The ITLNCA NetworkS is the joint effort of equality seeking legal professional associations and stakeholders committed to improve the Internationally Trained Lawyers' experience in their career exploration, certifications and licensing processes in Canada.
Its volunteers are sourced within the internationally trained lawyers' networks of the equality seeking lawyers’ associations and other interested groups.
The ITLNCA NetworkS is focused on maximizing the wealth of opportunities that ITLNCAs bring to Canada's economy.
Employment and Labour Lawyer, Antonio F. Urdaneta is a marathon runner who improves the work climate and empowers business leaders to reduce the inherent threats of workplace relations by providing innovative training, advisory, investigations, and litigation services. Antonio uses coaching tools and skills to inform, advice and represent workplaces in their virtual and physical challenges, including business transformation and managing toxic leadership.
Julia is an ITL who is passionate about the inclusion of ITLs in the legal market. She has dedicated the last few years to working with legal professionals on their careers and helping them position themselves for success. She has also worked with law firms and companies to assess and improve their hiring practices as a labor market consultant. Julia is Brazilian and has an LL.M. in Business & Finance Law. She has experience both in the Canadian and U.S. job markets.
Jasmine is Legal Counsel for BMO Financial Group. She is a derivatives lawyer based in Toronto. Jasmine has experience with a broad range of capital markets transactions, with a particular focus on OTC derivatives, repos, and securities lending transactions and advising on collateral, set-off, netting and derivatives enforceability.
Jasmine holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts from York University and a Juris Doctor from Bond University. After being called to the bar, she commenced her legal career as corporate counsel for George Weston Limited. Jasmine is an advocate for advancement of equity, justice and opportunity for women and racialized lawyers in the Canadian legal community.
Hyunju (Crystal) Park is an articling student in Gowling WLG’s Toronto office, working with both the firm’s Business Law and Advocacy departments. She has a strong interest in working on (i) complex corporate reorganizations, (ii) mergers and acquisitions, (iii) structuring shareholders, partnership and joint venture arrangements, and (iv) general corporate/commercial matters. Her experience has been uniquely complemented with rigorous training in corporate and commercial litigation. She will be called to the Ontario bar in June 2023.
Previously, Crystal was a category manager and legal consultant for IT, security and surveillance procurement for one of the leading global corporations in the gaming and hospitality industry. Crystal has obtained a Global Professional LLM from the University of Toronto, LLM in International Business Law (Thesis Track) from the University of Macau, and an LLB from Yonsei University (South Korea). She also holds a CIPS Level 4 Diploma in Procurement and Supply.
Crystal currently serves as Section Executive on the Ontario Bar Association's Civil Litigation, Construction and Infrastructure Law, and Young Lawyers Division-Central sections for the 2022-2023 term. Crystal is passionate about mentorship in the legal profession, and is eager to add value to the Board of the ITLNCA Networks Association by planning more events focused on mentorship, networking, and creating more opportunities for ITLs.
Yonida is a Business and Intellectual Property Lawyer at Oziel Law, a boutique technology law firm in Toronto. She works closely with innovative start-ups at all stages of their business from their inception up to an M&A or go-public transaction. Yonida regularly represents foreign companies in establishing a presence in Canada to access the North American markets with work that includes setting up and structuring subsidiaries, IP transfer and brand protection, and corporate finance. She assists corporations throughout their lifecycle with strategy, as well as the preparation and negotiation of various corporate, technology and IP, privacy, financing, and employment contracts.
Prior to her legal career in Ontario, Yonida practiced law in Athens, Greece. She holds LLB and LLM degrees from Democritus University of Thrace, and more recently an LLM in Business and IP Law from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University.
Michael is the Program Lawyer, Professional Graduate & International Programs at Osgoode Professional Development. In this role he develops degree programs, graduate courses, and non-degree education options for lawyers and law students. He is also the academic and career counsellor to all OsgoodePD students. Michael holds an Honours B.Sc (Hons) in Psychology, an LL.B. from the University of Leicester, and an 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
Rachel Sachs is a lawyer in North York who focusses her practice on older adult clients in elder law, estates, corporate and civil litigation. Rachel also works as Of Counsel on select litigation matters with Marshall Law Group in Caledonia and on the Pro Bono Ontario Hotline advising low-income clients in civil litigation, housing, consumer protection and powers of attorney matters.
In addition to her role with ITLNCA Networks, Rachel is the President of the Filipino Canadian Lawyers Network, Co-Lead of Communications and Outreach with RODA, a board member of a local daycare and a Past Chair of the OBA Women Lawyers Forum.
Called to the Ontario bar in 2017 after completing the Law Practice Program, Rachel also holds her Executive MBA degree from Quantic School of Technology in DC, her Masters of Science from the University of Edinburgh Business School in Scotland, her law degree from Sheffield Hallam University in England, and bachelors degree in law from Carleton University in Ottawa.