The ITL Conference and Gala 2026

Vanessa Santaguida is the President and CEO of

NCA MentorTM.

Vanessa has always been deeply passionate

about academia, with a strong commitment to

inspiring others to reach their academic

potential. It has been her life-long dream to

motivate students, particularly, internationally

trained lawyers, to achieve their academic

goals and further their professional development

by offering mentorship and innovative, high-

quality educational resources and support.

After completing her LLB in England with first-

class honours from the University of Sussex and

returning to Canada, Vanessa recognized a

lack of support for internationally trained law

students and lawyers (ITLs) in the market. Driven

by her passion for teaching and empowering

others, she saw an opportunity to make a

difference. This realization led her to establish

NCA MentorTM, with the vision of providing the

mentorship and tools needed to assist aspiring

legal professionals thrive in their academic

journey and legal career.

NCA MentorTM is so much more than a provider

of products and services. At its core, it is about

offering genuine mentorship to students, giving

them the guidance and support they need to

build a strong foundation for their future. NCA

MentorTM focuses on fostering meaningful

connections and creating a network of support,

ensuring that students never feel alone in their

journey to becoming licensed lawyers in

Canada.

To support students, Vanessa offers roughly 15

hours a week of pro bono services ranging from

free consultations and mentorship appointments

to live free introductory course seminars.

Since its inception, NCA MentorTM has assisted

over 15,000 students, preparing them for

successful careers in law.

Leroy is an associate in Ogletree Deakins' Toronto office, advising employers and management on a broad spectrum of labour, employment, education, and human rights matters. He brings diverse experience and a strong dedication to client service.

Leroy began his legal career after being called to the Nigerian bar in 2019, where he gained experience in both private practice and in-house counsel roles. He relocated to Canada in 2023 and subsequently requalified as a lawyer in Ontario, having completed his articles at a Canadian litigation firm.

Leroy holds an LL.B. from the University of Essex in the United Kingdom and an LL.M. from Osgoode Hall Law School. He is admitted to practice law in both Nigeria and Ontario.

Outside of work, Leroy is an avid fitness enthusiast with a passion for powerlifting, mixed martial arts, and combat sports.

Alexandria (Ajay) is Mohawk and Abenaki and from the turtle clan.

She received her JD from the University of Toronto, and her BA (hons) from the University of Alberta. Alexandria is a partner with Aird & Berlis LLP and specializes in Indigenous rights and Aboriginal law with a focus on issues including the duty to consult, negotiation and implementation of modern treaties and governance agreements, and partnerships between industry and Indigenous peoples. She is called to the bar in Ontario and Manitoba.

Thomas was born in the UK but grew up in Canada. He graduated from the University of Edinburgh with an LL.B (Hons.) in 2000, and Diploma in Legal Practice in 2001. He also received an MA in International Relations from the University of Warwick in 2005.

He is a qualified Solicitor in Scotland, and in England & Wales, as well as a Barrister and Solicitor in Ontario.

Thomas worked as a lawyer with the Immigration Advisory Service (IAS) in Manchester, England for 5 years. He returned to Toronto in 2009, and eventually set up his own practice doing Canadian and British immigration law. In 2016 he joined the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) initially as a Member with the Refugee Protection Division. In 2017 he then became a member of the Refugee Appeal Division where he still is.

Colin is a lawyer, consultant with PGYA Consulting and founder of LawQI, which uses AI to train lawyers on AI. Colin has actively contributed to the advancement of legal AI in Canada and beyond through founding roles in a legal publisher, a legal data non-profit, a legal AI startup and an education startup supporting the AI learning journey of lawyers across North America. As a consultant and speaker, Colin has worked with courts, tribunals, regulators, bar associations, legal insurers, law schools, tech companies and law firms of all sizes to advance their technology and AI understanding, policies and strategies. Executive roles have included serving as Innovator-in-Residence for the Ontario Bar Association, interim GM for North America of global legal publisher vLex; and as CEO of the Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII) from 2011 to 2015. Previous roles included senior legal, advocacy, marketing, and lobbying roles in the telecommunications industry, supporting national telecommunications and cable companies.

He has been named one of the “Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers” by Canadian Lawyer Magazine, a “Legal Rebel” by ABA Journal and was also named a member of the Fastcase 50 class of legal innovators and visionaries. He is a frequent writer and speaker on legal tech/information/innovation topics, and is highly active in supporting the development of legal information and technology projects.

