The Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (British Columbia) Society (“FACL BC”) expresses its warmest congratulations to Judge Karen Leung on her appointment to the Provincial Court in the Vancouver Region. Judge Leung will be sworn in on March 4, 2024.

For the past decade, Judge Leung has significantly advanced access to justice as legal counsel at the BC Provincial Court. Her membership in committees liaising with counsel, the executive branch, and the Superior Courts strengthened relationships behind the scenes of the courtroom while streamlining the public’s access to the courts. In particular, she assisted with drafting Court Practice Directives and Notices to the Public that were vital in providing access to justice during the COVID-19 pandemic. From organizing the very first BC Provincial Court Twitter Town Hall to the creation of the Virtual Courts Toolkit, Judge Leung’s work has set the stage for how our legal system can pivot in response to unprecedented times.

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 Leung’s continued contribution to the legal profession.

The Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (British Columbia) Society is thrilled to have been invited to collaborate with CBABC and SABA BC on this initiative. Having procedures that promote the correct pronunciation of names can play a significant role in ensuring that individuals are treated with respect and dignity in court and before tribunals, regardless of their race, culture or ethnicity. From the CBABC website:

On February 2, CBABC, the South Asian Bar Association of BC and the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (BC) Society delivered a letter to the Chief Justice of BC, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of BC, Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of BC, and the Chair of Circle of Chairs of BC Administrative Tribunals.

The letter offers best practices to ensure that all people appearing before courts and tribunals throughout BC have their names pronounced correctly, increasing inclusion for lawyers and participants across the province.

The suggestions include:

• Amended practice directions to outline how participants can advise the court/tribunal of the pronunciation of their names.
• Updated standard practices to request pronunciation of all names upon introduction.
• Encouragement to request confirmation of pronunciation.
• Verification of the correct pronunciation of all participants prior to the hearing.

Implementation of these practices will improve the experience of Indigenous and racialized people who appear before our courts and tribunals. It also sends the message that everyone, regardless of race, culture and ethnicity, should be treated with equal respect and dignity.

Read the full PDF here. 

The 2024 theme for Black History Month is: “Black Excellence: A Heritage to Celebrate; a Future to Build”. This theme celebrates the rich past and present contributions and accomplishments of Black people in Canada, while aspiring to embrace new opportunities for the future. FACL BC invites our membership to learn more about Black Canadian communities, and how they continue to help shape Canada.

FACL BC recognizes that anti-Black racism continues to exist in the legal profession and Canadian society at large. As Asian-Canadian legal professionals, we commit to acting in solidarity with our Black colleagues and acknowledge the contributions Black legal professionals have made to the profession. 

This year, Lunar New Year will be held during Black History Month. We want to recognize the long history of Black and Asian solidarity and tensions in North America. Against the backdrop of COVID-19 and its disproportionate impacts on Black, Indigenous, and people of colour (BIPOC), both the Black Lives Matter movement and the Stop Asian Hate movement gained significant momentum in the public eye. We must work to ensure the pledges of solidarity made then are continued to be put into action. These actions must also include undoing the anti-Black racism and colourism that continue to exist within Asian communities. FACL BC commits to strengthening interracial solidarity toward the shared goals of ending racial injustice and white supremacy to build a better future.

Today, FACL BC observes the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia.

Seven years ago on this day, Alexandre Bissonnette walked into the Quebec City Mosque and murdered six Muslim men while they prayed. Nineteen others were injured and one of those injured was left paralyzed. The loss to their families and community is tremendous.

On this day, we honour the lives of the men who were lost in this heinous act of violence and Islamophobia. FACL BC also honours the lives of the four members of a Pakistani-Canadian Muslim family who were killed while out walking in London, Ontario, in June of 2021. We stand against the racism and fear perpetuated against Muslims. 

FACL BC invites you to take a moment of silence to remember these victims and all victims of hatred: 

• Ibrahima Barry
  
• Mamadou Barry
  
• Khaled Belkacemi
  
• Aboubaker Thabti
  
• Abdelkrim Hassane
  
• Azzedine Soufiane

Resources:

• Islamophobia Legal Assistance Hotline

• Islamophobia Awareness Month - What Is Islamophobia?

• National Council of Canadian Muslims - Community Resources

• Canadian Labour Congress - Islamophobia at Work: Challenges and Opportunities

• Naseeha Mental Health hotline available 7 days a week from 9AM-9PM PST: 1 (866) 627-3342 https://naseeha.org/ 

• 310 Mental Health Support: Call 310-6789 for emotional support, information and resources specific to mental health 

The Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (British Columbia) Society (“FACL BC”) expresses its warmest congratulations to Jeevyn Dhaliwal, KC on beginning her term as President of the Law Society of British Columbia (the “LSBC”).

