Deepna Sunder

Deepna Sunder is an associate lawyer at AKM Law. She obtained her law degree from the University of British Colombia in 2021, and she completed her Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from the University of Waterloo.

In July 2021, Deepna began her articles by working in immigration and refugee law and she has continued to practice in this field since. Prior to joining AKM Law, Deepna worked as a lawyer at two established immigration and refugee law firms.

She represents clients before all divisions of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, including the Immigration Appeal Division, Refugee Protection Division, and Immigration Division. She also advocates for clients in judicial review applications before the Federal Court of Canada and handles matters before Canada Border Services Agency.

Deepna’s advocacy is marked by meticulous preparation and a strong command of the law. In Sahraei v Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2022 CanLII 133039 (CA IRB), she successfully represented a 70-year-old Iranian permanent resident in a residency obligation appeal. Despite a travel document refusal dating back to 2016 and a five-year delay in filing the appeal, Deepna demonstrated that the appellant had been in Canada for approximately 1,200 days in the relevant five-year period—well above the required threshold. The panel found the visa officer’s determination to be legally invalid and allowed the appeal, preserving the client’s permanent resident status.

Deepna is a passionate advocate who combines legal precision with compassion, and she is deeply committed to achieving justice for immigrants and refugees navigating Canada’s complex legal landscape.