A mediocre softball player who can hit the occasional dinger, and a wannabe cook, Colin probably makes more Simpson and Rocky references than he should, but is still a decent conversationalist if you sit across from him over coffee or dinner.

Gina Alexandris is a prominent leader in legal education and a dedicated Career Coach and Consultant specializing in the strategic development of the legal profession. As a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) and an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coaching Federation, she has supported thousands of legal professionals and emerging leaders. This direct experience in career coaching deeply informs her research, providing a unique, person-centered perspective on professional development and systemic change.

Currently serving as the Interim Executive Director of the Law Practice Program (LPP) at Toronto Metropolitan University, Gina has been instrumental in developing innovative pathways for licensing in Ontario. Her career is defined by inaugural leadership roles, including Special Advisor to the Lincoln Alexander School of Law, Director of the Internationally Trained Lawyers Program at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, and Assistant Dean at Osgoode Hall Law School. A former civil litigation and family law practitioner, she was the inaugural recipient of the 2025 Leadership in Legal Education Award for her innovation in supporting internationally trained lawyers. Her work is further shaped by her academic background in adult education and her lived experience as the daughter of Greek immigrants to Canada.

Jay Baykara is a visionary leader redefining who a CEO should be in the creditor space. With a steadfast commitment to elevating the client experience, Jay believes the key to success lies in deeply understanding and aligning with a creditors’ goals and the experience they receive from their service providers—an approach often overlooked by traditional law firms, as old law only sells a service that is not tailored to the client.

His leadership is rooted in the belief that the client’s success defines the firm’s success, and he relentlessly champions solutions that deliver real, measurable outcomes. Jay’s vision for the creditor space is transformative. By integrating advanced technologies like machine learning, he aims to unlock smarter, faster, and more precise strategies that empower clients to navigate complex challenges with confidence. His approach emphasizes not just providing a service but creating a partnership where innovation, trust, and results take center stage.

Jay has considerable trial and appellate experience and has represented clients before a variety of tribunals and all levels of courts including the Supreme Court of Canada. Jay Baykara, named by Lexpert as one of the ‘,’ is recognized for his innovative approach to the business of law and his commitment to advancing justice while tackling systemic challenges in the legal profession.

Jay Baykara is a visionary leader redefining who a CEO should be in the creditor space. With a steadfast commitment to elevating the client experience, Jay believes the key to success lies in deeply understanding and aligning with a creditors’ goals and the experience they receive from their service providers—an approach often overlooked by traditional law firms, as old law only sells a service that is not tailored to the client.

His leadership is rooted in the belief that the client’s success defines the firm’s success, and he relentlessly champions solutions that deliver real, measurable outcomes. Jay’s vision for the creditor space is transformative. By integrating advanced technologies like machine learning, he aims to unlock smarter, faster, and more precise strategies that empower clients to navigate complex challenges with confidence. His approach emphasizes not just providing a service but creating a partnership where innovation, trust, and results take center stage.

Jay has considerable trial and appellate experience and has represented clients before a variety of tribunals and all levels of courts including the Supreme Court of Canada. Jay Baykara, named by Lexpert as one of the ‘2024 Lawyers to Watch,’ is recognized for his innovative approach to the business of law and his commitment to advancing justice while tackling systemic challenges in the legal profession.

Richa Oza is an employment and human rights lawyer in the legal clinic system. Her practice focuses primarily on advising and representing marginalized and low income workers on all aspects of employment law, including test case litigation, workplace harassment, discrimination, and wrongful dismissal. She practices at Don Valley Community Services as its Employment Law Team Lead. She works with the clinic’s Toronto East End Employment Law Services or TEELS program, a joint initiative between six East Toronto clinics to provide employment law services to low income workers in their catchment areas. She is also currently pursuing a Research LLM at Osgoode Hall Law School, where she is researching how low-income South Asian communities access the Ontario human rights system.

She is also actively involved in public legal education initiatives for Toronto’s east end communities through her clinic role, including co-founding the “Tareekh Pe Tareekh” South Asian language TikTok campaign aimed at spreading awareness on Ontario employment law rights in Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Bengali, Tamil and Kannada. In addition, Richa is a dedicated advocate for diversity in the legal profession. She previously served as Chair of the Ontario Bar Association Women Lawyers Forum, and currently serves as the Treasurer for the South Asian Bar Association of Toronto's Board of Directors, as well as the Co-Chair of its Advocacy Committee. 

