Professional Biography
Sergey has graduated with honours from the Law Faculty of Belorussian State University and worked as an assistant district attorney and corporate lawyer.
Continuing his lifelong interest and involvement in law and justice, Sergey, graduated with Honours from the Court and Tribunal Agent Program at Seneca College in 2004. Then, he immediately began an independent practice, providing private and corporate clients with representation and advice in their small claims matters, tenant evictions, traffic offences, disability benefit denial appeals, as well as criminal defences.
Soon after he began practicing, he was contacted by representatives of the Law Society of Upper Canada and asked to join the movement to license Ontario paralegals. Sergey participated, writing to Ontario MPs and actively advocating for the licensing process. Together with those of many others, his efforts paid off. Consequently, the Law Society introduced the licensing process for paralegals in 2007. Surely, Sergey is truly proud to have helped establish paralegals as independent legal professionals and part of the Law Society of Ontario (LSO).
Sergey then became part of the very first group of paralegals to become licensed. Sergey founded his practice on the principles of a realistic assessment of his clients’ situations, transparency and trust in interaction, and a high level of engagement with clients. As a result, the practice has grown and expanded since, taking shape into Spectrum Paralegal.
Visit Sergey on LinkedIn to get in touch and learn more.
Goals and Principles
Sergey strives to promote Ontarians’ access to justice by raising awareness of the types of services paralegals can provide, particularly where retaining a lawyer may be very costly. He says to this end, that his vision is:
“To let people know that they don’t always need a lawyer. That paralegals differ from lawyers only in the scope of their practice and fee structure, not competence or experience. So the next time someone is, for example, charged with dangerous driving or common assault or has a small civil claim to file, I want them to think, ‘paralegal.’”
With this intention, the principles on which Sergey founded Spectrum Paralegal are:
- High-quality service.
- Advice that’s right for you.
- Clarity, clarity, clarity. Accessible explanations of what is happening.
- Always staying in touch.
- The guarantee that the person you meet on the first day will be the person representing you, and, of course,
- Technology friendliness.
Sergey’s Precedents
Over the years, Sergey has built up significant experience in providing paralegal services in many types of matters. During almost 18 years of successful practice, he has represented individuals and corporations in Small Claims Court and before other tribunals. Some of his cases have become precedents – cases that are now part of Ontario’s case law. Judges and legal professionals use them to argue for and issue other decisions. Here are some of them:
Sergey successfully recovers $3,807.00 plus costs for a homeowner. Her contractor installed the marble counter improperly. It caused her monetary losses and suffering due to the inability to use her kitchen.
Sergey successfully argued that the court should not have transferred a Small Claims Court action to the Superior Court. Different courts cited this case in at least four decisions in the Superior Court of Justice and Ontario Court of Justice, too.
Decision No. 1873/08, [2009] O.W.S.I.A.T.D. No. 2542
In this case, Sergey represented a lady who was denied benefits from the WSIB program after an injury at work. Her appeal was partially allowed.
1204-05165 (Re), 2012 ONSBT 695 (CanLII)
Sergey represented a 35-year-old woman unable to work after injuries sustained in an MVA in her appeal from a denial of disability benefits under the ODSP program. Upon consideration of her situation, the Social Benefits Tribunal granted her appeal.
1209-11956 (Re), 2013 ONSBT 2321 (CanLII)
In another appeal from a denial of ODSP disability benefits to his client, Sergey successfully represents a man who was denied ODSP despite a congenital spine deformity and other health issues.
