Criminal Defence Trial Lawyer

Lawyer Profile: DILRAJ SINGH GOSAL, BA, LL.M., JD.

Areas of Practice 

Criminal Litigation
Civil Litigation with an emphasis on ICBC Personal Injury Claims
Appellate Law

Designations

Canada: Barrister, Solicitor, & Notary Public.
Faculty:  Kwantlen University College: Former lecturer, Criminology Department
USA:   Attorney & Counselor-at-Law

Bar Admissions

British Columbia
Washington State
US Federal District Court, Western  Washington

Legal Experience

Training and practice experience on both sides of the border. Over 12 years of trial experience.

USA

Private Practice
Public Defender, Washington State
University Legal Assistance, Washington State, Rule 9 Intern (1999)

Canada

Private Practice
Articled to Glen Orris, QC, Senior Criminal Barrister, Vancouver

Education

Mr. Gosal has sought Global Perspectives on the Law.

    • Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) (Gonzaga University, Washington State – USA)
    • Master of Laws in Criminal Litigation (LL.M.)  (New York State– USA)
    • Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) (UBC – Canada)
    • Professional Legal Training Course (Vancouver, Canada)
    • Certificate of Equivalency LL.B., National Committee on Accreditation (Ottawa, Canada)
    • Summer Readings in Law, St. Edumnd’s Hall, Oxford University (Oxfordshire, UK)
    • Summer Session at the University Of British Columbia (in cooperation with the International
    • Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy and the Southwestern University School of Law (California) (Vancouver, Canada)
    • Over 250 Hours of Continuing Legal Education Seminars since 1999

 

Memberships

Mr. Gosal’s current and past memberships enhance his ability to successfully represent his clients.

American Bar Association (ABA)
Canadian Bar Association
Washington State Bar Association (WSBA)
Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Federal Bar Association
Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia
WSBA Criminal Law Section
ABA Criminal Law Section

Continuing Legal Education Seminars

You benefit from the time that Mr. Gosal has invested in actively pursuing legal seminars.  The list of seminars include:

      • Race, Poverty, and the Death Penalty: Confronting Inequities of Representation (1999)
      • New Strategies for Defending Youthful Offenders in Adult & Juvenile Court (2000)
      • Misdemeanors (2000)
      • Trial Advocacy (2000)
      • Defending DUI’s (2000)
      • Criminal Law Seminar (2000)
      • Domestic Violence Issues in State Courts (2001)
      • Personal Injury Claims (2001)
      • Coping With Confessions (2002)
      • Defending DUI’s (2002)
      • Criminal Law Seminar (2002)
      • National Criminal Law Program – Criminal Evidence [5 day program] (2003)
      • Impaired Driving and Driving Under Suspension (2003)
      • Forensic Issues & Geometry of Blood Stain & Spatter (2003). By Herbert Leon MacDonell, leading world criminalist expert on blood-spatter
      • Criminal Law Seminar (2004)
      • Motions Madness : WACDL (2005)
      • Mastering Civil Chambers (2005)
      • Rule 18A Applications (2005)
      • Criminal Law and the Charter (2005)
      • Road Map to DUI Law (2006)
      • Conflict Panels (2006)
      • Professionalism and the Tragedy of the Commons (2006)
      • Impaired Driving and Motor Vehicle Offences (2006)
      • Sentencing (2007)
      • Criminal Law & The Charter (2007)
      • Youth Criminal Justice (2007)
      • Bail Hearings: From Mischief to Murder (2008)
      • National Criminal Law Program – Criminal Procedure, Advocacy, & Charter, PEI (2008)
      • Phollowing Phagura: Disclosure and the Defence Bar (2009)
      • Pacific Legal Technology Conference (2009)
      • The Paperless Office (2009)
      • Phollowing Phagura: Disclosure and the Defence Bar
      • Legal Ethics Seminar (2010)
      • Criminal Law: Special Issues Seminar (2011)
      • Over 15 hours of Continuing Legal Education Seminars per year since 2011

 

Online Legal Research & Computer Skills

Quicklaw® trained & proficient

Lexis-Nexis® trained & proficient

Westlaw® trained & proficient

Master of Laws in Criminal Litigation (New York State – USA)

After becoming a lawyer in both Canada and the US, Mr. Gosal spent most of 2003 at the State University of New York obtaining a post-professional degree, the Master of Laws (LL.M) in Criminal Law. This specialized international program was the only one of its kind in the United States. It allowed Mr. Gosal to engage in a serious in-depth analysis of both substantive and procedural criminal law. As a client, you will have the benefit of his dedication and pursuit of the Law. His course work included and currently includes:

Forensic Sciences: examining the use of various scientific disciplines in criminal investigation, prosecution, and defense. Consideration to topics such as: crime scene investigation (CSI); analysis of physical evidence; forensic toxicology; eyewitness identification; BAC Datamaster; Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN); forensic serology; DNA analysis (PCR & RFLP); fingerprint comparison; blood spatter analysis; firearm analysis including ballistic trajectory; document examination; forensic medicine; forensic pathology; and forensic psychology. Seminar paper on Forensic issues in DUI Litigation was undertaken. Taught by Inspector Jay, Amherst PD, and Forensic Psychologist and Professor of Law Charles Ewing.

