On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (British Columbia) Society (FACL BC) affirms our commitment to reconciliation and our dedication to acting in solidarity with our Indigenous colleagues, clients, and community members.

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a day of reflection and remembrance. For some, September serves as a harrowing reminder of a time when Indigenous children were forcibly taken from their families and subjected to the atrocities of forced assimilation, genocide, and abuse.

We encourage everyone to take the opportunity to learn more about Indigenous peoples across Canada and reflect on the actionable steps we can undertake to contribute to reconciliation actively. We recognize the importance of acknowledging our privilege and understanding the historical and present-day injustices that Indigenous communities endure. As settlers and legal professionals, we must use that privilege to address the systemic oppression faced by Indigenous communities.

We encourage our members and communities to refer to the resources below to learn more about the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation:

• Visiting the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and their Education Programs

• Checking out this year’s Orange Shirt Day events happening across Canada and their educational resources

• Visiting the Government of Canada’s Learn more about First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples Across Canada resource

• Reading the TRC’s Final Report and 94 Calls to Action and other Reports

• Checking out CBC News’s Beyond 94 or Indigenous Watchdog to track progress on the TRC’s Calls to Action

• Watch the Continuing Legal Education Society of BC’s mini-documentary “But I Was Wearing a Suit”

• Watching the Formal Apology to Former Indian Residential School Survivors

• Reading the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation’s Residential School History

• Visiting the official pages of National Indigenous Organizations: Assembly of First Nations,Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami,Métis National Council

• Finding out which Indigenous Peoples’ land you are a guest using this interactive map

FACL BC Contractor Posting: Executive Coordinator 

The Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (British Columbia) Society (FACL BC) is looking for a highly-motivated 1L (preferred) or 2L BC law student to serve as our next Executive Coordinator, to help fulfill our mission of promoting equity, justice and opportunity for Asian Canadian legal professionals and the broader community. This is a one-year paid independent contractor position at a competitive hourly rate. Estimated hours range from 5 to 10 hours per week but are not guaranteed.

FACL BC is a pan-Asian organization celebrating the diversity of our Asian communities - we explicitly encourage applicants who identify as being “Asian-Canadian”, including but not limited to South Asian, West Asian, Southeast Asian, East Asian, or any other self-identifying Asian-Canadian law students from any BC law school (UBC Peter A. Allard School of Law, University of Victoria, and Thompson Rivers University) to apply.

As part of our mission to continue diversifying our operations outside of the Greater Vancouver area, based on equal qualifications, preference may be given to candidates applying from the University of Victoria or Thompson Rivers University Faculty of Law. 

Apply here: https://forms.gle/NpCnVXQyiJYnePYR8 

Deadline to apply: Oct 3, 2025 at 11:59PM Pacific Time.  

Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis, so please apply early. Only qualified candidates who are shortlisted for an interview will be contacted.

Term: October 2025 – October 2026

Rate: $24.00 per hour

Hours: 5-10 hours per week (estimated, not guaranteed)

Who are we?

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 broader community.  FACL BC is the largest equity-seeking bar organization in British Columbia with over 800 members across all areas of the legal profession including students, associates, partners, in-house counsel, public service, and the judiciary.   

In November 2024, we hosted our largest Gala to date featuring Lien Yeung, journalist at CBC, who spoke on the theme of Unity in Diversity. We welcomed 780 guests to the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver to a sold out evening, following an in-person daytime Conference featuring panelists discussing the importance of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

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 also selected for The 26th Annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival and NALP Annual Conference in Vancouver, and screened at the Law Society of BC. You may also recall learning about our documentary in school, as it is mandatory viewing for Professional Responsibility students at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law (Common Law),  and is recommended reading for incoming students at the University of Victoria Faculty of Law. The documentary is also recommended viewing for students enrolled in the Law Society of BC’s Professional Legal Training Course and was recently mandatory viewing for students at the Peter A. Allard School of Law. 

