Career and Networking Summit
What? A full-day conference for Internationally Trained Lawyers
When? Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Where? The Ontario Bar Association Conference Centre
Highlights of the day include:
Meet mentors from some of the GTA’s top law firms
Connect with program representatives and learn all there is to know about the accreditation process
Learn about the tools and services available to support you
Network with ITL’s at all stages of the accreditation process
Meet Our Mentors
Ayda Tabrizi, Donovan Kochman LLP
Ayda Tabrizi is an associate at Donovan Kochman LLP and maintains a broad litigation practice. She has experience litigating estates and trusts disputes, real estate related matters, professional liability disputes and a range of corporate and commercial matters. Prior to beginning her legal career, Ayda studied law in England, and later obtained a master’s degree at Osgoode Hall Law School.
Ariel Ramdewar, Law Society of Ontario
Ariel Ramdewar is the Associate Policy Counsel, Equity Initiatives with the Law Society of Ontario. She was previously a human rights and employment litigation lawyer specializing in the areas of sexual harassment, bullying, anti-racism, and 2SLGBTQIA+ rights. Ariel attended City, University of London and graduated in 2017. During her studies, she was awarded a scholarship from City, University of London and the EU government to complete part of her degree at Sciences Po in Paris through a study abroad program. Outside of the LSO, Ariel is a Board Member of Aftermetoo and volunteers as a lawyer with the 519 Legal Clinic.
Anagha Nandakumaran, Fasken
Anagha Nandakumaran works on an array of matters, including complex IT and non-IT outsourcings, cloud, emerging technologies, managed services, software licensing, strategic partnerships, privacy, and technology aspects of M&A transactions. As a Legal Counsel in an established Canadian insurance company, Anagha managed their technology, privacy and commercial transactions. Anagha also worked at a Band 1 Chambers-ranked Indian law firm where she advised a host of clients in the banking, e-commerce, pharmaceutical, healthcare, technology, and manufacturing industries on technology and corporate files.
Juan Higuera, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Juan Higuera brings a multijurisdictional perspective to assist clients on a range of tax matters, including domestic and international tax planning, mergers and acquisitions, corporate reorganizations and dispute resolution. Prior to joining Davies, Juan practiced as a tax lawyer in Mexico. He spoke at lectures and seminars to professional associations on various legal issues and wrote tax and legal articles for specialized journals, law reviews and business publications.
Kashish Jain, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Kashish Jain has assisted on a range of transactions, including public and private mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, re-financings, securities offerings and general corporate matters. Prior to joining Davies, Kashish worked as an associate for two years in the Dispute Resolution practice group at a leading law firm in India.
Kianna Abraham, Singer Kwinter
After graduating from York University with a Bilingual Bachelor of Arts in psychology, Kianna obtained her LLB at the University of Leicester in England, where she graduated with First Class Honours. While in law school, Kianna developed a passion for oral advocacy. Notably, she served as the Co-Head of the Moot Court Committee and participated and won in both Canadian and English moots alike. After being called to the Ontario bar in 2022, Kianna knew that she wanted to devote her career to representing injured people and their claims. She recognizes that files are more than just that; they are our client’s lives.
Kim Gale, Gale Law Professional Corporation
Kim Gale is a passionate advocate and trained mediator, specializing in estate litigation. With an LL.M. in Dispute Resolution from Osgoode Hall Law School, she founded Gale Law Professional Corporation, offering mediation services through Gale Mediation. A pioneer in the legal community, Kim is committed to diversity and inclusion, launching initiatives like Law For Millennials and NCA Network. Her legal journey began after earning a media degree from Western University and graduating from City University of London in 2015. Recognized for her work, Kim is a 2024 Litigator of the Year nominee at the Canadian Law Awards.
Khayal Mammadov, AtkinsRealis & Crosslinx Transit Solutions Constructors
Khayal Mammadov, a seasoned legal professional, transitioned from a civil law jurisdiction to practice the law in Ontario, Canada. With a decade long career in in-house legal roles within the oil and gas industry, Khayal now channels expertise into complex infrastructure projects. Having successfully navigated the Ontario licensing process, he is passionate about supporting others on a similar journey. An advocate for sharing insights, he offers valuable tips on licensing, LLM options, articling, bar exams, and the unique challenges faced by new immigrants. Khayal also aims to share practical advice on balancing life responsibilities while pursuing a legal career in a new environment.
Tom Macintosh Zheng, Fasken
Tom Macintosh-Zheng is a bilingual advocate with experience in both entrepreneurship and law. Before joining Fasken, he worked at a litigation boutique in Toronto and a U.S. law firm in London, England. Tom received his LL.B. from King’s College London, where he obtained first-class honours and served as the president of the King’s College London Law Society. He also worked on multiple legal tech projects during law school, including a tool that made residential leases easier to read by converting legal jargon into plain English. Tom is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, speaks conversational Swedish, and is qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales.
Palak Mahajan, Gale Law Professional Corporation
Palak Mahajan is a dual licensed lawyer (India & Ontario) with over 5 years of experience in Disputes Resolution and Litigation in India and over 1 year of experience in Estate Litigation in Ontario. She has been registered with the Bar Council of India since 2016 and has completed her L.L.M. from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University. Palak was called to the Bar in Ontario in October, 2023. Palak is also the Outreach and Events Manager with the NCA Network, a diversity and inclusion group.
Sairam Sanathkumar, Aird & Berlis LLP
Sairam Sanathkumar is a Corporate Commercial lawyer at Aird & Berlis LLP with a focus on technology, AI, and data privacy laws. His practice involves advising clients across stages of growth on transactional, advisory, and regulatory matters. Sairam regularly speaks and writes on technology and privacy laws.
