Criminal Appeals and Complex Criminal Law

There are many capable criminal defence lawyers in Canada. What distinguishes Peter Sankoff is the role he plays within the profession itself. Criminal lawyers across the country regularly turn to Peter when difficult cases raise challenging questions of criminal law, evidence or appellate strategy. Hundreds more rely on Criminal Defence Essentials, the educational company he founded, to help them improve their advocacy and stay current with the law. He has also written books teaching lawyers about persuasive legal writing, criminal law and evidence. In other words, Peter is not simply an appellate lawyer who handles difficult cases. He is a lawyer other criminal lawyers look to when they need help solving them.

“He saw something others didn’t.”

— Kelvin Zawadiuk, Google Review

Since returning to practice in 2018, Peter has conducted more than 50 appeals in courts across Canada, including the Supreme Court of Canada. His practice focuses primarily on criminal appeals, bail pending appeal and complex legal applications. Much of his appellate work involves looking at a case differently: isolating the legal error that matters, identifying a ground of appeal that may have been overlooked, and developing the argument needed to persuade an appellate court to intervene.

A Record of Significant Appeals

Peter has acted on a number of important cases before the Supreme Court of Canada. These include R v DLW, concerning the legal definition of bestiality; R v Suter, where the Court reversed an Alberta Court of Appeal decision that had increased a sentence from four months to 26 months; and R v Barton, a major decision concerning sexual assault and the distinction between murder and manslaughter.

More recently, Peter acted in R v Hussein, 2026 SCC 2, an important decision governing when an accused who testifies can be cross-examined about a prior criminal record. Although the conviction was ultimately upheld, the majority accepted Peter’s argument that the trial judge had erred in admitting highly prejudicial portions of the accused’s record and significantly revised the framework governing these applications.

Peter’s recent successes in the Alberta Court of Appeal include several substantial results. In R v Hutton, 2025 ABCA 356, the Court overturned a sexual assault conviction and entered an acquittal. In R v Harding, 2025 ABCA 266, the Court ordered a new trial after accepting Peter’s argument that the trial judge had improperly restricted an important area of cross-examination. In R v Cervantes, 2025 ABCA 166, a sexual assault conviction was quashed and a new trial ordered. And in R v Whiskeyjack, 2022 ABCA 76, Peter and successfully overturned a first-degree murder conviction and obtained a new trial.

Peter also brought a successful constitutional challenge in 2019 to Criminal Code provisions imposing disclosure requirements on accused persons, resulting in the legislation being declared invalid in Alberta.

Peter also has considerable experience seeking bail pending appeal and has succeeded in numerous contested applications.

Deep Expertise in Criminal Law and Evidence

Peter’s appellate practice is closely connected to more than 25 years spent researching, writing and teaching about criminal law.

He is a Professor of Law at the University of Alberta and the Founder and Director of Criminal Defence Essentials (CDE), which provides educational programs and practical resources for criminal defence lawyers across Canada. He has spent his academic career studying evidence, substantive criminal law, criminal procedure and legal advocacy.

Peter has written, co-authored or edited twelve books and more than fifty academic articles, and has taught lawyers, law students and judges in Canada and internationally. His books include works devoted to persuasive legal writing, criminal law and evidence. In 2020, Canadian Lawyer Magazine named Peter one of Canada’s 25 Most Influential Lawyers.

That background has direct significance in appellate litigation. Appeals often turn on subtle errors: evidence used improperly, an incorrect interpretation of the Criminal Code, an inadequate jury instruction, a constitutional problem, or a trial judge applying the wrong legal principle. Recognizing those errors—and explaining clearly why they affected the result—is at the heart of effective appellate advocacy.

“I was utterly amazed by his ability to take down the information and distill it in a matter of minutes.”

— Susan Karpa, Criminal Defence Lawyer, Calgary

An Unusual Path to Appellate Practice

Peter’s route to appellate practice has given him experience from several different sides of the law. After graduating from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law in 1996, he clerked for Justice Claire L’Heureux-Dubé at the Supreme Court of Canada, exposing him at the outset of his career to appellate judging at the highest level.

He later pursued graduate studies at Osgoode Hall Law School before joining the Department of Justice in Ottawa, where he worked on constitutional and criminal law issues. That experience gave him insight into legislation from the government side: how statutes are developed, interpreted and defended against constitutional challenge.

Peter then spent more than a decade teaching law internationally, including at the University of Auckland, before returning to Canada and joining the University of Alberta.

That combination of appellate, government and academic experience has shaped the way Peter approaches cases today. He is particularly interested in difficult legal problems: whether evidence was used properly, whether a statute has been interpreted correctly, whether a trial judge applied the right legal test, and whether there is an argument capable of changing the result on appeal.

Expertise, Attention and Care

Legal knowledge is only part of effective representation. Peter believes that when someone is facing a criminal conviction, a possible prison sentence or the uncertainty of an appeal, they should never feel that they are simply another file.

His client reviews repeatedly reflect that approach. Clients describe Peter as accessible, responsive and personally invested in their cases. They speak about being kept informed, having difficult issues explained clearly and knowing that Peter was there when they needed him.

“It’s rare to find a lawyer as committed and hardworking as Peter Sankoff. He treated my case like it was his own, working late nights and weekends to ensure everything was prepared. His professionalism, persistence, commitment and genuine care for me were second to none. I felt truly supported throughout the process.”

— Joshua C., Google Review

Peter takes the same approach to providing advice. He is candid about the strengths and weaknesses of an appeal, realistic about the risks involved, and committed to making sure clients understand their options. Sankoff Criminal Law maintains a 5.0-star rating on Google.

Today, Peter’s practice is concentrated on criminal appeals, bail pending appeal and complex applications. He can also work alongside trial counsel where a case raises an unusually difficult issue requiring specialized expertise.

If you are considering an appeal, seeking bail pending appeal, or want a second opinion about whether a conviction or sentence can be challenged, contact Sankoff Criminal Law to arrange a consultation with Peter. Peter will occasionally take trial work on interesting cases, and can always help with legal applications.