This past year has been exceptionally successful for FACL BC. FACL BC was selected as the recipient of the 2024 CBA Touchstone Award, which recognizes successful promotion or furthering of equality at the national level and/or a significant contribution relating to race, gender, disability, sexual orientation or other diversity issues in the recipient’s community. FACL BC was also selected as the recipient of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)’s Affiliate of the Year Award to recognize FACL BC for our best practices and accomplishments in their local communities over the past year.

What are we looking for?

• Current 1L (preferred) or 2L student attending the University of Victoria Faculty of Law, Thompson Rivers University Faculty of Law or Peter A. Allard School of Law;
• Self-identification as Asian-Canadian preferred;
• Outstanding organizational and communication skills (verbal and written);
• Experience planning events for non-profit organizations, student clubs or similar organizations;
• Experience with platforms such as Google Drive and Zoom is an asset;
• Experience with social media platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook is an asset;
• Experience with Linktree, graphic design (Canva), and website management (Wild Apricot) is an asset;
• Willingness to learn, adapt and problem-solve;
• Proactive and shows initiative;
• Ability to work independently and in a team, with other Executive Coordinators and with multiple stakeholders;
• Ability to meet tight and competing deadlines within a highly active organization; and
• Ability to work occasionally in the evenings and on weekends, as required.

The successful candidate must possess a personal laptop and a reliable Internet connection. Additional training on the software applications listed above will be provided to the successful candidate.

What are your responsibilities?

 Administrative

• Respond to director requests for assistance with events, operate Wild Apricot (our membership/website platform) or another platform, Zoom, Canva and Google Drive, and send out emails;
• Approve new membership applications, maintain an orderly archive and assist the Treasurer with financial matters on Wild Apricot;
• Contact Wild Apricot to troubleshoot issues that arise;
• Apply for CPD credits or other professional credit approvals for FACL BC’s events;
• Assist in recording board meeting minutes and/or action items, if needed;
• Attend FACL BC monthly board meetings (typically the second week of each month), Board orientation (typically in August), and the internal Board retreat (typically in March), as required; and
• Assist the Treasurer with collecting information and drafting grant applications for FACL BC.

Communications

• Review and respond to emails received in the general FACL BC inbox and forward other inquiries accordingly to the appropriate committee and director(s);
• Coordinate with the Membership Committee to draft and send out monthly email newsletters to FACL BC’s membership;
• Assist in sending out calendar invites to directors for board meetings and contractual deadlines with other third-parties;
• Assist with preparing marketing materials, including updating the FACL BC website, Instagram page, LinkedIn account, Facebook page and newsletter; and
• Report regularly to the President and FACL BC Executive Committee as needed.

Event Planning

• Provide logistical support for FACL BC events and initiatives including creating event pages on Wild Apricot, and Zoom and Facebook;
• Make event name tags for attendees and speakers;
• Set up and attend  virtual events, where requested;
• Assist the Secretary with updating our internal events calendar with new events and changes, if needed;
• Create and send thank you cards and arrange to deliver FACL BC merchandise to event guests and event speakers, as required; and
• Such other FACL BC-related services, and deliverables, as we may request.

Privacy Policy

We take your privacy seriously.  For details, please see our FACL BC Privacy Policy here. 

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 (British Columbia) Society (FACL BC)

Linkedin 

We are pleased to share FACL BC's 2024-2025 Annual Report with all members. The Annual Report is hyperlinked here: Annual Report 2025 for your convenience. 

The Annual Report summarizes the progress and highlights that we have collectively achieved in 2024-2025 - thanks to the hard work of our board, advisors, volunteers, speakers, and members. We hope you enjoy reading it, as we reflect on the growth and development made over the past year!

We are thrilled to announce that the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (British Columbia) Society (FACL BC)  is a recipient of the Iterate Racial Justice Grant from the Law Foundation of British Columbia. This Iterate Grant builds on the successes of our original grant from May of 2024 that supported the hiring of additional staff and the establishment of the FACL BC Journal, published earlier this year in April 2025, and the grant we received in 2019 to produce our award-winning documentary, But I Look Like a Lawyer.  

