degree at the University of Victoria. While a member of the Environmental Law Centre at the University of Victoria, he co-authored “Civil Disobedience; a legal handbook for activists.” During his time at law school, he spent two terms as a co-op student at the BC Law Institute. John is the lead author of To Serve and Protect: A Report on Policing in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, and has played a supporting role in many of its other publications and campaigns. e-mail jrichardson [at] pivotlegal [dot] com
		Paul Ryan, Director of Hope in Shadows Paul has coordinated the Hope in Shadows project since May 2005. The calendar sales part of the project directly results in the self employment of hundreds of local residents of the Downtown Eastside, who collectively earned $130,000 in 2008, creating a huge economic stimulus for the local economy. Paul is also responsible for communications and development for Hope in Shadows. including the editing and publishing Pivot Legal Society reports, the weekly Pivot podcast and for managing the Hope in Shadows and Pivot Legal Society websites. Paul was editor of Montessori International magazine in London, England for six years before moving to Vancouver in 2004 and joining Pivot in 2005. Paul's education includes living for a year as an AFS exchange student in Palembang Indonesia when he was 17. Paul has a B.A. in Political Science from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, followed by a journalism diploma. For information about Pivot Legal Society publications call 604 255 9700 x 122 For Hope in Shadows call 604 255 9701 e-mail pryan [at] pivotlegal [dot] org or pryan [at] hopeinshadows [dot] com Twitter: @kiwipaul and @hopeinshadows
		Lobat Sadrehashemi, Lawyer Lobat joined Pivot in October of 2006 as a lawyer and legal coordinator of the Child Apprehension and Mothers in Poverty project. Lobat graduated from the University of Toronto’s Joint Law and Master’s of Social Work program in June 2005, which included practicum placements at the HIV/AIDS Legal Clinic of Ontario (HALCO) and the constituency office of Gerard Kennedy, MPP. Lobat was awarded two fellowships during law school to pursue social justice work at the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA), a non-profit dedicated to issues of human rights and housing, and the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic, a legal and counseling centre assisting women who have experienced violence with their family and immigration law matters. Lobat articled and worked as an associate with Lorne Waldman, an immigration and refugee lawyer in Toronto, prior to moving to Vancouver. Lobat’s research interests include income security rights, anti-discrimination law, and national security. Lobat currently sits on the board of directors of CERA. e-mail lobat [at] pivotlegal [dot] com
		Peter Wrinch, Director of Business and Development Peter Wrinch came to Pivot after a decade studying Russian revolutionary history and art. Peter spends most of his time at Pivot working to bring Pivot's campaign work to new audiences both on and offline. Peter is also a Board Member of Megaphone Magazine. e-mail pwrinch [at] pivotlegal [dot] com
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Updated Sept 1, 2010

Pivot Legal Society, 103 - 119 West Pender St, Vancouver, B.C. V6B 1S5 Canada, Tel. (+1) 604 255 9700