Allard Law Professor Benjamin Perrin has been named one of Canada's Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers by Canadian Lawyer Magazine.
The award celebrates legal professionals who have made immense contributions nationwide. Perrin is recognized as a transformative force in Canadian law.
“It's a huge honour to be recognized among this group of influential jurists, many of whom I’ve personally looked up to,” says Perrin. “This is an inspiring and humbling moment.”
Among his accomplishments, Perrin was nominated for his recent work on criminal justice reform. His latest book, Indictment: The Criminal Justice System on Trial, makes the case for a move away from punishment-based incarceration towards trauma-informed, rehabilitative and community-led alternatives.
“Indictment is about a fundamental shift in how we look at crime and punishment,” says Perrin, whose research for the book involved interviewing dozens of individuals who had been incarcerated, victims of crime and professionals working in the criminal justice system.
Over the years, Perrin’s work has had a major impact on law and policy in Canada. He was one of the architects of the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights and helped change the Criminal Code and federal policy to better support victims of human trafficking.
But continued progress towards a more compassionate and just legal system is not a foregone conclusion, says Perrin, noting increasing pressure in Canada and the United States for harsher penalties. “That's why I think we need to pursue this challenge of transforming our justice system seriously, and continue to dedicate our efforts towards teaching, research and advocacy.”
The biggest source of regret I could have in my career would be thinking that I didn't speak out, either because I was too disillusioned, discouraged or feared negative consequences.
In addition to his work on the criminal justice system, Perrin was recognized for his work on the ethical integration of AI in law and legal education. Last year, he launched the UBC AI and Criminal Justice Initiative, which included a new seminar on AI and criminal justice, a student symposium and a new casebook, Artificial Intelligence & Criminal Justice: Cases and Commentary.
Over the past year, Perrin has also been researching and publishing on the use and ethical implications of the use of lethal AI in warfare, and was recently invited to share his findings at a presentation to over a hundred US military lawyers. Now, he’s examining how Canadian police make decisions about the use of AI and how it’s being used by police forces internationally. “We’ll be working directly with law enforcement, privacy experts and affected community members to examine whether, and how, the police should use AI in their work,” adds Perrin.
This award from Canadian Lawyer Magazine marks the second time in the past several months that Perrin has been recognized for his research, teaching and advocacy work. On April 2, 2025, he received the King Charles III Coronation Medal for his service to Canada.
“Ben has helped bring the voices of marginalized Canadians to the forefront,” said Member of Parliament Don Davies, who presented Perrin with the King Charles III Medal, describing Perrin’s contributions to Canadian society as “compassionate”, “revolutionary” and “captivating.”
“His recommendations have changed laws and policies, and even when they don’t, he continues to speak truth to power,” Davies added.
Perrin says he sees both awards as a call to continue his work and to mentor and support the next generation of law students and lawyers.
“The biggest source of regret I could have in my career would be thinking that I didn't speak out, either because I was too disillusioned, discouraged or feared negative consequences,” Perrin says.
“That’s something lawyers and jurists that I have always been inspired by never shied away from – being fearless advocates. And that's something that I hope our students are also learning as they go through law school too.”
To learn more about Professor Benjamin Perrin’s ongoing work, visit www.benjaminperrin.ca.
