Family + Workplace Law Lawyer
About Abudi Awaysheh Law Corporation
Abudi understands discrimination, privilege, and the challenges of succeeding as a young immigrant. He was the only Muslim, Arab, and immigrant in his graduating class at UVic Law. Driven by a passion for continuous learning and self-improvement, Abudi found his own legal practice after earning his fourth Canadian degree. He is proud to hold the distinction of being BC's most educated Muslim and Arab lawyer. He is BC's most senior Arab-Canadian family and workplace lawyer. As one of the few lawyers in BC that are fluent in Arabic, Abudi also acts as a certified translator under the Apostille Convention.
Born and raised in Damascus, Syria, Abudi lived in Montreal and Ottawa from ages 7-10 before returning to Damascus, where he attended and graduated from the American School of Damascus returning to Canada at age 17 for university studies. He has since lived in London ON, Ottawa, Victoria, and Yellowknife NWT, and has made Vancouver his home since 2012.
Before becoming a lawyer, Abudi was a PSAC organizer and Chief Steward for his PSAC local at the University of Western Ontario. He worked at the BCGEU as a law co-op student in 2010 and then in-house for PSAC from 2012 to 2023, handling cases across federal, provincial, and territorial jurisdictions. He has been the sole counsel on 200+ labour arbitrations and adjudications throughout Canada. Abudi has represented clients in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Yukon, NWT, and Nunavut. Abudi also worked for WorkSafeBC as an Investigations Legal Officer issuing decisions concerning Prohibited Action Complaints.
Abudi has received extensive training in sexual assault, trauma-informed advocacy, and trauma-informed workplace investigations. He is a roster lawyer with STAND Informed and represents employees (women and men) who have been sexually assaulted at the workplace. As BC's most senior racialized employment and labour lawyer in private practice, he assists employers in responding to WorkSafeBC orders, ensuring workplaces comply with health and safety regulations, and performing workplace investigations.
Education
- B.Sc. Genetics, University of Western Ontario, London, ON. 2002-2006
- M.Sc. Pathology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON. 2006-2010
- J.D., University of Victoria, Victoria, BC. 2008-2011
- LL.M. Dispute Resolution, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Toronto, ON. 2021-2023
Year of Call
- 2014, Ontario
- 2015, British Columbia
Decisions
Publications
- Evaluating the Mechanisms of Unconjugated Bilirubin Toxicity through Analysis of the Disulfide Proteome, 2010, London, ON, UWO Press.
- From King to Computer: How future Artificial Intelligence Legal Systems and Online Dispute Resolution Tribunals will increase our Access to Justice concerns. June 2025 issue of Bar Talk, Canadian Bar Association.
Membership
- Canadian Muslim Lawyers Association - BC
- Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers
- Canadian Bar Association
- Trial Lawyers Association of BC
Pro Bono Notarization and Summary Legal Advice in Vancouver after Friday Prayer
Abudi is active in the Muslim community. He runs a legal clinic every First, Third, and Fourth Friday after the first Prayer at the Ajyal Islamic Society in Vancouver Centre (https://www.ajyal.ca/) and every second Friday after the second prayer at Fraser Muslim Community Services (https://thefmcs.ca). People of all and no faiths are welcome to receive this service.
Volunteering
- Board of Governors, Umbrella Multicultural Health Co-op, New Westminster, BC. The Health Coop is a medical clinic that provides medical and mental health services for underserved smaller ethnic communities. It has cultural brokers who specialize in assisting patients from the Arab, Afghan, Hispanic, and Tigriayan communities.