Antonio F. Urdaneta is a workplace lawyer focused on conducting thorough, empathetic, neutral, and timely workplace, regulatory, and institutional investigations in English, French, and Spanish, supported by robust remote and AI‑enhanced capabilities.  Drawing on international legal training and a systems‑level understanding of organizational behaviour, he helps public‑ and private‑sector institutions navigate conflict, rebuild trust, and strengthen governance structures.  His practice is grounded in a simple but demanding principle: the rule of law begins in the everyday spaces where people work, make decisions, and are held to account.  Through his investigations and advisory work, Antonio blends legal precision with trauma‑informed, relationally attuned methods that protect due process while acknowledging human complexity.

Shaped by experience across multiple legal cultures, Antonio brings a unique perspective to the worldwide pressures facing Canada’s democratic and institutional architecture.  He regularly speaks on the evolution of workplace justice, professional ethics, and the contributions internationally trained lawyers make to the health of Canada’s legal ecosystem.  As moderator of this session, he draws on these commitments to guide a focused conversation on early signs of democratic strain, the profession’s responsibility to safeguard institutional independence, and the essential role ITLs play, through their lived experience, in strengthening Canada’s resilience, protecting civil and human rights, and defending the rule of law in an era of polarization. 

Justice Mahmud Jamal was born in Nairobi, Kenya. He immigrated to the United Kingdom with his family before settling in Canada as a teenager and attending high school in Edmonton, Alberta. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Toronto and both a Bachelor of Civil Law and Bachelor of Laws from McGill University, where he studied common law and Quebec civil law. He later earned a Master of Laws from Yale Law School as a Fulbright Scholar and served as law clerk to The Honourable Justice Charles Gonthier of the Supreme Court of Canada.  

As a lawyer, he practised in the fields of appellate litigation, constitutional and public law, class actions, and commercial litigation. He appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada in civil, constitutional, criminal, and regulatory cases, including cases involving Quebec civil law. He also appeared before the courts of seven provinces, the Federal Court, the Federal Court of Appeal, the Tax Court of Canada, and various federal and provincial administrative tribunals. 

Justice Jamal was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada on July 1, 2021 after serving on the Ontario Court of Appeal from 2019 to 2021. As a member of the Supreme Court, he has written judgments in wide range of fields, including criminal law, constitutional and administrative law, Aboriginal law, private international law, family law, bankruptcy law, and securities law. 

Sahil Shoor is a leading litigation and dispute resolution lawyer with a wide-ranging practice focused on commercial disputes and major construction/infrastructure projects domestically and internationally. Called to the Bar in Ontario and British Columbia, Sahil focuses his practice on the sectors that help drive Canada's economic development, including commercial construction, real estate development, infrastructure/civil works, power/energy (nuclear, hydro-electric, power generating stations) and major public-private partnership/transit projects. Sahil has a proven record of effective advocacy as counsel before courts and arbitration panels (domestic and international) in Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and several administrative tribunals.

Business handling complex projects and contract disputes rely on Sahil for his innovative, resourceful and forward-thinking approach. He ensures that matters are resolved efficiently and in strategic alignment with clients' long-term goals. In high-stakes situations (including injunctions), with technical complexities and tight deadlines, Sahil's expertise earns profound trust and commitment. He is as comfortable managing large trials on highly technical disputes in litigation and arbitration as he is in conducting mediations, adjudications and other forms of alternative dispute resolution, whatever the jurisdiction or location of the project. As a skilled advocate with excellent judgment, Sahil has successfully dealt with issues in his cases which could implicate Canada's national security, national defence and international relations.

His expertise includes providing strategic contract administration and claims management advice during the construction phase of the project, negotiation, mediation, adjudication, arbitration and litigation of construction disputes, including construction liens, breach of trust claims, priority disputes, breach of contract, negligence claims, delays, surety bonds, construction insurance, construction insolvency/receivership and architects' and engi

Gregory Tardi B.A. (Hons.), B.C.L., DJur. is President of the Institute of Parliamentary and Political Law.  He is Editor of the Journal of Parliamentary and Political Law and of the Understanding Canada collection of books.  He is a former federal public servant with service at Elections Canada and in the Office of the Law Clerk of the House of Commons.  He teaches law at the University of Ottawa and in the Osgoode Professional Development Program.  He has written several books relevant to the theme of this Conference.