Throughout her distinguished career, Jeevyn Dhaliwal, KC has represented clients in workplace immigration law as well as employment law more broadly. She has worked towards building a strong and inclusive legal profession through her numerous professional and community involvements. Jeevyn Dhaliwal, KC served as a Bencher of the LSBC from 2014 to 2015 and 2017 to present, where she is Chair of the Executive Committee and a member of the Audit and Finance Committee. Jeevyn also serves the community as a member of the Federal Judicial Advisory Committee, Director of Creative BC, Instructor at Capilano University, Legal Studies Department and member of the UBC Alumni Awards Selection Committee.

Jeevyn Dhaliwal, KC is the second person of Asian descent to be elected as the President of the LSBC. The first was Anna K. Fung, KC.  FACL BC is heartened to see another Asian woman elected to this influential position. Diversity in the LSBC’s Benchers and leadership brings a range of experiences and perspectives to bear and gives a voice to those who have been historically underrepresented, including those in our Asian Canadian community. FACL BC looks forward to continuing to strengthen its relationship with the LSBC under Jeevyn Dhaliwal, KC’s leadership. 

The Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (British Columbia) Society (“FACL BC”) congratulates the Honourable Leonard Marchand on his appointment as the Chief Justice of BC and Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal of Yukon. As a Syilx person and a member of the Okanagan Indian Band, Chief Justice Marchand has made history as the first Indigenous Chief Justice of BC.

Chief Justice Marchand was a Judge in BC Provincial Court from 2013 until 2017, when he became the first First Nations Justice appointed to the BC Supreme Court. In 2021, he became the first First Nations Justice appointed to the BC Court of Appeal. Leading up to his impressive 10 years of judicial experience, he articled and practiced at Fulton & Company LLP in Kamloops since 1994. Throughout his practice, he appeared before all levels of court in BC and many administrative tribunals. He has dedicated much of his career to advancing reconciliation and supporting survivors of residential schools, including ​​advancing civil claims on behalf of survivors and helping to negotiate the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement.

FACL BC recognizes and applauds the progress the new Chief Justice has made for Indigenous peoples towards being reflected in the justice system. In his own words in a recent interview, Chief Justice Marchand said: 

“It's important to have Indigenous voices throughout the justice system, so that we can start to establish, for the first time, a level of trust in a system that has such profound effects on the everyday lives of Indigenous people.”

FACL BC echoes the Chief Justice’s sentiment and is heartened to see him appointed to a position where he can continue to share and use his unique voice and perspective. We are sure that his appointment and an increasingly diverse judiciary will also benefit the larger community, including Asian Canadian legal professionals. FACL BC looks forward to seeing the changes Chief Justice Marchand will bring and his impact on BC’s justice system.

The Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (British Columbia) Society (“FACL BC”) expresses its warmest congratulations to Judge Grace Oh on her appointment to the Provincial Court of BC and to Justice Phuong T.V. Ngo on her appointment to the Federal Court. To the best of FACL BC’s knowledge, Judge Oh is the first Judge of Korean descent and the first female Judge of East Asian descent to serve on the BC Provincial Court judiciary. Justice Ngo is the first Justice of Vietnamese descent to sit on the Federal Court. 

Judge Oh worked as Crown Counsel with the BC Prosecution Service for the last 25 years where she appeared before the Supreme Court, the Youth Court, and the Downtown Community Court. She was appointed to the Provincial Court of BC in November 2022 and was sworn in at the beginning of 2023. 

On December 4, FACL BC board members attended her welcome ceremony at the Surrey Provincial Court where she was applauded by her colleagues and by pan-Asian-Canadian legal communities as a talented, versatile, and compassionate addition to the bench. FACL BC thanks the Canadian Bar Association British Columbia Branch for their invitation to provide congratulatory remarks and to Mylene de Guzman for reading these remarks to the Court and to Judge Oh. 

Justice Ngo is a Vietnamese-Canadian who immigrated as a young child with her family. She was appointed to the Federal Court in September 2023 following a successful career as a partner at Gowling WLG in Ottawa. Justice Ngo practiced in both English and French with a focus on the fields of procurement law and health law. Justice Ngo was widely recognized for her legal work as a leading practitioner in procurement law by Lexpert, Chambers Canada, Best Lawyers in Canada, and Legal 500. 

FACL BC is proud to see the accomplishments of these distinguished Asian-Canadian women recognized and is heartened by their appointments to their respective courts. A diverse bench that reflects Canada’s diverse communities and their lived experiences increases public trust and confidence in the judiciary and improves the administration of justice. FACL BC thanks Judge Oh and Justice Ngo for their contributions to the legal field and we look forward to seeing them thrive in their new positions.

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 December 12, 2023. This well-deserved designation is a testament to their exceptional merit and contribution to the legal profession in British Columbia.

