Brian A. Beresh Q.C., is the senior and founding partner of the law firm of Beresh Cunningham and has been practicing law for over 30 years. Born and raised in Kipling, Saskatchewan, Mr. Beresh received his Bachelor of Arts with Distinction (with a major in Political Science and minor in Economics) in 1972 and later earned his Bachelor of Laws in 1975 from the University of Saskatchewan. Mr. Beresh was called to the Saskatchewan Bar in 1976 and the Alberta Bar in 1980.

On October 18, 2006, in the 2006 edition "The Best Lawyers in Canada," Mr. Beresh was selected and named by his peers in the defence bar to be one of Canada's top criminal lawyers.

Mr. Beresh is a much sought after defence lawyer. He has been described by peers as "one of, if not the busiest lawyer in Canada." During the span of his lengthy career, he has been defence counsel in over 100 jury trials and has represented over 75 people charged with murder/manslaughter. He has defended numerous complex white-collar fraud and theft allegations including the defence of a bank manager alleged to have stolen $16 million.

Mr. Beresh has appeared as counsel on numerous occasions before the Court of Appeal in Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, and the Yukon and before the Supreme Court of Canada. In 1992, he appeared as counsel on the Milgaard Reference before the Supreme Court of Canada. It was only the third such Reference before that court and the longest in Canadian history. Mr. Beresh also appeared as counsel on the Nerland Inquiry in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and most recently on the David Milgaard inquiry in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

The great demand for Mr. Beresh's services as a premier criminal defence lawyer have taken him to trials and appeals in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and the Northwest and Yukon Territories.

A renowned sessional lecturer at the Law School of Alberta continuously since 1988, Mr. Beresh continues to teach classes in the areas of criminal trial procedure, advocacy and advanced criminal law. As a senior criminal lawyer and past president of the Criminal Trial Lawyers Association (1984 - 1985), he has lectured on numerous topics including criminal law, criminal procedure, advocacy, narcotics issues and constitutional law for numerous groups some of which include Student Legal Services, Canadian Bar Association, Saskatchewan Trial Lawyers Association, Alberta Trial Lawyers Association and the Universities of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

In 1998, Mr. Beresh was invited to travel to the Ukraine to lecture and the Law Schools in Kiev and Melniski in relation to Canadian criminal law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

He has recently returned from providing the 2006 Annual Bernard Cohen Lecture at the Law School at the University of Windsor in Windsor, Ontario. He is a much sought after speaker and presented a lecture to the Canadian Bar Association in Saskatchewan on February 2, 2007.

Mr. Beresh became a member of the Criminal Trial Lawyers Association in 1980. This Association is Edmonton based and is the second largest and powerful criminal defence lawyers' Association in Canada. He has served the Association as a member and has chaired a number of its committees and in 1984 served as its president. In addition, he is a Criminal Law Consultant for the Canadian Mental Health Association and has served as a legal columnist for CBC AM radio.

To remain current with international legal developments and to maintain a North American network for his clients, Mr. Beresh in 1993 joined the National Association of Criminal Defence Lawyers as a Life Member. This preeminent organization consisting of 13,000 direct and 28,000 affiliate members is the largest criminal defence lawyer association in the world. Given migration and travel between Canada and the United States, it is imperative that contact with the American defence Bar be maintained and enhanced.

Mr. Beresh was elected for a three-year term as a Bencher of the Law Society of Alberta in 2005 by the members of his profession. This body governs the conduct of the 8500 lawyers practicing in the Province of Alberta.

Mr. Beresh enjoys the practice of criminal law and is dedicated to providing his clients with the highest standards of professional service in the defence of their cases. He is admired by his peers and trusted by his clients and the courts. In the vigorous defence of his clients, he takes the approach that "The Defence Never Rests."