Claudio Klaus is a graduate of the Global Professional Master of Laws program at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. He is an articling student at Northview Law and spent the summer of 2025 at the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee. Claudio is a licensed lawyer in Brazil and a member of the Ontario Bar Association, Canadian Bar Association and the International Bar Association. His experience includes clerking in the Brazilian judiciary (Roraima Court of Appeals), working as a legal extern at the Arizona Supreme Court, and lecturing at a Brazilian university (UNIARP). Claudio is the host of the Studying Law Around the World Podcast and the mind behind UofT's Booklet "75 years 75 stories: Celebrating 75 years of modern legal education, one conversation at time".

Saad Minhas serves as Assistant General Counsel at Crusoe, where he leads legal strategy for AI data center development and related infrastructure platforms. His experience spans real estate, construction, energy, board advisory, and general corporate matters across government, a major bank, a leading real estate startup, and the global leader in data centers. He is frequently requested to speak and publish on the law and infrastructure development, and support those entering the profession. Saad is deeply committed to community service, mentorship, and reading to his daughters.

Gabriel Latner went to law school in the UK and US, suffered through the NCAs, and couldn't get a job. So he started his own practice. He rarely regrets it.

Erin Durant is the founder of Durant Barristers, a litigation boutique located in eastern Ontario that has a broad range of litigation experience. Operating throughout Ontario and elsewhere in Canada, Erin administers the firm, assists her colleagues on case strategy and drafting, and consults for other law firms and legal workplaces.

Erin is available to consult with other lawyers and trial teams on case strategy and trial preparation. As an experienced adjudicator, she assists with mock hearings to test drive arguments.  She also assists legal workplaces to conduct workplace audits, improve culture, and improve workplace practices and procedures. She is a frequent paid speaker at legal workplaces about her experience managing mental health challenges and burnout.

Tyler Wentzell is an assistant professor at the Canadian Forces College and has worked as an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, where he received his law degree and SJD. He has published his work in the Globe and Mail, The Walrus, The Conversation, Criminal Law Quarterly, Advocates Quarterly, Labour/Le Travail, Canadian Jewish Studies, Canadian Military History, the Canadian Army Journal, and the Canadian Military Journal. He has been a frequent commentator in the news regarding legal aspects of the war in Ukraine and routinely works as an expert witness regarding First Nations land claims.

Marc was called to the Alberta Bar in 1994 and the British Columbia Bar in 2010, and has decades of corporate and commercial experience in both private practice, including with several top-tier national firms, and in-house roles. He served as General Counsel for GE Energy Financial Services in Vancouver and as Chief Legal Officer of a private energy start up in Calgary.

He joined Assist in 2025 as Programming Director, where in addition to overseeing Assist programming, including peer support, mindfulness, and yoga initiatives, he focuses on well-being education, awareness, and fostering greater community and connection within the legal profession.

Marc is also a sessional instructor at the University of Calgary, Faculty of Law, where he developed and teaches a pioneering course on Mental Health and the Legal Profession. His work is informed by his lived experience of surviving cancer and navigating treatment- resistant major depression and anxiety disorders.

Through his teaching and interdisciplinary research spanning neuroscience, polyvagal and systems theory, psychology, phenomenology, and legal history and culture, he is developing a unified framework examining the root causes and underlying architecture of lawyer distress within legal education and practice, and the systemic and structural forces that shape it. This framework also emphasizes the importance of fostering a legal culture grounded in psychological safety, mutual respect, and openness to diverse voices and perspectives.

His work seeks not only to support students and lawyers in crisis, but also to address the psychological and cultural conditions that give rise to chronic distress, addiction, and burnout in the profession.

Marc mentors through the CBA, provides peer support to lawyers and students through Assist, and separately provides peer support to individuals navigating cancer. He is also trained in mental health crisis support.

Erin started her legal career as a corporate commercial litigator at McMillan LLP in Toronto after graduating from the University of Ottawa Faculty of Common Law in 2004. Following several years in a traditional lawyer role, Erin opened her solo freelance lawyer practice in 2013. In 2015 she founded Flex Legal Network Inc., a freelance lawyer platform that matches busy lawyers, law firms, and in-house counsel with freelance lawyers to assist with overflow legal work on a project basis.