The Iterate  Grant will provide FACL BC with $300,000 in funding over the next three years, along with an additional $30,000 dedicated to health and wellness-related costs.

This achievement reflects the hard work of our executive team in preparing the grant application, and we also thank our Board and volunteers for laying the foundation that made this possible through our established initiatives and events that promote equity, justice, and opportunity for the Asian-Canadian legal community and wider community.

This funding will empower FACL BC to hire additional staff members to work with our Board to develop and implement initiatives including, among other key projects: 

• Further issues of our FACL BC Journal, Silk Threads: the Journal of Asian Canadian Legal Perspectives;

• FACL BC Membership Retreats;

• The FACL BC Leadership Academy; 

• The FACL BC Future Partners Program; and

• More CPD approved educational programming and practice area training.

We will also be exploring other potential mid- to long-term initiatives.

We are excited about the doors this grant will open for FACL BC and the potential opportunities that it will bring for us. This support will also facilitate our transition from a working board to a governance board, allowing us to focus more on advocacy and intervention efforts, and provide our dedicated volunteers and directors with support. Prior to receiving the Law Foundation grant in May 2024, FACL BC was mostly a volunteer-driven organization with the exception of part-time executive coordinators, where we hired law students enrolled in a law school in British Columbia.

We extend our deepest gratitude to the Law Foundation of British Columbia  for their continued trust and investment in our vision. We look forward to the impactful work we will achieve together, as evidenced by our long-term projects such as the documentary and Journal.

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. To support the students of this community, we award a number of annual scholarships to current BC law students of pan-Asian descent.

In November 2024, we awarded 2 scholarships at our Annual Gala. Visit faclbc.ca/scholarship to view our previous scholarship recipients.

FACL BC Scholarships at Upcoming Annual General Meeting

FACL BC is pleased to announce that we will award 4 scholarships (“Scholarships”) in the amount of $1,000 each at our upcoming Annual General Meeting on July 17, 2025. These scholarships are made possible by the support of Scotiabank, our Exclusive Financial Partner for the 2024-2025 year. Scholarship recipients will be notified of FACL BC’s decision by July 15, 2025, and the scholarship will be presented at FACL BC’s Annual General Meeting on July 17, 2025. Submit your application here by July 8, 2025 at 11:59 PM (PT) to be considered.  

The FACL BC Scholarships recognize current and incoming law students enrolled in a law school in British Columbia, graduating between 2026 and 2028, who demonstrate a keen interest in and willingness to contribute to the Asian Canadian legal community. Consideration will be given to applicants’ leadership and community involvement, and financial need.

Selection Process

• Each application that meets the requirements set out below will be reviewed by current FACL BC Executive members on a “blind resume review” basis, with all identifying personal information redacted and anonymized prior to consideration.

• FACL BC exercises sole and absolute discretion to determine scholarship eligibility and scholarship recipients.

• FACL BC’s decisions are final. Application materials will not be returned to applicants.

• Scholarship recipients will be notified of FACL BC’s decision by July 15, 2025, and the scholarship will be presented at FACL BC’s Annual General Meeting on July 17, 2025.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for a FACL BC Scholarship, students must:

• self-identify as of pan-Asian descent (South Asian, Southeast Asian, East Asian, Central/West Asian);

• demonstrate past, current and/or future involvement in promoting equity, justice and opportunity for pan-Asian Canadian legal professionals and/or the wider community in British Columbia, with previous involvement with FACL BC preferred;

• be able to attend FACL BC’s Annual General Meeting via Zoom on Thursday, July 17, 2025 at 5:00 PM (PT); and

• be a current student member of FACL BC (note: Student Membership is complimentary, sign up at faclbc.ca/join); and consent to having their name (photo and short bio optional) displayed on our webpage at faclbc.ca/scholarship.

Please note that past scholarship recipients, FACL BC Student Directors, and student contractors, including Executive Coordinators and Associate Director (both current and former), are not eligible to apply.

FACL BC thanks Scotiabank, our Exclusive Financial Partner for the 2024-2025 year, for making these Scholarships possible.

