Our Team
Board of Directors
Board Members
co-president
Erkan ates (He/Him/il)
Erkan Ates is a Canadian lawyer with over a decade of experience across immigration, tax, pensions law, and public sector legal policy.
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He currently serves at the Department of National Defence, where he leads on pensions law and policy issues, and maintains a parallel immigration and tax law practice through EA Law.
Erkan holds a law degree from the University of Ottawa and a Graduate Certificate in Pension Law from Osgoode Hall Law School. In 2021, he was appointed an Arkansas Traveller by the Governor of Arkansas in recognition of his cross-border service contributions.
Previously, Erkan served as a Senior Legal Analyst at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, specializing in statutory and regulatory reform across federal pension legislation. His earlier legal roles include serving as Legal Counsel at Department of Justice and at the Nordic Investment Bank in Helsinki, Finland.
Erkan is particularly interested in regulatory reform, access to justice, and legal education for newcomers.
Co-President
Max Berger (He/Him/Il)
Max is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School and has been practicing immigration law for the past 36 years.
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Max founded his immigration law firm in 1989, the same year that the Immigration and Refugee Board was created. Max appears regularly before all four divisions of the Board as well as the Federal Court.
Max has often been interviewed on immigration matters by the Toronto Star, Globe & Mail, CTV and CBC news. His articles on immigration policy have appeared in the op-ed pages of the Toronto Star and Montreal Gazette. Max has been a speaker at the CBA National Immigration Conference.
While immigration ministers come and go and immigration laws change, an immigrant’s dream is timeless – to find a better life for themself and their family. It is every immigration lawyer’s goal to help their client realize that dream.
Director
Joycna Kang (Her/She/Elle)
Joycna is a Partner at Battista Migration Law Group, a Toronto-based immigration firm specializing in advocacy for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
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Director
Nadia allibhai(Her/she/elle)
Nadia is a lawyer with the Business Immigration practice at EY Law LLP.
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Nadia’s practice focuses exclusively in the area of Canadian business immigration law. Specifically, Nadia assists both corporate and individual clients in the preparation and submission of applications for temporary employment work permits and permanent residence. She provides strategic immigration advice to clients with respect to admission to Canada pursuant to NAFTA and other international treaties.
Director
Roger Pichette (He/Him/Il)
Roger completed a Bachelor of Laws and Biotechnology degree at the University of Sherbrooke. In 2012, a few years after being called to the Quebec Bar, he co-founded BB Immigration Inc.
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Now with five offices across Quebec, the firm offers a wide range of services to both corporate and individual clients.
A native of Quebec City, Mr. Pichette is very sociable and demonstrates a great openness to others, which quickly puts everyone he meets at ease.
His curiosity and rigor, stemming from his scientific background, undoubtedly enhance his practice.
His previous involvement includes serving on various hospital ethics committees in the region and as President of JCI Canada in 2015.
Director
Victor Ing (He/Him/il)
Victor is a partner at Sas and Ing Immigration Law Centre LLP. Born and raised in Vancouver, he obtained his Juris Doctor from the University of British Columbia after completing student exchange programs in Japan and Hong Kong.
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In addition to serving his immigration clients for over 15 years, Victor is a frequent writer and presenter on immigration topics and has been a regular contributor to the South Asian Post, providing insight on current immigration trends and changes. He has a passion for teaching and is usually busy preparing for webinars or in-person seminars about changes in the law, especially case law at the Federal Court.
Director
Mary Lam (SHe/HER/ELLE)
Mary has practised exclusively in Canadian Immigration and Citizenship law for over three decades.
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Her practice spans litigation and judicial review, inadmissibility matters, and routine temporary and permanent residence applications. She takes on complex files, and she welcomes the opportunity to share the challenges and my experiences to help colleagues.
Director
Ekaterina (Katia) Neouimina (SHe/HER/ELLE)
Ekaterina (Katia) Neouimina is a founding member of CILA. With over a decade of experience practicing exclusively in immigration law, she primarily practices corporate immigration law serving small and mid-size businesses, large multinational corporations, and individuals.
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She believes that immigration should not be stressful. Her approach is “find Zen with ENN.”
Holding a Juris Doctor degree, specializing in international law, from the University of Ottawa, a Master’s in public administration from Carleton University, and a Bachelor in Political Science from the American University in Cairo, Katia combines a robust educational background with a deep understanding of global legal frameworks.
Prior to establishing a successful immigration law firm, Katia gained valuable experience working with leading global immigration law firms, the Government of Canada, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). She is a strong advocate of a collaborative immigration bar and welcomes suggestions from CILA members on ways to grow CILA and contribute to its work.