Erin is also on the Board of Directors for CanLII, has volunteered with several legal organizations, taught Legal Research & Writing at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, and was the Regional Alumni Advisor (Toronto) for the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, providing confidential career coaching to new lawyers. In addition to an award-winning law-blog, Erin writes for several legal publications and is a regular speaker on a variety of topics including alternative careers in law. Her first book, “The Modern Freelance Lawyer: A Guide to the Business, Ethics, and Evolution of Freelance Legal Work”, was published in 2025 and has reached several best seller lists on Amazon, and is also available at Indigo, Barnes & Noble, and the Toronto Public Library.

Kiranpreet Litt is a counsellor and licensed lawyer who is currently not practicing law. She is a member in good standing with the OCCSSW and Law Society. She joined the Osgoode community in January 2022. Her experiences as a counsellor, lawyer, student, and South Asian woman, have allowed her to be able to connect with students of a variety of backgrounds. These experiences allow her to meet a student where they are at and provide tailored support based on student needs.

As a part of her journey, Kiranpreet has worked in several areas including non-profits, EAP and completed various legal placements. She brings not only counselling experience but firsthand experience with law school, having faced many of the same challenges current law students experience in completing law school and further steps in licensing. In her practice, Kiranpreet has worked with a range of diverse client groups, including those who identify as racialized, couples as well as various professions including lawyers.She has several years of counselling experience and then decided to return to law school in 2017. This unique background of law and social work have helped her to be able to connect with law students from a basis of lived experience with law school and its associated challenges. My approach is solution focused and strength based. Kiranpreet support students in overcoming challenges they face by being client centred. She also works from an intersectional model recognizing that each student has their own experiences that have shaped them.  Furthermore, while working at Osgoode Kiranpreet has been able to support future lawyers in learning how to manage complex relationships both personally and professionally. Kiranpreet has helped law students learn the skills they need to manage heavy work loads and provided them with a tool kit to helps students safeguard their mental health both now in law school but also as future legal professionals.

Majekodunmi is a lawyer and social entrepreneur with a decade of legal experience spanning dispute resolution, commercial law, investment law, private equity, M&A, and regulatory compliance. Currently, he serves as Privacy Counsel, where he advises on GDPR and global data privacy compliance. Majekodunmi's work includes reviewing tools, drafting and negotiating privacy notices and data processing agreements, shaping data retention policies, and providing practical strategies to mitigate privacy and contractual risks.

Beyond his legal practice, Majekodunmi is passionate about advancing diversity and inclusion in the legal profession in Europe. Majekodunmi founded the Foreign-Trained Lawyers in Germany (FTLG) Network, a social enterprise dedicated to amplifying the skills of internationally qualified lawyers and supporting their integration into new jurisdictions in Germany and across Europe. Through networking events, mentoring opportunities, and collaborative initiatives, FTLG Network fosters connections between internationally trained and locally trained lawyers, building an inclusive and diverse legal workforce.

Majekodunmi thrives at the intersection of law, compliance, and inclusion, bringing both technical expertise and social impact to his work.

Kim Gale is a distinguished estate litigation lawyer, mediator, and innovator whose career reflects leadership, professional excellence, and meaningful contributions to the legal community. She is the founder and Principal Lawyer of Gale Law Professional Corporation, a boutique firm in Toronto dedicated exclusively to estate litigation and dispute resolution, where she provides incisive legal strategy and compassionate client advocacy.

Kim’s academic foundation includes a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from City, University of London and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Dispute Resolution from Osgoode Hall Law School. Her advanced training in mediation complements her litigation practice, allowing her to resolve complex disputes through both persuasive advocacy and expert negotiation.

Since being called to the Ontario Bar in 2018, Kim has built a reputation for excellence in estate litigation. From will challenges and dependent support claims to power of attorney disputes and guardianship matters. She has appeared at all court levels and achieved published successes, including favourable outcomes, notably, Doherty v. Doherty, 2023 ONCA 763 and Anroop et al. v. Naqvi et al., 2025 ONSC 160 before the Superior Court of Justice and the Ontario Court of Appeal.

Beyond her legal practice, Kim has demonstrated a deep commitment to professional leadership and community impact. She is the president for the Canadian American Law Society, founded Law For Millennials, a widely read legal blog demystifying law for young adults, and The NCA Network, a non-profit dedicated to supporting internationally trained lawyers and fostering inclusion in the profession. 

Kim has served in leadership roles within the Ontario Bar Association, including as Chair of the Elder Law Section, where she advocates for seniors and vulnerable populations and contributes to policy and professional development initiatives.

