Paul VanderVennen
Automatically compiled listing. Details may contain errors.2 lawyers · Established 1987 · City of Toronto
One of 2,273 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 331 handling Immigration Law.
About Paul VanderVennen
Paul VanderVennen, LL.B. is a small immigration and refugee law practice based in downtown Toronto. Paul VanderVennen, the founding lawyer, graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1985 and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1987, the year the firm was established. The practice narrowed over time, and by 1995 VanderVennen was working exclusively in immigration law. In 1997 the Law Society of Upper Canada certified VanderVennen as a Specialist in Immigration Law.
The firm's two lawyers handle refugee claims and hearings before the Refugee Protection Division, appeals to the Refugee Appeal Division, judicial review applications at the Federal Court, sponsorship files, Pre-Removal Risk Assessments, and Humanitarian and Compassionate applications. Associate lawyer Prevain Devendran, called to the Ontario Bar in 2010, holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Windsor and an Honours B.A. from the University of Toronto, and practiced civil litigation before moving into refugee and immigration work. For nearly three decades, the majority of the firm's clients have been of Ethiopian heritage, a client base that VanderVennen has said began with a small group of referrals and grew from there.
In the community
- VanderVennen is past Treasurer of the Inter-Church Committee for Human Rights in Latin America and has served as an international election monitor and as a member of a human rights fact-finding delegation to Central America.
- VanderVennen has volunteered as a lawyer at an immigration legal clinic serving low income clients.
- VanderVennen has conducted immigration seminars in Dubai, Malaysia, China, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
- For nearly three decades, most of the firm's clients have been of Ethiopian heritage, and VanderVennen received the Bikila Professional Excellence Award in September 2024 for that work.
- VanderVennen received an award from the South Asian Bible Church recognizing representation of Pakistani Christian refugee claimants in determination hearings.
Lawyers 2
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Called to the bar
- 1987 · median 39 years in practice 1 of 2 lawyers
Where to find them
45 St. Nicholas Street, Toronto, ON M4Y 1W6 · 416-963-8405
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Immigration LawThis listing was generated by AI from public sources in August 2026. It may contain errors, and we can’t guarantee it’s accurate or complete. Before you rely on anything here, verify it on the firm’s own website. Verify licence status in the Law Society of Ontario directory ↗
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