Belva Spiel, B. Mus., J.D.
Partner (Retired January 27, 2017)
Belva Spiel has practiced since 1986 in the area of immigration and refugee law, including refugee claims, sponsorships and sponsorship appeals, applications on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, and independent immigrants (skilled workers).
Ms. Spiel is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto and also holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Toronto. Before beginning her private practice, Ms. Spiel worked for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees as Regional Legal Officer (1989) and as a staff lawyer in community legal clinics. Ms. Spiel has served as a mentor to other lawyers through the Law Society's "Mentor Hotline" and to law students in the Osgoode Hall Law School Immigration and Refugee Law Program. She has been a speaker at conferences presented by the Canadian Institute and Legal Aid Ontario. She has also given seminars to many community groups including Romero House and the Metro Toronto Chinese and South Asian Legal Clinic. She has written on immigration law in several ethnic publications. She is the author of Access to Services: A Handbook for Child Advocates (1983), published by Justice for Children.
Ms. Spiel retired from the practice of law on January 27, 2017.