April Spotlight: Kevin Wang

1. What is your name?

Kevin Wang

2. Current place of work/title?

Oyen Wiggs Green & Mutala LLP

3. How did you first get involved with FACL BC?

I joined FACL BC as a student member in 2017 and attended various FACL BC events. I also had the pleasure of helping out with the 2019 FACL Annual Gala with my dear friend and mentor Jayde Wood. 

4. What has been your favourite FACL event or initiative so far?

The Hometown Eats series

5. What advice would you give yourself if you were to go back in time?

Make the most of your time, and build good habits. Time is the most precious element of human existence. You cannot get your time back so make the most of it. Time is also a very powerful element because the effect of good habits can compound over time. The longer you compound, the greater the rewards. And the best time to start is always now.

6. What is something that not many people know about you?

I took up boxing about a year ago and now I do it every week.

March Spotlight: Steven Ngo

1. Current place of work/title?

Senior Counsel, Rivian.

2. How did you first get involved with FACL BC?

I remember attending my first FACL Ontario gala as a law student in 2013, and after the gala, I was inspired to start up my own chapter of FACL in Alberta. I knew that there had never been a FACL chapter in Alberta before, and I was lined up to article in Calgary after graduation, so why not? I was the youngest president of any FACL chapter in Canada but age really doesn't matter. After I moved back to BC in 2019, I wanted to keep going, so I ran for a board position that year. After a few years, I became president of FACL BC and I'm currently in my final year on the board as advisory director / past president.

3. What has been your favourite FACL event or initiative so far?

While the gala is definitely a popular event, my favourite initiative has been our regular journal sessions (“Write On”). This was something that Jenny Huang and I started on a whim where we would invite members to wake up early with us on a Sunday morning and journal together. I've learned a lot about myself and others who have taken part and it's my favourite initiative thus far.

4. What advice would you give yourself if you were to go back in time?

A lot can change in 5 years. Dream massive and follow your intuition. You're on the right track.

5. What is something that not many people know about you?

Outside of law and advocacy work, I host a podcast called 2 Dads 1 Car where we talk about modern fatherhood. Patrick Chan was actually one of my earlier guests, and this is how I was able to invite him to be our recent gala keynote speaker!

February Spotlight: Seema Lal

1. Current place of work/title?

Partner, Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP

2. How did you first get involved with FACL BC?

I first got involved in FACL BC about 10 years ago but have recently become re-engaged as a FACL member. 

3. What has been your favourite FACL event or initiative so far?

I was invited to attend the recent FACL Partners Networking Event which was a fantastic event.  I also really enjoy the FACL gala that was held last November.

4. What advice would you give yourself if you were to go back in time?

Find a good mentor and a good sponsor! Both are equally important - mentors help their mentees develop a career vision, while sponsors typically drive the sponsee's vision. 

5. What is something that not many people know about you?

I am an avid karaoke singer (and amateur dancer)!

January Spotlight: Jennifer Chow, K.C.

1. Current place of work/title?

Senior Counsel at the federal Department of Justice. 

2. How did you first get involved with FACL BC?

I supported the founders of FACL BC while CBABC president.

3. What has been your favourite FACL event or initiative so far?

The FACL BC gala is a wonderful annual event.

4. What advice would you give yourself if you were to go back in time?

That everyone feels like an imposter at times.

5. What is something that not many people know about you?

That I am learning how to wingfoil.

December Spotlight: Brian Cheng

1. Current place of work/title?

I'm a shareholder in the litigation practice group at Owen Bird Law Corporation.

2. How did you first get involved with FACL BC?

A few years ago, FACL invited me to speak at their annual mentorship roundtable as a panelist with Chilwin Cheng, owner of Ascendion Law, and Justice Randall Wong, retired BCSC judge. At that time, I was a senior associate. Participating on a panel with a seasoned litigator and BC's longest serving justice was inspiring, but the experience also reminded me what imposter syndrome felt like. After that, I continued my FACL involvement with activities more fitting for my station, such as sending memes to the FACL board and telling bad jokes on the FACL podcast.

3. What has been your favourite FACL event or initiative so far?

As the highest profile event on its calendar, the FACL gala is probably the de FACto answer for most, and it is definitely a fun event. However, the FACL advocacy committee's initiatives to issue statements, educate our membership, and advance social justice causes are meaningful and make me proud to be part of an organization committed to promoting equity and justice.

4. What advice would you give yourself if you were to go back in time?

Don't forget to put the "LIT" in "litigator"!

5. What is something that not many people know about you?

I know the lyrics to almost every Lion King song.

