Douglas Lehrer was born in Regina, Saskatchewan in 1960.
In his late teens, he travelled to Quebec during three summers, studying French.
In 1980, Mr. Lehrer participated in an eight-month youth exchange to Colombia, South America, under the auspices of Canada World Youth. This was a life-changing experience that gave him a grounding in Spanish and exposure to international and community development issues.
In 1982, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Regina and then moved to Toronto to pursue his law studies. In 1984, for one of the semesters of his law program and the following summer, he did an intensive program at Parkdale Community Legal Services. Graduating from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1985, he then articled with Clayton Ruby and Marlys Edwardh, prominent criminal and constitutional lawyers. In 1987, he was called to the bar of Ontario and opened a combined practice of immigration and criminal law. Serving mostly a Spanish-speaking clientele allowed him to become fluent in Spanish. Since 1990, he has focused his practice entirely on his passion--immigration and refugee law. In 1999, the Law Society of Upper Canada (now the Law Society of Ontario) recognized his expertise by certifying him as a specialist in Immigration and Refugee Law.
From 1997 to 2014, Mr. Lehrer was a partner in the immigration law firm of VanderVennen Lehrer, which employed and mentored several associate lawyers over the years. In January 2015 he and his then law partner, Paul VanderVennen, dissolved the firm and formed their own individual practices.
Mr. Lehrer has appeared before the Federal Court and all divisions of the Immigration and Refugee Board in hundreds of cases over the years. He is frequently called on to mentor and assist other lawyers with complex issues.
Mr. Lehrer has chaired and been a speaker at several continuing legal education programs on immigration law and was a member of the board of directors, legal committee and fundraising committee of the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture for many years. He has been a member of the Legal Aid Ontario Area Committee, a tribunal that makes decisions on public funding for legal aid clients, for over fifteen years.
In his late teens, he travelled to Quebec during three summers, studying French.
In 1980, Mr. Lehrer participated in an eight-month youth exchange to Colombia, South America, under the auspices of Canada World Youth. This was a life-changing experience that gave him a grounding in Spanish and exposure to international and community development issues.
In 1982, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Regina and then moved to Toronto to pursue his law studies. In 1984, for one of the semesters of his law program and the following summer, he did an intensive program at Parkdale Community Legal Services. Graduating from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1985, he then articled with Clayton Ruby and Marlys Edwardh, prominent criminal and constitutional lawyers. In 1987, he was called to the bar of Ontario and opened a combined practice of immigration and criminal law. Serving mostly a Spanish-speaking clientele allowed him to become fluent in Spanish. Since 1990, he has focused his practice entirely on his passion--immigration and refugee law. In 1999, the Law Society of Upper Canada (now the Law Society of Ontario) recognized his expertise by certifying him as a specialist in Immigration and Refugee Law.
From 1997 to 2014, Mr. Lehrer was a partner in the immigration law firm of VanderVennen Lehrer, which employed and mentored several associate lawyers over the years. In January 2015 he and his then law partner, Paul VanderVennen, dissolved the firm and formed their own individual practices.
Mr. Lehrer has appeared before the Federal Court and all divisions of the Immigration and Refugee Board in hundreds of cases over the years. He is frequently called on to mentor and assist other lawyers with complex issues.
Mr. Lehrer has chaired and been a speaker at several continuing legal education programs on immigration law and was a member of the board of directors, legal committee and fundraising committee of the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture for many years. He has been a member of the Legal Aid Ontario Area Committee, a tribunal that makes decisions on public funding for legal aid clients, for over fifteen years.