Spotlight Series

  • 15 Mar 2023 8:35 AM | FACL BC (Administrator)


    March Spotlight #2: Jennifer Chan 

    Our second spotlight of March is Jennifer Chan, a staff lawyer at the Law Society of British Columbia.

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

    I really appreciate FACL’s efforts to build a strong sense of connection and community. My favourite events would be FACL’s annual galas, which I always come away from feeling inspired. I have also enjoyed participating in the mentorship program.

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

    I love public libraries! In 2020, I became Chair of the Vancouver Public Library Board and was surprised to learn that I was the first Person-of-Colour to do so. I wonder what other diversity barriers remain to be broken and encourage everyone on their own paths to breaking them.

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

    I would choose to spend more time on the things that matter most to me – family, community, health, and learning. Being a lawyer can be very demanding on your time and energy, and I would remind myself to treat this career more like a marathon than a sprint. Everyone has their own rhythm and pace to avoid burning out.

  • 1 Mar 2023 1:30 PM | FACL BC (Administrator)


    March Spotlight #1: Cheryl D'Sa

    Our first spotlight of this month is Cheryl D'Sa. Cheryl is the managing partner at Narwal Litigation LLP, a bencher of the Law Society of British Columbia, and a FACL BC mentor. 

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

    My partner Joven Narwal and I first became involved with FACL BC events many years ago, around the time that Jennifer Lau and David Namkung were executives.

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

    It's very hard to choose, but I would say my favourite event so far was a FACL mentorship evening in 2019. I really enjoyed speaking at the event and getting an opportunity to talk to and learn from many other lawyers.

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

    I love playing Mario Kart on Nintendo Switch.

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

    Keep all options open and never hesitate to change course when you learn new information.

  • 15 Feb 2023 12:44 PM | FACL BC (Administrator)


    February Spotlight #2: Scott Morishita

    Our second spotlight of this month is Scott Morishita. Scott is a current FACL BC member and is an Associate Counsel at Rice Harbut Elliott LLP. 

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

    I first got involved with FACL BC in 2019. Margaret Mereigh, who was the President of the CBA (BC branch) at the time, encouraged me to join and get involved in some capacity. Shortly thereafter, I joined FACL BC, attended my first AGM, and then joined the Mentorship Program as a mentor.

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

    This is a tough question, as there are so many to choose from. But if I had to choose one, it would be the "But I Look Like a Lawyer" documentary. The experiences and stories of other lawyers really resonated with me, and the academics did a phenomenal job of explaining the background and causes of systemic racism against Asians in Canada. After watching it for the first time I felt like I had to take the afternoon off to process it.

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

    Early in my career I almost left the legal profession on two occasions. On the second occasion I came very close to accepting an offer for a non-law job. Ultimately, I decided to give law another year and reassess. Almost 15 years have passed and I'm very glad I didn't accept that offer.

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

    Get involved in the legal community early in your career. For the first five years or so of my career, I was 100% focused on work and I struggled as a result. Being involved in organizations like FACL BC and the CBA has made me a better lawyer and has been very enriching on a personal level.

  • 1 Feb 2023 9:00 AM | FACL BC (Administrator)


    February Spotlight #1: Gaynor Yeung 

    Our first spotlight of February is Gaynor Yeung, a partner at Whitelaw Twining and a Bencher of the Law Society of British Columbia. 

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

    I put myself through school teaching piano.

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

    My first introduction to FACL was attending the annual FACL gala. I was so struck by the energy and sense of pride amongst the members that I immediately signed up for the mentorship program.

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

    I love the FACL podcast. I find it fascinating to hear from speakers who share a strong sense of community but yet are simultaneously unique in their experiences, interests, and skill set.  

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

    You can belong without fitting in.

  • 18 Jan 2023 12:45 PM | FACL BC (Administrator)

    January Spotlight #2: Angela Cao

    Our second spotlight of this month is Angela Cao. Angela is a current FACL BC member and is the Principal Lawyer at Queenstone Law Corporation.

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

    I first attended FACL events while I was a law student in Ontario.

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

    My favourite initiative is the mentorship program. I enjoyed my experience as a mentee a few years ago. I have been a mentor for the past three years.

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

    I was a contestant on one of the most popular reality dating shows in China.

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

    Speak up for yourself and others. Also, be kind to yourself.

  • 11 Jan 2023 12:53 PM | FACL BC (Administrator)


    January Spotlight #1: Hasan Alam 

    Hasan, our past President and current Advisory Director, is a staff representative and lawyer at the BC General Employees' Union (BCGEU).  

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

    I wasn’t planning on articling after finishing law school and was thinking about leaving the legal profession altogether. I submitted one articling application during my last semester of 3L because of the encouragement of a friend, got the position, and decided to give it a try.