Listen to Brian’s podcast episode on Apple and Spotify!

November Spotlight: Sadaf Kashfi

1. How did you first get involved with FACL BC?

I got involved with FACL BC while I was in law school.

2. What has been your favourite FACL event or initiative so far?

FACL BC Leadership Academy.

3. What advice would you give yourself if you were to go back in time?

Trust your intuition.

4. What is something that not many people know about you?

I studied law in Hawaii.

October Spotlight: Wendy Zhang

1. How did you first get involved with FACL BC?

I first got involved with FACL BC when the BC chapter got started in 2011. I remember how exciting it was to have an organization that represented Asian Canadians at a time when there were so few of us in our year at UBC Allard. When I was called, I still remember the shock when I found out I was only the second of two Zhang's listed on the BC Law Society website. Imagine that, the last name Zhang being rare! It's good to see we are not so rare anymore.

2. What has been your favourite FACL event or initiative so far?

The Gala has always been my favourite. It is always a good event to connect with the community, which is sometimes hard to do with busy lawyers.

3. What advice would you give yourself if you were to go back in time?

Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.

4. What is something that not many people know about you?

My first Canadian language is French, and I speak French at home with my spouse.

September Spotlight: Julia Law

1. How did you first get involved with FACL BC?

I attended one of the AGMs and heard the nomination speeches of incoming executives. It was exciting to hear the passion for FACL initiatives.

2. What has been your favourite FACL event or initiative so far?

The etiquette of eating at Chinese restaurants

3. What advice would you give yourself if you were to go back in time?

Maintain your personality when practicing. When I was an articling student, I thought I had to adopt a certain adversarial personality as a litigator. I would try to put up a strong front especially when talking to opposing counsel, often older, much more experienced, usually male and non-Asian. This was more so when I felt bullying tactics were being imposed as I was a student, female and Asian. Practicing law with my own personality and not trying to put up a face, regardless of what the opposing counsel is like, makes the practice of law more enjoyable and more effective.

4. What is something that not many people know about you?

Despite my Chinese last name, I am Korean. Many people think I am Chinese because of my last name and are quite surprised when they find out I am Korean. I adopted this very fitting last name after marrying my law school study buddy and now we are Mr. and Mrs. Law.

July Spotlight: Kathrine Uppal 

Our spotlightee for the month of July (and for the last month of the 2022-2023 term) is Kathrine Uppal. Kathrine is a partner at Bleay Both Uppal LLP.

1. How did you first get involved with FACL BC?

I was a member of FACL in the beginning of my career; however, as things can go, I found myself not able to take the time to be an active member and attend the initiatives. However, recently, a current FACL member very kindly invited me to attend the Business Development Seminar in celebration of International Women's Day and that was really the turning point in my re-engagement.

2. What has been your favourite FACL event or initiative so far?

The "But I Look Like a Lawyer" initiative has been my favourite. It was really relatable for someone like me and it was empowering to hear those stories.

3. What is something that not many people know about you?

As I thought of an answer to this question, I realized that I might actually enjoy being several hundred feet off the ground. I have been sky-diving, bungee jumping, para-sailing and just recently took a hot-air balloon ride.

4. What advice would you give yourself if you were to go back in time?

If I could give myself any advice, it would be to take a moment to pause, reflect and enjoy. When I look back, I remember always striving to do the next “thing”. I was always focused on the next step in my legal journey that I never really stopped to appreciate how far I had come or what I had accomplished. I wish I took more moments to be proud of the challenges that I overcame along the way.

June Spotlight: Haifeng Hu

Our June Spotlight is Haifeng Hu. He is an associate lawyer at Stikeman Elliott LLP.

1. How did you first get involved with FACL BC?

I have known Steven Ngo since 2015 when we were both working in Calgary. When I moved to Vancouver in 2022, I reached out to him to see what I can do for our community. At that time, he was looking for law firms to host an in-person networking event together with the Asia Pacific Law Club at UBC Allard Law. I had the pleasure to help FACL and APLC host this event and the rest is history.

2. What has been your favourite FACL event or initiative so far?

The 2022 FACL Annual Gala as we are stronger in numbers!

3. What is something that not many people know about you?

I graduated from Quest University Canada and my son was born this February.

4. What advice would you give yourself if you were to go back in time?

You don’t need a business degree to practice corporate law, but you do need to educate yourself on key business issues. Without a solid understanding of your clients' concerns and goals, corporate lawyering can be tedious, and you burn out faster. Seeing the bigger picture behind a transaction will lead to better execution and is a key quality when leading complicated negotiations.