On this special occasion, we highlight the remarkable achievements of each of our distinguished members:

Cheryl D’Sa, KC is a civil litigator and mediator recognized for her expertise in personal injury cases. Cheryl was the first female racialized President of the Vancouver Bar Association. A Bencher since 2020, she currently chairs the Law Society of British Columbia’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She received the CBABC Debra Van Ginkel, QC Mentoring Award in 2023. Cheryl was a recent speaker on our panel, Life of a Bencher: A Conversation with Our Current Benchers of Asian Descent, featured on our Spotlight series, and recently joined our FACL BC Advisory Committee.

Gurminder Sandhu, KC is an experienced civil litigator who has appeared before all levels of the British Columbia courts and has a wide practice area consisting of human rights issues, traumatic brain injuries and real estate disputes, family law, and insurance law. He has been a Bencher of the Law Society of British Columbia since 2022 and served on the Federal Judicial Advisory Committee (B.C.) from 2021 to 2023. Gurminder was a recent speaker for our panel, Life of a Bencher: A Conversation with Our Current Benchers of Asian Descent, and a former podcast guest. Listen to Gurminder’s episode on Spotify and Apple.

Joven Narwal, KC is a prominent trial and appellate lawyer who handles high-stakes cases, specializing in criminal and securities litigation, professional regulation, and complex civil matters with criminal aspects. He was the first racialized President of the Vancouver Bar Association. Joven and his firm, Narwal Litigation LLP, have been long-time sponsors and supporters of FACL BC. 

Kinji Bourchier, KC is an experienced business and commercial litigator and a leader in environmental law and commercial litigation in Canada. He has held leadership roles with the Vancouver Bar Association, the Environmental Law section of the CBABC, the Hoop Law Society, the Advocate’s Society, the Reed Athletics Fund, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada. Since 2015, Kinji has served as President of the Allard Law Alumni Association.

Miranda Lam, KC is the Chief Legal Officer and Vice-President of Business Development at a leading biotechnology company headquartered in Vancouver. Championing diversity, equity, and inclusion, Miranda holds leadership positions on the boards of four organizations, including as the Vice-Chair of the UBC Board of Governors and the BC Cancer Foundation. Miranda was a recent guest speaker at our FACL BC Leadership Academy and a podcast guest. Listen to Miranda’s episode on Spotify and Apple.

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 British Columbia and Canada.

We also wish to congratulate and highlight Rubinder Dhanu, KC and Kasari Govender, KC, both of whom have made exceptional contributions to the community:

Kasari Govender, KC is British Columbia’s Human Rights Commissioner. Before her current role, Kasari clerked for the Supreme Court of British Columbia and worked at a Toronto-based firm, where she built an impressive profile working on cases dealing with gender-based violence, human rights, and constitutional law. She pioneered the Rise Women’s Legal Centre, which is an important institution in our community providing access to justice for marginalized women and education at post-secondary institutions. Kasari has also graciously volunteered her time with FACL BC in the past as a panelist for “A Community Discussion: The Rise in Anti-Asian Discrimination in B.C.”.

Rubinder Dhanu, KC is an experienced criminal lawyer, who was formerly a Crown prosecutor and now runs a private practice as a defense attorney. Rubinder has appeared before all levels of the British Columbia and Alberta courts and the Supreme Court of Canada. Rubinder’s contributions to the legal community extend beyond the courtroom, as he is also a frequent presenter on various legal topics and is a mentor to his associates and others.

Once again, FACL BC congratulates 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.

An election is being held for Benchers of the Law Society of British Columbia in Vancouver County, Victoria County, Westminster County, District of Okanagan, Cariboo County, Prince Rupert County, and District of Kamloops for a two-year term beginning January 1, 2024, and ending December 31, 2025. Voting will open on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, and close at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. More information about the election, including candidate biographies and election statements, can be found here. 

Given that part of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (British Columbia) Society’s mandate is to promote equity and opportunity, we wrote to the Bencher candidates inviting them to respond and provide their positions on questions regarding equity and diversity. 

Please find the statements we received here. 

We sincerely thank all candidates who took the time to provide their statements. 

The views expressed are those of the candidates and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FACL BC.

In recent weeks, the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (British Columbia) Society (“FACL BC”) has witnessed a troubling surge of antisemitism, Islamophobia, and anti-Palestinian sentiment, and an alarming increase in hate and violence across Canada and in British Columbia. 

FACL BC strongly condemns the rise in discrimination and hostility within British Columbia and Canada. FACL BC denounces all forms of prejudice, discrimination, and racism. Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and anti-Palestinian racism are unacceptable in any form. We note that individuals belonging to other ethnic, cultural, and religious groups may also be targeted or harmed, mistakenly or otherwise, for the same reasons, which is equally condemnable. FACL BC reiterates our commitment to fostering a more inclusive, equitable, and just society for the wider community.

We acknowledge that this is a challenging time for many. FACL BC stands in unwavering solidarity with British Columbians, our members, and their communities who are impacted by these events and the resulting discrimination and hostility.