Her professional excellence has been recognized with a nomination for Litigator of the Year (2024) at the Canadian Law Awards, inclusion in the Best Lawyers rankings for Trusts and Estates in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, and leadership in having Gale Law named among Canada’s Best Law Firms in 2025. She is also an active educator, frequently presenting at industry events and serving as an instructor for estate law bar preparation programs for Emond Publishing.

Kim’s acco

In his nearly 20 years as: a human rights lawyer; diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging (DEIAB) advisor; filmmaker; speaker; and writer, Prasanna Ranganathan works tirelessly to build a more accessible, inclusive world for communities across all dimensions of diversity. As the founder of Prasanna Ranganathan Consulting (a DEIAB consultancy), the former Head of Diversity and Belonging at Shopify, and a human rights lawyer with experience at the Department of Justice Canada, Federal Judicial Affairs Canada, the Independent Street Checks Review, the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission, and the United Nations Development Programme, Prasanna has embedded DEIAB best practices into organizations, programs, and institutions in over 15 countries worldwide. His volunteer work as a Founding Board Member of the Disability Screen Office (which seeks to make Canada’s screen industry more accessible and inclusive), a past board member of Inside/Out Film Festival (Canada's largest 2SLGBTQIA+ film festival), and his previous work on the Justice Canada Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities exemplify his commitment to DEIAB and inclusive storytelling. Recognizing the power of storytelling to drive change, Prasanna is a Consulting Producer on Born for Business, a 10-episode docuseries on disabled entrepreneurs (airing on Crave Canada and NBC Peacock) and the co-author of the cookbook Made with Prema raising funds for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. Prasanna is a seasoned speaker, providing the annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) inclusion and accessibility workshop, launching the Reimagine Lecture Series at the British Film Institute with a keynote on accessibility, delivering the Sundance Institute's anti-bias and accessibility learning programming, speaking at the TIFF Industry Conference, and serving as a Guest Lecturer at the University of Southern California Annenberg Inclusion Initiative on inclusive storytelling. Prasanna is the recipient of various awards including, most recently, the David C. Onley Award for Leadership in Accessibility presented during the 2024 Legacy Awards from the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.

Shaun Bernstein is a recovering lawyer and is the Owner and Chief Storyteller of The Write Stuff Agency. Formerly an employment and human rights lawyer, Shaun left law in 2019 to focus on his passion for writing, and has built a career as a ghostwriter and personal branding strategist. He helps clients with everything from books to blogs to websites, and you'd never know it was him. He has also been a lecturer at Durham College, and is the co-host of the Branding and the Beast podcast. When not at a keyboard, he and his wife can usually be found competing furiously in bar trivia around Durham Region. 

Victoria is Vice-President of Underwriting & Customer Service and Board Secretary at LAWPRO, the professional liability insurer for Ontario lawyers. She leads underwriting strategy, customer service operations, and plays a key role in governance oversight.

As an underwriter, Victoria focuses on understanding how lawyers (and other insureds) practice and the risks they face, using those insights to strengthen LAWPRO’s programs and support insureds and their clients.

A former practising lawyer with experience across many practice areas, Victoria frequently speaks and writes on professional liability, legal ethics, insurance, and emerging risks facing the legal profession, including evolving practice models.

Lola (Agbaje‑Williams) Williams Afolabi is Lead Counsel at Williams Armstrong LP, where she specializes in Business and Intellectual Property (IP) Law. She holds an LL.M. in IP Law from Queen Mary University of London and is licensed to practice in both Nova Scotia and Nigeria.

Her practice focuses on commercial transactions, IP strategy, privacy, technology, regulatory compliance, and cross‑border business matters. Lola advises innovation‑driven companies, startups, and organizations on leveraging technology and AI responsibly while protecting IP assets and enabling scalable growth in competitive markets.

Lola has been a Director with Global Lawyers of Canada (Atlantic Chapter) for several years. She serves as a Board Member and Atlantic Regional Representative of the Canadian Technology Law Association (CANTECH), contributing to the AI, Privacy, Women in Tech (WIT), and Conference Planning subcommittees. She is also President of the Nova Scotia chapter of the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers, and a member‑at‑large of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) National IP Section and its Copyright Committee. She regularly speaks on the intersections of Business Law, Intellectual Property, and Artificial Intelligence, and contributes to national consultations on AI governance, IP modernization, copyright, and cross‑border digital issues. Outside of her legal practice, Lola is a committed mentor and advocate.

