bakhtiari@derstinepartners.com
DERSTINE PARTNERS Criminal Lawyers
559 College Street, Suite 302
Toronto, Ontario
M6G 1A9
Office: 416-357-5285
Pearl Bakhtiari
Articling Student
Pearl is a recent graduate of the Dual J.D. program from the University of Windsor Faculty of Law and the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. Her desire to pursue criminal defence work was motivated by her passion for mental health advocacy, as she recognized how intertwined these two fields are. During law school, she tailored her studies and extracurriculars to focus on legal issues surrounding mental health. Pearl was the Co-President of the Disability Student Law Society of Windsor, where she focused on issues surrounding mental health disabilities. Her paper regarding the recent legislation pertaining to MAID and mental health has recently been selected for publication. Pearl is eager to continue working in the criminal law realm with individuals who may face challenges with their mental health. Throughout her time at Windsor Law and Detroit Mercy Law, she also participated in various legal clinics, including the Juvenile Appellate Clinic and Community Legal Aid. These clinical experiences further reinforced her desire to provide legal assistance to individuals in her community.
Prior to law school, Pearl attended McMaster University and completed her degree in Legal Philosophy with a minor in French. Pearl became fascinated with French philosophy, specifically Voltaire’s novel “Candide”. Her paper analyzing the philosophical perspectives in “Candide” received the first-place award in the McMaster French Essay Competition. During her extracurricular pursuits, Pearl volunteered at a local elementary school, competed as a powerlifter with the McMaster Barbell team, helped organize “Welcome Week” for incoming first year students, and received an award for “Most Diplomatic Delegate” at the McMaster Model United Nations Conference.
Pearl’s experiences in life have led her to adamantly believe that everyone is entitled to the most vigorous defence. She is eager to start her career in advocating for our clients who are facing challenging circumstances and assist in finding them the best possible outcomes.