Rebeka Breder

About Rebeka

Rebeka Breder is the founding lawyer of Breder Law, Western Canada's first firm dedicated exclusively to animal law. She has more than 33 years of combined experience in the animal protection movement and as a practising lawyer, including at another large firm, and has appeared at all levels of court and before various tribunals. Breder founded the Animal Law section of the Canadian Bar Association in Canada and chairs its B.C. Branch. Her practice covers defending dogs accused of being dangerous, pet custody disputes, wildlife matters, government challenges over animal protection, breeder disputes, condominium disputes involving companion animals, and veterinary malpractice suits. She advocated for amendments to British Columbia's Family Law Act adding provisions for pet custody, and for the province's ban on shark fin products. Breder founded the UBC Allard Law Animal Law course and has taught as an adjunct professor and guest lecturer at UBC Allard Law, TRU, McGill, the University of Victoria, the University of Alberta, the University of Leicester, and Lewis and Clark Law School since 2011. She was named one of Canada's Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in 2019 by Canadian Lawyer magazine, received the SEEDS Award from the International Society of Animal Rights, and was appointed an Associate Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics in 2023.

Education & credentials

Undergraduate

Bachelor of Arts, Joint Honours