If you are interested in joining FACL BC’s Board of Directors (the “FACL BC Board”), please complete the nomination form by 11:59 p.m. on July 8, 2025. Your nomination statement should include a short summary of who you are, why you are interested in our organization, and the extent of your previous involvement with FACL BC (if any) (maximum of 300 words). These nomination statements will be sent to all FACL BC members. You may submit a nomination statement for no more than one position described below. 

FACL BC has a working board, and every FACL Board member's engagement and contributions play a key role in promoting the organization's mission and mandate. All FACL BC Board members are expected to attend monthly Board meetings, Board orientation and retreat (in September and March, respectively), participate in FACL BC committees (Membership, Advocacy, Gala, or Mentorship), and contribute actively to the planning and execution of FACL BC programming and initiatives.

The following positions are available: 

Director-at-Large (Two-Year Term)

The FACL BC Board has four Director-at-Large (two-year term) positions available. These positions are open to FACL BC’s Full Members. Members on the FACL BC Board are expected to assume active high-level and on-the-ground leadership for our various initiatives, including in leading FACL BC committees. 

Director-at-Large (One-Year Term)

The FACL BC Board has three Director-at-Large (one-year term) positions available. This position is open to FACL BC’s Full Members. Members on the FACL BC Board are expected to assume active high-level and on-the-ground leadership for our various initiatives, including in leading FACL BC committees. 

Note: The June newsletter incorrectly stated there is one opening for the 1-year Director position. Please find the correct information in this statement.

Student Director (One-Year Term)

The FACL BC Board has one Student Director position for each of BC’s law schools (UBC, TRU, and UVic) available. Student Directors are key liaisons between FACL BC and their respective law school and represent/promote FACL BC at their respective law school. These positions are open to FACL BC’s student members who are current JD or graduate law students at UBC, TRU, or UVic. 

Candidates for FACL BC Board positions may share their candidacy with Members leading up to the AGM through social media and email. If you choose to do so, please be mindful of Members' communication preferences.

If you have any questions, please contact us at info@faclbc.ca.

FACL BC congratulates Justice Maryka Omatsu on being named as a recipient of the 2025 Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award, alongside Judge Holly Fujie.

Justice Omatsu is a trailblazer who was the first woman of East Asian descent to be appointed a judge in Canada. Importantly, Justice Omatsu was a founder of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers. We would be remiss not to acknowledge her significant achievements in and contributions to the legal profession and Asian legal community over the years. FACL BC is honoured to have played a small role in supporting Justice Omatsu's nomination for the award, and extends its thanks to FACL BC past presidents, Serene Chow and Jenn Lau, for their assistance in finalizing the nomination. Read more about Justice Omatsu and the full National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) statement here.

The Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (British Columbia) Society (FACL BC) extends its warmest congratulations to its members who have received the King’s Counsel (KC) designation as announced on May 6, 2025. This well-deserved designation is a testament to their exceptional merit and contribution to the legal profession in British Columbia (BC).

FACL BC takes immense pride in the collective accomplishments of our members, whose dedication and excellence inspire the legal community. Their achievements both reflect their individual prowess and underscore the diverse and impactful contributions of Asian Canadian lawyers in shaping the legal landscape in BC and Canada. 

On this special occasion, we highlight the remarkable achievements of the below individuals, many of them being FACL BC members:

Peter Ameerali, KC is a leading public law litigator and has been a constitutional expert with the BC Ministry of Attorney General since 2005. He pioneered BC’s civil forfeiture regime and has argued at all court levels. A recognized mentor and trainer, Ameerali was a co-chair of the Young Lawyers subsection of the CBA and has since mentored dozens of students and lawyers both within government and in private practice. Ameerali has lectured at University of Victoria, Thompson Rivers University and CLEBC and provided career guidance and coaching about the legal profession at the high school level. He is a respected leader in legal ethics, equity and inclusion, serving in senior advisory roles within and outside government.