Devan is a research lawyer in LAWPRO’s claims department. A self-described law nerd, he provides practical strategic advice and litigation support to internal and external counsel on whatever weird or niche professional liability issues that invariably walk through the door. Before LAWPRO, Devan began his practice on the plaintiff’s side before switching to primarily insurance defence and coverage matters in Toronto where he maintained a select plaintiff’s practice (to keep him honest). Devan is also a board member for the Canadian Defence Lawyers and Vice-Chair of its CLE Committee. He has also obtained his Associate of Risk Management designation. When not asking, “what about this issue?” at the office, or guest lecturing at law schools and conferences, Devan can be spotted riding around town on a cargo bike, brewing (mostly decent) beer, and woodworking in his basement.

cial services and structured finance. He has worked with leading law firms and corporate legal teams advising on financings, governance matters, and complex transactional arrangements. Mohammad is particularly interested in the intersection of law, finance and emerging technology.

Eduardo is the founder of Flow Law and the head of the firm’s immigration department. He represents clients in a variety of immigration and family law matters, including complex PR applications, inadmissibility and Federal Court litigation. Eduardo is also a co-founder and director of the Brazil Canada Bar Association (BCBA) and an elected member of the CONCID – Brazilian Citizenship Council of Ontario. Since June 2023, he has co-hosted a Podcast with Jornal de Toronto about legal issues faced by the Brazilian community in Canada. Eduardo is fluent in English, Portuguese and Spanish.

Eduardo holds an LL.B. from Recife Law School, Brazil’s first law school, founded in 1827 and earned a Master’s degree and Ph.D. in Political Science from the Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil. In Canada, he completed an LL.M. from Osgoode Hall Law School.

In his free time, Eduardo continues his studies at the Nitartha Institute for Higher Buddhist Studies and participates in the Toronto Shambhala community.

Barbara De Dios is Corporate Counsel, Commercial Law, at Cineplex Entertainment LP, where she supports legal operations nationwide for Canada’s largest theatre chain and one of North America’s major cinema networks. Based in Toronto, she advises on a broad range of corporate and commercial matters, including corporate governance, media, digital and technology, procurement, commercial real estate, among other practice areas. She partners closely with business stakeholders to navigate complex contractual, regulatory, and operational issues across the organization.

Prior to joining Cineplex, Barbara served as Corporate Counsel for a Canadian DSO, advising primarily on corporate governance, regulatory and operational matters, and mergers and acquisitions.

Beyond her in‑house practice, Barbara is an active advocate for the professional growth and support of corporate counsel across Canada. She dedicates her time to strengthening the legal community through initiatives that advance professional development, promote thought leadership, and increase access to meaningful resources for in‑house lawyers.

Barbara has been published in Canadian Lawyer Magazine and has held leadership and volunteer roles with the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (FACL), the Ontario Bar Association’s Women Lawyers Forum, Global Lawyers of Canada (Ontario Chapter), and the former Canadian Corporate Counsel Association (CCCA). In 2020, she was nominated as Canadian Lawyer Magazine’s Woman of the Year. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 2016.

Esha Gupta is the Founding Partner at CounselPro Law, a fractional general counsel firm advising founders and leadership teams on scaling, risk, and the expansion of global AI and technology companies. She previously served as Group Counsel (Banking) at Vencora, a subsidiary of Constellation Software Inc. (TSX: CSU), where she advised a global portfolio of FinTechs across North America, South America, and Europe. Esha’s prior experience includes practicing at Baker & McKenzie LLP and Norton Rose Fulbright LLP, as well as serving as Counsel at TD Bank, where she advised on intellectual property, regulatory affairs, emerging tech, and commercial matters.

Esha was formerly Vice-President (External) and Chair of Mentorship at FACL Ontario. She is also the founder of Mindful Lawyer Canada, where she teaches meditation and mindfulness workshops to legal teams and promotes mental health awareness in the legal profession. Her work has been recognized through Osgoode Hall Law School’s Gold Key Award (One-to-Watch), Canadian Lawyer Magazine’s Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers, and York University’s Top 30 Under 30 Changemakers. She is a frequent speaker at universities, law societies, and industry forums, and, together with crypto and banking experts, a contributor to Banking [on] Blockchain, published by the American Bar Association.