The broader national FACL is a pan-Asian law association that welcomes South Asian, Southeast Asian, East Asian, West Asian and other Asian-Canadian legal professionals and allies. We bridge barriers between our various communities. 

Inequality is endemic among visible minority and immigrant communities, and we support  the betterment of our communities. Within the legal profession, there are barriers at every level from entry into law school to becoming a senior partner or a judge. We want to address these barriers by encouraging students from under-represented communities to enter law schools and through our mentorship and networking opportunities.

The Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers Western Chapter (“FACL Western”) covers the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba which includes communities in Treaties 1 through 10 and the Homeland of the Métis.

Since November 2014, FACL Western has expanded from Calgary (2014) to Edmonton (2015), Winnipeg (2016) and Saskatoon (2017) with over 450 members spanning all levels of the legal community: students, associates, partners, in-house counsel, affiliates and judges.

Membership

Locations

Our Mission

  • We are a diverse coalition of Asian Canadian legal professionals

  • We promote equity, justice, and opportunity for Asian Canadian legal professionals and the community

  • We foster advocacy, community involvement, legal scholarship and professional development

Our History

Lawyers in the Asian Canadian community met in 2007 to discuss forming a coalition of Asian Canadians in law. Support for this idea grew within the pan-Asian community and from these humble beginnings, the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (FACL) was born.

Its founding officers are:

  • Avvy Go, a former bencher of the Law Society of Upper Canada

  • Judge Maryka Omatsu of the Ontario Court of Justice

  • Professor Julia Shin Doi, General Counsel of Toronto Metropolitan University

FACL Western is a chapter within FACL that spans Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, which includes communities in Treaties 1 through 10 and the Homeland of the Métis. This chapter officially launched on November 18, 2014. 

The founding directors of FACL Western are Steven Ngo, Beverly Ma, Daniel Lo, Amy Yeung, Ron Lo, Zao Han, Chris Yan, Vivian Tran, Emmanuel Fung, David Tam and Carmen Lee.