Pantea Samei is an Associate Lawyer with a diverse legal background and a strong commitment to client advocacy in Canadian immigration and refugee law. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Psychology from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) and earned her law degree from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom.
Before entering the legal profession, Pantea volunteered with the Toronto Distress Centre, supporting individuals in crisis and suicide prevention. She also worked as a stem cell researcher at the Ross Tilley Burn Centre at Sunnybrook Research Institute, bringing a unique blend of scientific insight and compassion to her legal practice.
Pantea has successfully represented clients before all divisions of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Federal Court of Canada, and the Superior Court of Justice. In addition to immigration and refugee law, she has experience in personal injury and family law, allowing her to serve clients with complex, intersecting legal needs. Fluent in English and Farsi, Pantea is known for her empathy, professionalism, and dedication to achieving the best outcomes for her clients.
Called to the bar of Ontario 2020
Refugee Lawyer’s Association
BSc Ryerson University 2014
LLB University of Leicester 2018
Farsi/Persian
The Federal Court ruled that the Refugee Board was too harsh in rejecting a Somali claimant’s identity by looking at each piece of evidence in isolation. The Court held that community letters, language ability, and witnesses who knew the claimant in Somalia must be assessed together, especially given how hard it is for Somalis to obtain official documents. The decision was set aside and the case was sent back for redetermination.
Adan v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2022 FC 1383
The Court temporarily stayed the execution of the Applicant’s removal order to India because it would unfairly derail her pending spousal sponsorship and upcoming medical examination. The judge found the harm of removing her was serious and unnecessary when a short delay could allow her case to be decided. Removal was stayed to allow for the sponsorship application to be processed..
Kaur v. Canada (Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness),IMM-25580-25 (stay decision)
The Refugee Protection Division accepted the claim of an Iranian woman who converted to Christianity (apostasy) and faced persecution from the Iranian state. The panel found she would be at serious risk because of her religion and because women in Iran are punished for defying strict gender and dress rules. She was recognized as a refugee with no safe place to relocate inside Iran.
X(Re) Refugee Protection Division (Unreported) February 8, 2024
The Court granted a stay of removal to Jamaica for a man with a pending spousal sponsorship after expressing strong concerns about how officials handled evidence about a recent hurricane and the impact on his family. The judge accepted that removal would cause serious harm to his spouse and young step-child and could not be undone later. His removal was stopped until the Court decided the judicial review.
Nelson v. Canada (Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness) – IMM-27020-25 (stay decision – unreported)
Pantea Samei is an Associate Lawyer with a diverse legal background and a strong commitment to client advocacy in Canadian immigration and refugee law. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Psychology from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) and earned her law degree from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom.
Before entering the legal profession, Pantea volunteered with the Toronto Distress Centre, supporting individuals in crisis and suicide prevention. She also worked as a stem cell researcher at the Ross Tilley Burn Centre at Sunnybrook Research Institute, bringing a unique blend of scientific insight and compassion to her legal practice.
Pantea has successfully represented clients before all divisions of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Federal Court of Canada, and the Superior Court of Justice. In addition to immigration and refugee law, she has experience in personal injury and family law, allowing her to serve clients with complex, intersecting legal needs. Fluent in English and Farsi, Pantea is known for her empathy, professionalism, and dedication to achieving the best outcomes for her clients.
Called to the bar of Ontario 2020
Refugee Lawyer’s Association
BSc Ryerson University 2014
LLB University of Leicester 2018
Farsi/Persian
The Federal Court ruled that the Refugee Board was too harsh in rejecting a Somali claimant’s identity by looking at each piece of evidence in isolation. The Court held that community letters, language ability, and witnesses who knew the claimant in Somalia must be assessed together, especially given how hard it is for Somalis to obtain official documents. The decision was set aside and the case was sent back for redetermination.
Adan v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2022 FC 1383
The Court temporarily stayed the execution of the Applicant’s removal order to India because it would unfairly derail her pending spousal sponsorship and upcoming medical examination. The judge found the harm of removing her was serious and unnecessary when a short delay could allow her case to be decided. Removal was stayed to allow for the sponsorship application to be processed..
Kaur v. Canada (Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness),IMM-25580-25 (stay decision)
The Refugee Protection Division accepted the claim of an Iranian woman who converted to Christianity (apostasy) and faced persecution from the Iranian state. The panel found she would be at serious risk because of her religion and because women in Iran are punished for defying strict gender and dress rules. She was recognized as a refugee with no safe place to relocate inside Iran.
X(Re) Refugee Protection Division (Unreported) February 8, 2024
The Court granted a stay of removal to Jamaica for a man with a pending spousal sponsorship after expressing strong concerns about how officials handled evidence about a recent hurricane and the impact on his family. The judge accepted that removal would cause serious harm to his spouse and young step-child and could not be undone later. His removal was stopped until the Court decided the judicial review.
Nelson v. Canada (Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness) – IMM-27020-25 (stay decision – unreported)