Yuv Raj Saini
Yuv Raj is an internationally trained lawyer who was recently called to the Bar of Ontario in June, 2024. In his previous jurisdiction (India), Yuv Raj co-founded a litigation boutique firm specializing in criminal defense and administrative law. Yuv Raj moved to Canada in 2021 to complete a Master of Laws in Canadian Common Law from Osgoode Hall Law School. He recently finished articling for the Ministry of Attorney General’s Crown Law Office – Civil and hopes to continue his career in litigation as a new call to the Bar in Ontario.
Keynote Speaker
Lynn Villeneuve holds an LLB in Common Law from the University of Ottawa and is a member of the Law Society of Ontario. Until 2019 she held the position of Manager, Accreditation and CEAB Secretary at Engineers Canada where her responsibilities included oversight and support of the operations of the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board’s activities, leadership for the team supporting on-site accreditation visits, and staff support for the Board and its committees.
Meet Our Panelists
Panel 1
Time: 9:00am
Title: Empowering Tomorrow’s Lawyers: Key Programs and support for students and ITL’s
Moderator: Kim Gale
Panelists:
Angela Ogang, Ontario Bar Association
Angela Ogang is a bilingual lawyer admitted to the Ontario and Kenyan bars. She holds a Certificate in English Law from the London School of Economics (UK), an LL.B. in English and French Law from the University of Essex (UK), Diplôme d’études juridiques françaises from the University of Strasbourg (France), and LL.M. in Commercial and Corporate Law from Queen Mary University of London (UK). Angela practices in downtown Toronto at her firm, AngeLAW, where she provides services to a diverse clientele, in English and French. Her areas of focus are Wills & Estates, Immigration, and Business Law.
Kathryn McKaye Pretty, Lawyers Financial
Kathryn’s financial stewardship provides clients with long-term solutions to grow and protect their wealth. Acting as a business consultant first, she creates tailor-made Estate Plans for Personal and Corporate needs; helping clients revitalize their business and manage risk. With more than 10 years of experience as an advisor, C-Suite level experience in the not-for-profit sector, and a total combine 30 years of corporate experience Kathryn has successfully consulted clients ranging from public corporations to individuals and families. When not working, Kathryn goaltends hockey teams across southern and GTA Ontario, both means and women’s leagues and long distance gravel cyclist.
Michael Tam, OsgoodePD
Michael Tam is the Program Lawyer, Professional Graduate & International Programs officer at Osgoode Professional Development. In this role, he develops degree programs, graduate courses, and non-degree education options for domestic and internationally trained lawyers and law students. He is also the academic and career counsellor to OsgoodePD students and NCA candidates. Michael holds an Honours B.Sc (Hons) in Psychology, LL.B. from the University of Leicester, and LL.M from the University of Toronto with a focus on human rights. He completed the NCA process in 2013 and was called to the Ontario Bar in 2015. Michael is a passionate advocate for diversity, inclusion, and equity initiatives. As of 2023, he is the director responsible for the administration of the Canada wide OCIs for ITL/NCA Candidates initiative with ITLNCA Networks.
Panel 2
Time: 1:00pm
Title: Crossing Borders: Challenges faced by Internationally Trained Lawyers in Canada and how to overcome them
Moderator: Palak Mahajan
Panelists:
DJ Verma Divyajyot, Goodmans LLP
Divyajyot (DJ) Verma is an associate in the business law group at Goodmans LLP. His practice focuses on general corporate matters, including, public and private mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, securities law, private equity, and corporate governance. He obtained his law degree from Jindal Global Law School, India, and completed his master’s in Canadian common law from the University of Toronto. Prior to joining Goodmans, he worked as an associate for four years in the Corporate and M&A practice group at one of India’s leading law firms (Trilegal), where he advised on mergers & acquisitions, corporate governance, private equity and venture capital deals.
Jack Yu, Fasken
Jack Yu (于华洲) is an experienced business lawyer, with a focus on private mergers & acquisitions and cross-border transactions. As Co-Leader of the firm’s China Practice Group, Jack regularly travels to China and is actively involved in the Asian legal community in Canada. He is often relied on by Chinese clients both from overseas and in Canada for sophisticated transactions and day-to-day legal issues. Jack also has experience in the foreign investments review process in Canada. Prior to attending law school, Jack earned an undergraduate degree in biochemistry and philosophy from the University of Toronto. He is on the Board of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (FACL), Ontario Chapter, and the Canada China Business Council.
Mehak Suri, McCarthy Tétrault
Mehak Suri is an associate in McCarthy Tétrault’s Business Law Group in Toronto. She maintains an active financial services practice focusing on banking and finance transactions. Mehak has experience representing lenders in secured and unsecured lending transactions, syndicated and bilateral financings, asset-based lending, and acquisition financing. Mehak obtained her B.A. LLB from Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, India and her LLM in International Business Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 2023. Prior to moving to Canada, Mehak worked as an Associate in the Corporate Practice at a leading law firm in New Delhi, India. Mehak is a member of the Law Society of Ontario, the Ontario Bar Association, and the South Asian Bar Association.
Tsvetomira Niklin, Miller Thomson LLP
Tsvetomira’s primary area of expertise is estate litigation. Tsvetomira navigates complex and intricate litigation with efficiency and effectiveness. Her personalized approach ensures that her clients receive cost-effective and strategic counsel to protect and advance their interests in this often emotionally charged area of law. Tsvetomira’s practice includes will challenges, capacity issues, guardianship and attorney applications, dependant relief claims, passing-of-account applications, and she has a particular proficiency in the administration of estates during litigation. Her acumen extends to the litigation of intricate international and Indigenous estate matters.
Thank you to our Sponsors
