Support from the Legal Community

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Dhillon Murthi Law Professional Corporation concluded a shadowing experience for  Sadaf Bunyadi.   Partner Rupa Murthi wrote as follows:

"Thank you for including me in this opportunity.  It was such a pleasure getting to know Sadaf and I hope our office was able to be of some assistance in providing exposure to the legal system in Canada. Sadaf was able to sit in a motion with one of the lawyers in our office, see the work the law clerk does (serving/filing etc.) and generally learn a little bit about family law in Canada."

MDVD Lawyers LLP concluded a shadowing experience for Maryam Azizikoshan

Partner Harry Dhaliwal said:  “Maryam was a judicial officer of significant standing in Afghanistan.  It has been an honour to host Maryam at MDVD Lawyers LLP where she observed the operations of our firm and gained insight into civil litigation, real estate law and family law, as well as the use of court forms.  She demonstrated an interest in the application of practice management software.  She observed court proceedings.  Maryam is welcome to utilize our firm as a learning resource in future.”

Kainat Ahmady was a guest speaker at the South Asian Bar Association gala on June 26, 2025.   Vice-President Mohena Singh said:  “I received a lot of praise for Kainat from Gala attendees and how much they appreciated Kainat sharing her story.  It really resonated with the attendees.”

Pallett Valo LLP concluded a shadowing experience for  Laila Yousafisahab as described by partner Sudevi Mukherjee-Gothi:

“During her shadowing tenure at Pallett Valo, Laila spent a full day with each of our groups, working with partners, associates, clerks and assistants.  We are looking forward to remaining in contact with Laila and I am happy to act as a reference about her experience at Pallett Valo if required.  Laila’s story and resilience were inspiring to the members of our firm and by happenstance, our incoming summer student is Afghani and was able to provide support for Laila.  On behalf of Pallett Valo, we were happy to be included in this project.”

Norton Rose Fulbright LLP made the first of two donations of $5000

Torys LLP donated $5000

Moldaver Rosenberg LLP donated $1000

Niman Counsel LLP donated $1800

As a repeat of the event in June 2024 (see below), Bob Scriven and his partner Leah Skinner and their children hosted another “farm visit” to welcome Judge Nazira Safi in Kitchener and Judge Samira Nemati in Guelph and their extended families to their farm and home to continue their introduction to farming in Ontario.  More than 10 children and at least 15 adults enjoyed a beautiful day.  The 4 wheeler was a big attraction for some of the children.  The “loot bag” of a dozen very fresh eggs was awesome.  Bob and Leah provided an enormous spread of meat, chicken, salads and deserts and this year the Afghan guests took over by using traditional seasoning and marinades and then cooking a huge quantity of skewers.   An enormous thank you to Bob and Leah and their children (again) for a delightful visit.

Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP donated $10,000

 Epstein Cole LLP provided a donation of $2500.00

For an audience of more than 50 lawyers attending in person and remotely, the Wellington Law Association held a webinar “Escaping the Taliban” that featured Justice Catrina Braid in conversation with Judge Samira Nemati. CPD credits were available.

Ongoing career counselling by Gina Alexandris including advice and review of resumes and personal statements and hosting a regular “conversation circle” with five Afghan judges in Mississauga to enhance their English proficiency.

At the annual Colloquium Sudbury, Judge Parwin Balagh was the keynote speaker at a dinner that included approximately 100 lawyers, judges and students.  She received a standing ovation.

Dentons Canada LLP invited the Afghan women judges to a lunch and learn hosted by associate lawyer Ekin Cinar (a lawyer called in both Ontario and Istanbul) including Josie Sabino (Supervisor of Litigation Law Clerks) and Julie Camara (Litigation Law Clerk) along with two articling students (Solomon Ezike and Zain Mookhi) who were already lawyers called to the bar in their home jurisdictions. Ten of the Afghan women judges in the GTA attended and two participated remotely.

Peel Law Association invited the five Afghan women judges in Mississauga and their Canadian partner judges to the annual “Judges Night” dinner at which over 100 lawyers attended.

Gina Alexandris career coaching in-person meetings begin with individual Afghan woman judge.

Gina Alexandris career coaching remote meetings begin with Afghan women judges in Mississauga.  Continued almost monthly.

Bob Scriven, a lawyer based in Kitchener-Waterloo, and his partner Leah Skinner have assisted Judge Nazira Safi in Kitchener and Judge Samira Nemati in Guelph in many ways including hosting a “farm visit” at their home to introduce the newcomers (7 adults and 9 children) to farming in Ontario.

Dentons Canada LLP firm and lawyers donated approximately $10,000.

Dentons Canada LLP, initiated by partner Barbara Grossman, hosted a live and remote webinar for 300 members of the firm to celebrate International Women’s Day.  Justice Anne Molloy and Judge Nabila Monawary participated at the Toronto office along with an Afghan woman judge in Calgary and two Afghan women judges in Vancouver, accompanied by Canadian retired judges in B.C. and Alberta.  

BLG LLP hosted a firm-wide remote webinar attended by hundreds of firm members to celebrate International Women’s Day and International Day of Women Judges in which Justice Jasmine Akbarali and Judge Muzghan Adib participated. CPD credits were available. 

For an audience of almost 100 lawyers, the Waterloo Region Law Association held a webinar “Escaping the Taliban” that featured Justice Catrina Braid in conversation with Judge Nazira Safi.  CPD credits were available.

The Peel Law Association hosted a career coaching session with the five Afghan women judges in Mississauga and Gina Alexandris Coaching and Consulting about career pathways in and adjacent to law for foreign trained legal professionals.  

Through the support of the Open Society University Network’s Afghan Challenge Fund (ACF) and the generosity of U of T alumni Jean Fraser (JD 1975) and Thomas F. Rahilly (LLB 1969), Judge Hamida Froozanfar has a renewed sense of hope since she started a 12 month fellowship to conduct research on the Canadian criminal justice system’s use of parole by adopting a comparative law approach, supported by Justice Anne Molloy and Professor Martha Shaffer.

The Peel Law Association gave new laptops to each of the five Afghan women judges in Mississauga. 

BLG Foundation provided a donation in the amount of $25,000.

The Advocates’ Journal published an article by Justice Anne Molloy “Women I admire: The courage of my sister judges from Afghanistan”.

The School of Continuing Studies (SCS) at the University of Toronto created the BRIEF-law Program, a pre-bridging program designed to prepare women who are internationally trained law professionals for entry into specialized bridging or employment programs in Canada. Participants had their education, transferable skills, and English language proficiency assessed. The program included personalized selections SCS English language classes, micro courses, and career coaching. https://learn.utoronto.ca/curiousu-blog/whats-new/scs-celebrates-successful-conclusion-brief-law-program

Led by President Joanne Lagoudis, members of the Executive of the Peel Law Association invited the five Afghan women judges in Mississauga and all of their “partner” Canadian Judges to a welcome dinner. The host lawyers committed to exploring steps they could take to support the Afghan women judges.

Epstein Cole partner Sheila Gibb facilitated a weekly shadowing experience for one of the Afghan women judges to provide opportunities to observe a day-to-day family law practice, including client meetings, mediations and court attendances, and to engage with other lawyers in the office.