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

    I was having coffee with Dave Namkung back in 2017, a past President of FACL BC, and he encouraged me to put my name forward for a Director position on the board. I decided to run for a board position without ever having attended a FACL BC event or volunteering on a committee. I was elected and here I am five years later serving as the Advisory Director! Reflecting back, what drew me towards FACL BC was that I was seeking a sense of belonging within the legal community. I also wanted to help further the organization's mandate of promoting equity, justice and opportunity for the pan Asian community. 

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

    It’s hard to choose one, but our panel discussion on the legal community’s role in addressing the climate crises stands out to me. This is because it was the first time that FACL BC engaged the issue of the climate crises, the panelists were excellent, and it ultimately motivated one of the attendees to put forward a resolution to the Law Society which in a nutshell encouraged lawyers in BC to engage with climate change and its effects. The fact that this event resulted in one of our members taking a concrete action drove home to me why the work that we do matters.

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

    Practicing self-love and compassion is the greatest gift that you can give to not only yourself, but also to the people around you.

  • 21 Dec 2022 4:59 PM | FACL BC (Administrator)


    December Spotlight #2: Rasmeet Mohar

    Rasmeet, a former FACL BC board member, is an Associate at Fasken. 

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

    I love learning to cook new recipes. I recently taught myself to cook a full course Indian dinner for the first time!

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

    I became involved in FACL as a 2L attending the Mentorship Roundtable and Mixer. That same year I was encouraged by many of the Board members to run for the Student Director position. I could not have foreseen that I would then go on to host that same mixer on three separate occasions as a Student Director and then as Chair of the Mentorship Committee. This is a reflection of FACL's ability to support and encourage its members.

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

    As a former Board member I have enjoyed being a part of many initiatives. Though difficult to choose, I am partial to the documentary "But I Look a Lawyer". It was amazing to be a part of a project that conveyed such an important message to a wide audience. I am proud that the documentary has only begun to make waves in the legal field and I look forward to seeing its effects ripple throughout the community. 

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

    Learn to enjoy every moment. Trust yourself and the process, especially your hard work.

  • 7 Dec 2022 2:10 PM | FACL BC (Administrator)


    December Spotlight #1: Adrian Wan

    Adrian is a partner at Fasken and is a current FACL BC member. 

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

    I used to coach high school basketball. It was an incredibly fulfilling experience teaching and learning from those kids.

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

    I attended law school at Queen's University and was introduced to FACL Ontario as a law student. Upon returning to Vancouver to start my legal career I was glad to see the organization had also expanded to BC. Some of my colleagues at Fasken were early supporters of FACL BC and I was often invited to attend events. The FACL BC community was very welcoming, and I was able to meet a lot of great people and develop a strong network.

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

    The annual gala. I also think the mentorship program is great. I am embarrassed to say I have not committed my time to this, but have it as a high priority for 2023.

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

    Be unapologetically authentic. It simplifies life and you'll be happier. Eventually you'll be surrounded by the right people and in the right environment to succeed.



  • 16 Nov 2022 12:08 PM | FACL BC (Administrator)


    November Spotlight #2: Afifa Hashimi

    Afifa, a former FACL BC board member, is an Associate Lawyer at Moore Edgar Lyster LLP. 

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

    I love art. Recently, I’ve been trying to dedicate more time to painting and other creative hobbies I enjoy.

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

    I found out about FACL BC in 2018 through an access to justice event I attended organized by the Advocacy Committee. As a law student, I was inspired by FACL BC's mission and the board members I met, so I joined the Advocacy and Mentorship committees as a volunteer. I joined the Board and served as a Co-Chair of the Advocacy Committee while I was articling, and I served as VP External last term.

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

    They're all great – it's impossible to choose one! My favourites include our documentary, “But I Look Like a Lawyer”, the “Intersections of Racial and Gender Justice” event earlier this year, and the Advocacy Committee’s political engagement work. I’m so grateful to have worked on FACL BC's initiatives with amazing colleagues and friends who are so dedicated to making our profession and our world a better place. They continue to inspire me, and I'm excited to see new initiatives as the organization continues to grow.

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

    Stay true to your values and don’t be discouraged by those who think your goals are too ambitious or too idealistic. When your actions are aligned with your values, the right opportunities and people will always find you. Remember that there is strength in community. Positive change is only possible if people believe that it's possible and work together to make it happen. 

  • 2 Nov 2022 12:49 PM | FACL BC (Administrator)


    November Spotlight #1: Alex J. Chang

    Alex, a former FACL BC Board member, is a lawyer at Lesperance Mendes Lawyers. 

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

    I recently finished my first 50km ultra trail running race with a dislocated and broken pinky finger.

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

    I first became involved as a volunteer on the Mentorship Committee before becoming its chair and a member of FACL's Board and Executive.

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

    My favourite recent event was "What I Didn't Expect When I Was Expecting".

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

    Don't be afraid to ask for guidance. It is natural to take pride in being independent or to worry that asking for help is a nuisance. However, if you take joy in helping others, it's safe to assume that others feel the same when the roles are reversed. You will do better and save yourself a lot of grief by seeking help from a peer or mentor.

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