Raji Mangat, KC is the Executive Director of Litigation at West Coast Women's Legal Education and Action Fund (West Coast LEAF) and a respected leader and litigator with 20 years of experience. She is also a sessional lecturer at the University of Victoria, teaching courses such as Civil Liberties and the Charter. She works tirelessly to improve access to justice for marginalized communities through systemic change efforts. She is a strong voice for equity and inclusion in the legal profession and graciously offers her time and expertise to several legal organizations, including Access Pro Bono, Health Justice, and FACL BC. She has been a huge contributor to FACL BC, volunteering as a speaker on a number of panels and at events, including our Membership Retreat last year, providing the organization with guidance as an Advisor on our Advisory Committee (2023-2025), and being featured on one of the first episodes of our FACL BC Podcast.

Salima Samnani, KC is the director of legal services at the Indigenous Community Legal Clinic and a lecturer at Peter A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia. Samnani is a Kenyan Indo-Canadian Muslim immigrant. As a lecturer, she is passionate about implementing clinical legal education pedagogies that focus on trauma-informed, skills-based legal training from a feminist, anti-racist and decolonization perspective. She is also the principal of Salima Samnani Law Corporation, where she practices in family law and employment law, providing legal expertise to individuals, community organizations, non-profit legal services and marginalized communities. She has served as the counsel for the Union of BC Indian Chiefs at the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and commission counsel for the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry (BC). 

Karen Tse, KC is a family lawyer, family law mediator, Legal Aid BC duty counsel and civil litigator. As the first female and IBPOC partner at Rockies Law LLP and first Asian female to serve as vice-president and president-elect of the Kootenay Bar Association, she is dedicated to promoting access to justice in rural communities and providing mentorship to the Kootenay bar. Tse was named volunteer of the year by the Fernie Chamber of Commerce. Her work with the Fernie Women’s Resource Centre and Fernie Child Care Society continues to support rural families accessing child care and women and children in crisis.

Gaynor Yeung, KC is a partner at Whitelaw Twining in Vancouver, specializing in insurance law and mediation. She has appeared before all levels of BC courts and is widely respected by plaintiff and defence counsel. She is regularly recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada and is a member of the Canadian Academy of Distinguished Neutrals. Elected a Law Society of BC Bencher in 2021, she chairs the Practice Standards Committee and serves as vice-chair of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, demonstrating her leadership, commitment to ethics and integrity within the legal community. Gaynor has volunteered with FACL BC in different capacities, including as a panelist in our “Life of a Bencher: A Conversation with Our Current Benchers of Asian Descent” event, as a speaker at our Membership Retreat last year, and was featured in the FACL BC Podcast.

Once again, FACL BC congratulates all of the newly appointed King’s Counsel on their well-deserved designations and thanks them for their past and ongoing contributions to the legal and wider community in British Columbia.

The Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (British Columbia) Society (FACL BC) congratulates Judge Aamna Afsar on her appointment to the Provincial Court of British Columbia.

Judge Afsar joined the BC Prosecution Service in 2006, served as Crown counsel in Vancouver for nearly 14 years, and worked in the Downtown Community Court for several years. In 2019, Judge Afsar joined the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) where she was an adjudicator and then a manager within the RPD’s Quality Centre. She earned the IRB’s Chairperson’s Award for her efforts to improve the adjudication of gender-related refugee claims in 2020. From 2022 to her recent appointment, she served as a judicial justice in the Provincial Court of British Columbia. 

Judge Afsar is a daughter of immigrants from Pakistan. She has been an active volunteer with organizations including the Canadian Bar Association’s mentorship program, the UBC Criminal Law Clinic, the Indigenous Community Legal Clinic and the Justice Education Society. She was also a longtime member of the Canadian Council of Muslim Women.

FACL BC applauds the appointment of Judge Afsar to the bench. A judiciary that reflects our province’s diversity and promotes access to justice is well-positioned to meet the needs of our community and aligns with FACL BC’s mandate of promoting equity, justice and opportunity for Asian Canadian legal professionals and the wider community. We look forward to Judge Afsar’s continued contributions to the legal profession.