Criminal Responsibility: dealing on legal, psychiatric, and societal aspects of mental abnormality as a defense against criminal liability, or mitigation of such liability. Related procedural problems, i.e. mental unfitness to stand trial, statutory interpretation, and commitment following acquittal on grounds of mental irresponsibility. The study of possible defences of insanity (mental disorder, disease of the mind), battered spouse syndrome, abused child syndrome, and urban survival syndrome were also undertaken. Seminar paper: ‘The Law of Automatism in Canadian Jurisprudence.’ Taught by Professor of Law Louis Swartz.

Federal Criminal Practice: Survey of the differences in State and Federal Court practice, including: Pre-Trial Detention (Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984); federal search/seizure issues (Ill. v. Gates; Franks v. Deleware; Leon); federal discovery law and the Brady Rule; Effective Assistance of Counsel claims; hearsay rules in Federal Court; plea bargaining, Federal Sentencing Guidelines; Entrapment defense, and evidentiary issues unique to federal court. Taught by Federal Public Defender John Humann

The Right to Silence: Paper on the Accused’s Right to Silence in Canada. Study of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, common law from the Canadian Supreme Court & UK (R. v. Hebert; Rex v. Warickshall; R. v. Whittle; R. v. Clarkson), and seminal US Cases (Arizona v. Miranda; Edward v. Arizona) were considered in proposing reform for the existing Right to Silence in Canada. There was also a discussion on the Law of Confessions, Voluntariness and the Law of Waiver. Directed under Professor of Law & Director of Buffalo Criminal Law Center, Markus Dubber.

Advanced Criminal Law Trial Techniques: Preparation and advocacy practice in the United States Federal District Courthouse for Western New York. The seminar focused on a mock non-capital 2nd degree murder case. Sessions were focused on federal motions practice, pre-trial motions, opening statements, conducting examination in chief and on cross, impeachment, document handling, closing arguments, and formulation of jury instructions. Taught by the Honourable and Learned US Magistrate H. Scott, J.

DWI Appellate Work: Pro Bono Appellate brief in People v. Alberti, (NY). Mr. Gosal’s portion of the brief contended a violation of the appellant’s Fifth, Sixth, and 14th Amendment rights to: due process; compulsory process; confrontation; self-incrimination; and trial fairness. In addition, arguments on non constitutional grounds were submitted, including: erroneous use of judicial notice, and improper exclusion of lay opinion evidence.

Common Law Tradition: Exploring basic Common Law traditions, and building upon a framework provided by Yale Law Dean Anthony Kornman, who was inspired by the writings and career of Karl Llewellyn, a major figure in the American Legal Realist movement. Survey on significant jurists, including the Late and Learned: John Sopinka, William Brennan Jr., Learned Hand, Benjamin Cardoza, Clarence Darrow; Sandra O’Connor, and Oliver W. Holmes. Taught by Professor of Law Louis Swartz.

Criminal Case Preparation: Specialized training in criminal case preparation. Such preparation affords the defence a practical and meaningful system for the work product, and preparation for trial. Taught by senior NY practitioner John Condon.

The Law of Homicide: A comparative analysis of the Homicide provisions in the U.S. Model Penal Code, and the Criminal Code of Canada. Focus on the mens rea, actus reus, fault requirements, and defences.

I am working on a number of matters currently, including Immediate Roadside Prohibition – DUI Appeals. Recent Road Rage Incident in North Vancouver (see blogs). Homicide case of Iqbal Vinepal.

Jurisprudence Research

“Children of A Common Mother: Search and Seizure Law: American, Canadian, and Washington State Approaches.” 65 p., 1999.

“War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity: Legal Approaches and Reflections on the International Criminal Court Statute.” 30 p., 1998.

“Exclusionary Remedies in Criminal Trial Proceedings: Washington State and Canada.” 25 p., 2000.

“Comparative Analysis Of Conflicts Of Law: Both Sides Of The 49th: Canadian and American Usage of Forum Non Conveniens.” 25 p., 1999.

“The Law of Automatism in Canadian Jurisprudence: Problems and Proposals” LL.M. Seminar Paper, Criminal Responsibility [2003].

“The Law of Homicide: Comparative Analysis between the U.S. Model Penal Code and  the Canadian Criminal Code.”  LL.M. Directed Research, [2003].

“Forensic Issues in DUI-DWI Litigation: Strategies for the Legal Practitioner.” LL.M. Seminar Paper, Forensic Sciences [2003].

“The Case for the Right to Silence in Canada.” 2003, LL.M. Study Paper.