The Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (British Columbia) Society (FACL BC) is a diverse coalition of Asian Canadian legal professionals working to promote equity, justice, and opportunity for Asian Canadian legal professionals and the wider community.

Founded in 2011, FACL BC is the largest equity-seeking bar association in British Columbia with over 850 members ranging from judges, partners, associates, in-house counsel, academics and law students and is affiliated with other FACL chapters across Canada and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) in the United States, which represents over 80,000 Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander lawyers.

In 2024, FACL BC became the second organization to receive the Canadian Bar Association Touchstone Award as a result of our contributions relating to race and gender, and for promoting equality in the legal profession, the judiciary, and the legal community in all of Canada. That same year, FACL BC also received the NAPABA Affiliate of the Year Award, recognized out of 75 organizations for its best practices and accomplishments in the local community, becoming the first Canadian organization to receive this recognition.

FACL BC was also the winner of the 2022 Clawbies award for Best Podcast and the 2021 Clawbies award for Best Innovative Project for our ground-breaking documentary, “But I Look Like a Lawyer”, which captures stories of the discrimination, stereotyping and bias experienced by members of the Pan-Asian legal community. Our documentary was screened at the Vancouver Asian Film Festival in 2022 and continues to serve as an educational resource for Canadian and US law firms and law schools, including the BC Professional Legal Training Course.

Allies are welcome and can support our mission by joining as a Supporting Member. Supporting Members do not need to identify as pan-Asian or as a legal professional. Learn more here. 


Events

    • 14 Jan 2026
    • 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
    • Zoom
    Register

    The Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers Association (“FACL BC”) is proud to present a new collaboration with The Canadian Bar Association Vancouver Young Lawyers Chapter (“CBA”).

    NCA and LLMCL candidates often face unique challenges in the articling recruitment process. Many NCA and LLMCL students navigate less structured recruitment pathways, often relying on non-traditional approaches such as cold emailing and targeted networking to secure articling opportunities.

    FACL BC’s NCA/LLMCL Committee and the CBA is thrilled to present a panel discussion on finding articling positions through unposted opportunities, joined by Jennifer Lau, current Graduate advisor at UBC’s Allard School of Law, Tokyo Siu (LLMCL), and Lucy Chang (NCA). They will share their experiences and advice on job searching strategies outside of the main recruit cycle and share their unique experiences on how they secured articles.


    Mark your calendars for Wednesday, January 14, 2026 from 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm and connect with us on Zoom for an insightful session.


    Organized by: Letitia Chu, Jade Yu, and Jessica Pham


    Meet Our Panelists:

    Jennifer Lau

    As a Career Advisor, Graduate Studies, Jenn provides individualized career coaching for UBC Allard’s graduate law students, including those who are internationally trained lawyers or international law school graduates who are completing the National Committee on Accreditation process. She is passionate about helping law students and new graduates transition to the professional workforce. Jenn holds a BA (’03) and an LLB (’08) from UBC and was admitted to the British Columbia Bar in 2010. Her career includes practice as a litigator and serving as a judicial law clerk at the British Columbia Supreme Court. Jenn is also a founding board member of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers BC. Prior to her current role, Jenn served in various student services roles at Allard Law for 11 years, including as Director of Career Services, and as Acting Assistant Dean of Students during the spring and summer of 2020. Jenn also spent a number of years as Director of Professional Resources at a national business law firm, where she was involved in all aspects of the recruitment, training, and performance management of the firm’s summer and articling students and associates.


    Tokyo Siu

    Tokyo completed her law degree in England and is a Hong Kong qualified solicitor with a focus on corporate law, securities and bonds. Driven to broaden her legal expertise and gain international experience, Tokyo moved to Vancouver to pursue the Master of Laws (Common Law) at the University of British Columbia. Tokyo completed her articling at Morton Law LLP, a corporate and securities law firm in downtown Vancouver through off-cycle recruitment.


    Lucy Chang

    Lucy is currently a litigator at Lundrie Brayer LLP, called to the Bar in BC in 2025. Lucy graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A. Hons) in Translation, a Master of Arts (M.A.) and a Juris Doctor (J.D.). She trained at a general practice firm in Hong Kong before joining Lundrie Brayer LLP. She was admitted to the roll of solicitors in Hong Kong and England & Wales in 2024. She has developed her expertise in civil and family litigation, residential tenancy dispute, foreclosure litigation, and wills and estates.

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    By attending this event, you agree to abide by the FACL BC Event Code of Conduct.

    If you have any questions about the Code of Conduct, please email info@faclbc.ca.


Statements


Our Podcast

    


Documentary



President's Message

It is with great honour and humility that I lead FACL BC as its President for 2025-2026.

FACL BC enters its 14th year stronger than ever. We launched the first issue of our journal, Silk Threads, highlighting voices and perspectives on EDI that are generally not prioritized in the legal profession. The annual gala, held annually in November, continues to be one of the Vancouver bar’s most anticipated events. Flagship events and initiatives such as the Mentorship program, Leadership Academy, and Hometown Eats continue to bring the community together. Two of our newest committees, the In-House Committee and NCA/LLM committee, are thriving, encouraging a truly diverse makeup for our membership. And last, but certainly not least, the Law Foundation of BC’s generous grant is allowing us to deepen our community outreach and legal advocacy. 

The key to FACL BC’s success has always been its members, including your openness and dedication to FACL BC and what it can do. Because of you, FACL BC is a diverse and welcoming community that is driven by its values. It is brimming with dynamism and new ideas to innovate and aid others in need. Indeed, your support paved the way for me, a first-generation and working-class Filipina immigrant and junior lawyer, to continue leading the charge. 

With your help, I know we can continue to make an impact, and leave the legal profession better than we experienced it.  Whether it's attending our events, sponsoring a new initiative, or volunteering for a committee, it all builds up to impactful change. Join me, and 750+ of your peers, in this fruitful journey. 

Like you, I believe in and I seek to advance FACL BC’s mandate. While the mandate seems more ambitious than ever nowadays, I hope that you are up for the challenge. Together, we are unstoppable. 

Thank you for the privilege of serving as your President. I look forward to working with you! 

Jennine Punzalan
President
Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers BC
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The FACL BC registered office is situated on the unceded, traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓ə (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We acknowledge the significance of the land for the Indigenous peoples who have lived here and acted as stewards since time immemorial, as well as the historical and ongoing injustices they still face. We are committed to working towards decolonial solidarity and the full realization of Indigenous rights.   Read our full land acknowledgement here.

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