Photo credit: Tony Morrish (3L)
Left to Right:
Steven Ngo, President and Director of FACL Western, Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt LLP
Carmen Lee, Director, Parlee McLaws LLP
David Shepherd, MLA, Edmonton-Centre
Honourable Judge Geoffrey Ho, Provincial Court Family and Youth Division, Edmonton
Honorable Mr. Justice Donald Lee, Court of Queen's Bench, Edmonton
Dean Paul D. Paton, Faculty of Law, University of Alberta
David Tam, Director, Parlee McLaws LLP
On November 18, the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers ("FACL") Western celebrated its launch in Edmonton. Founded in 2007, FACL is a diverse coalition of Asian Canadian legal professionals working to promote equity, justice, and opportunity for Asian Canadian legal professionals and the wider community.
The Matrix Hotel provided a modern venue that hosted judges, practitioners, students, FACL Executives, and other leaders in the community. Commemorative FACL socks were created for the occasion by event organizers David Tam and Carmen Lee of ParleeMcLaws LLP.
Special keynote speakers were The Honorable Mr. Justice Donald Lee of the Court of Queen's Bench and The Honorable Judge Geoffrey Ho of the Provincial Court Family and Youth Division in Edmonton, who spoke on the progress made in the diversity of the legal system and the importance of prioritizing diversity issues going forward.
The event received support from members of the government, who echoed the importance of diversity in the legal profession. David Shephard, MLA (Edmonton Central) brought greetings and congratulations from the provincial government, and Mayor Don Iveson proclaimed November 18, 2015 as FACL Day in Edmonton, AB.
The event was well-attended by representatives from the University of Alberta Faculty of Law, including Dean Paul Paton. Members of Law Students for Inclusion & Diversity ("LSID") provided volunteer support for the evening's celebrations. LSID is an affiliate student group of FACL Western and is committed to advocating for and bringing awareness to diversity issues in legal education at the University of Alberta.
As Dean Paton commented, "I'm very pleased to congratulate FACL on the launch of its Edmonton chapter and appreciated the chance to be invited and involved. As someone who has studied and taught on multiculturalism and diversity issues in Canada, it's heartening to know that so many U of A Faculty of Law students, recent graduates and alumni are involved in FACL's and LSID's important work and to have FACL chapters in Edmonton and Calgary. Justice Lee and Judge Ho provided not only inspirational words but models for the many students and alumni in the broader U of A Law community whose personal journeys in the law will blaze new trails."
More information on FACL Western can be found at www.faclwestern.com. LSID Executives can be reached at lsidualberta@gmail.com.