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Peter Brauti

Co-Managing Partner

Contact

T: 416-304-6520  | 
F: 416-304-7000  | 

Bar Admission

1998

Areas of Expertise

Cannabis

Criminal Appeals

Criminal Law

Internal Corporate Investigations

Labour and Employment Law

Labour Relations

Police Law

Professional Discipline

Regulatory Law

 

Peter Brauti is a co-managing partner of Brauti Thorning LLP. Peter practices principally in the areas of criminal law, regulatory offences, professional discipline and some specialized areas of civil litigation.

Peter received his Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from McMaster University in 1993, his Juris Doctor from the University of Toronto in 1996, his Master of Arts from the University of Toronto in 1998 and his Master of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School in 2002. Peter was called to the Ontario Bar in 1998.

As a former Federal Crown Attorney Peter conducted hundreds of trials and appeals on behalf of the Attorney General of Canada. As a defence lawyer, Peter has appeared as counsel at every level of court in Ontario, as well as the Supreme Court of Canada. He has been involved in litigating many high profile cases before both judges and juries.

Peter has represented numerous renowned individuals including professional athletes, actors, musicians, and political figures. He has also represented hundreds of professionals including police officers, doctors, lawyers, teachers, accountants, and members of the judiciary. He has worked as counsel for some of Canada’s largest and most prestigious corporations. Peter conducts investigations for companies in variety of areas including workplace misconduct and fraud. He has acted as a movie consultant for major motion pictures.

Peter has been named by the Toronto Sun as one of Canada’s top trial lawyers. The Law Times has described him as one of the top practitioners in the province of Ontario. The Toronto Star describes Peter as having a nearly flawless record. He has been presented with awards from the Deputy Minister of Justice for his work in the area of trial advocacy as well as an Arbor Award from the President of the University of Toronto.

Peter has lectured at law schools across Canada. He currently teaches at the University of Toronto Law School and has been an instructor in the trial advocacy program for over 15 years. He has taught and trained hundreds of graduating law students and young lawyers on how to conduct trials in courts of law and administrative tribunals. He is the former co-chair of the Federal Department of Justice Trial Advocacy Program. Peter has been invited on numerous occasions to provide lectures at judges’ conferences on various legal topics.

Peter is co-author of the loose-leaf book Wiretapping and Other Electronic Surveillance and co-author of the book Prosecuting and Defending Drug Offences. He has published over 20 articles in various legal publications including the Criminal Law Quarterly.

Peter is a Director of the Hockey Canada Foundation.

April 4, 2016, 2015

Police defender: Peter Brauti In a tense Toronto courtroom, defence lawyer Peter Brauti stood beside his ashen-faced client, Const. James Forcillo, to hear the verdicts in one of Canada’s most-watched police trials. Forcillo was charged with murder in the shooting of 18-year-old Sammy Yatim, armed with a switchblade when he confronted police on an empty Toronto streetcar in July 2013.. Read the full article on CanadianLawyerMag.com.

Mar, 11, 2015

Peter Brauti answers common legal questions on BT Legal TV. The first thing someone should do after learning he or she is being investigated by the police is to call a lawyer, Toronto criminal lawyer Peter Brauti says on a recent episode of BT Legal TV.

BT Legal TV features informative legal news videos — with host and Brauti Thorning LLP partner Lorne Honickman — that provide insight and information into the many legal issues that you face every day. Read the full article on AdvocateDaily.com.

Jan 19, 2015

Brauti presents emails showing senior officer support for Fenton's orders at G20 During a disciplinary hearing, Toronto criminal lawyer Peter Brauti presented emails from senior Toronto police officers indicating they supported a fellow officer's decision to "kettle" hundreds of people during the G20 weekend, reports the Toronto Star.

One of those emails originated from former staff superintendent Jeff McGuire to Supt. David (Mark) Fenton on June 28, 2010, hours after Fenton ordered mass arrests, says the newspaper. Read the full article on AdvocateDaily.com.

Dec 1, 2014

Costly police body cameras present some legal issues. Equipping police officers with body cameras is a large undertaking that will incur the additional expense of viewing and storing countless hours of video footage for court cases, a daunting task for police forces already financially stressed, says Toronto criminal lawyer Peter Brauti.

"I don’t see how we are even close to being in a situation of managing that," he says. Read the full article on AdvocateDaily.com.

Nov 18, 2014

Misconduct hearing arising from G20 begins for senior cop TORONTO – A disciplinary hearing is now underway for the most senior police officer charged in relation to the mass arrests during the G20 summit in Toronto four years ago.

Supt. David (Mark) Fenton has pleaded not guilty to a total of five charges of unlawful arrest and discreditable conduct stemming from two "kettling" incidents that occurred over the summit weekend. Read the full article on AdvocateDaily.com.

July 28, 2014

Brauti urges council not to suspend JP for misconduct. An Ontario justice of the peace, who admits to two counts of judicial misconduct, shouldn’t face a 30-day suspension without pay, Toronto criminal lawyer Peter Brauti told a review council, reports the Toronto Star.

Brauti’s client, JP Alfred “Budd” Johnston, appeared before a Justice of the Peace Review Council where he apologized for his actions in late 2012 that gave rise to the complaints. According to an agreed statement of facts, Johnston threw out a docket of cases because a Crown attorney was 71 seconds late to court and he mocked a self-represented defendant, says the Star story. Read the full article on AdvocateDaily.com.

July 4, 2014

Brauti concerned about perception in streetcar shooting case. The media has unfairly depicted the police officer who has been sent to trial over the shooting death of a man on a streetcar as a steroid-using Rambo, Toronto criminal lawyer Peter Brauti tells Sun Media.

The court of pubic opinion has been so harsh, in fact, when it comes to Const. James Forcillo that his lawyer wonders whether there is any chance he can get a fair trial in Toronto, reports the newspaper. Read the full article on AdvocateDaily.com.

April 23, 2014

Prelim begins for officer charged in teen's shooting death. TORONTO – A preliminary hearing starts Tuesday for a police officer charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of a teenager on a Toronto streetcar last summer.

The two-week hearing for Const. James Forcillo, 30, will determine if there's enough evidence to go to trial.

Toronto criminal lawyer Peter Brauti, partner with Brauti Thorning LLP, is representing Forcillo. Read the full article on AdvocateDaily.com.

April 2, 2014

OCC upholds decision clearing Toronto cop of homicide. TORONTO – Ontario’s highest court has upheld a decision clearing a Toronto police officer of a homicide charge in the shooting death of a man during a drug and weapon search. Const. David Cavanagh, who was represented by Toronto criminal lawyers Peter Brauti and Lawrence Gridin, had been charged with second-degree murder, but two lower court judges separately ruled the death of Eric Osawe was accidental. Read the full article on AdvocateDaily.com.

January 14, 2014

Cops cleared of assaulting robbery suspect on first day of trial. Three police officers were cleared of assaulting robbery suspect after the key witness in the case confused his testimony on the stand. Read the full article on www.thestar.com.