Director
Barbara Jo (‘BJ’) Caruso (She/Her/Elle)
BJ is a highly regarded senior member of the immigration bar with over 30 years of experience practicing immigration and citizenship law.
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She holds key leadership positions within the immigration bar and is co-author of both the Annotated Immigration Refugee Protection Act and the Citizenship Act. BJ is certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a Specialist – Citizenship and Immigration Law.
Director
Rick lamanna(He/Him/Il)
Rick is a Partner at Fragomen Canada in Toronto, the Canadian office of the world’s largest immigration services provider.
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Since his call to the Bar in 2006, Rick has practiced exclusively in the area of business immigration, representing clients in a wide range of industries, such as manufacturing, oil and gas, finance, information technology and professional services. Rick holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA, with distinction) from Bishop’s University in Lennoxville, Quebec and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. He is also certified as a Specialist in Citizenship and Immigration Law by the Law Society of Ontario.
Director
Mary Keyork (She/Her/Elle)
Mary Keyork has over 15 years experience practicing exclusively Canadian immigration law, with a focus on refugee claims, humanitarian applications and complex family reunifcations.
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Director
Thanh Cong Phan (He/Him/Il)
Thanh Phan is the founder of Elite Law Corporation in Victoria, British Columbia, where his practice focuses on business immigration and corporate law.
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He advises entrepreneurs, start-ups, and multinational corporations on navigating Canada’s immigration system and establishing innovative businesses, with a particular focus on high-tech ventures.
Before establishing his practice in BC, Thanh worked as a lawyer at the Toronto office of a global immigration law firm, supporting multinational clients across diverse industries, including information technology, management consulting, engineering, and food & agriculture.
Thanh’s expertise spans the full spectrum of corporate immigration matters, including Start-up Visa applications, free trade agreement-related applications, intra-company transfers, Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA), compliance matters, and inadmissibility issues. He also advises on corporate structuring and business start-ups in Canada.
Thanh holds a PhD in Law from the University of Victoria. He serves as an Adjunct Professor in Immigration and Citizenship Law at Queen’s University and the University of Victoria, Faculty of Law. He has also taught Canadian Public and Constitutional Law at Osgoode Hall Law School.
Earlier in his career, Thanh worked for the Government of Vietnam for over 10 years as legal counsel and delegate, where he negotiated international free trade agreements with the EU and the Eurasian Customs Union.
Deeply committed to community service, Thanh frequently provides pro bono legal support to the Vietnamese community in Canada, the Vietnam Consulate General in Vancouver, and the Embassy of Vietnam to Canada.
Director
Miguel Mendez (He/Him/Il)
Miguel practices in immigration law, with a focus on refugee claims, humanitarian applications, and Federal Court litigation.
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Director
Gjergji Hasa (HE/HIM/IL)
Gjergji is the Managing Partner at Hasa Attorneys, where he leads a diverse legal practice focused on criminal law, immigration and refugee law, administrative law, family law, and mediation.
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A seasoned litigator, he has appeared at the Federal level before the Supreme Court of Canada, the Federal Court, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, as well as provincial level in Quebec before the Quebec Court of Appeal, the Superior Court, and the Court of Quebec.
Before entering private practice in 2015, Gjergji built a robust foundation in international and human rights law, having gained experience at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, the McGill Centre for Human Rights & Legal Pluralism, and the Canadian Council for Refugees.
Gjergji holds transsystemic degrees in both Common Law and Civil Law from the Faculty of Law at McGill University. During his time at McGill, he was recognized for his leadership and dedication to social justice, receiving an award for his contributions in these areas. He also served as a student ambassador for the university for three consecutive years.
Renowned for his attention to detail and the trust he inspires in his clients, Gjergji approaches every case with diligence and compassion. His client-centered approach focuses on identifying key priorities and advocating tirelessly on their behalf.
Gjergji is a frequent guest speaker and legal educator, having given lectures for the Faculty of Law at McGill University, the Quebec Immigration Lawyers Association (AQAADI), the Canadian Association for Refugee Lawyers (CARL), the Quebec Association of Defence Lawyers (AQAAD), and this year at the Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association (CILA). Topics have included immigration admissibility, deontology in immigration and criminal law, application of criminal law in immigration files, and judicial stays of removal before the Federal Court.
He is an active member of several professional organizations, including AQAADI, CILA, and the Albanian Canadian Lawyers Association.
Administrative Team
Executive Director
Kareem El-Assal (he/Him/il)
Kareem has worked in strategic and operational roles for CILA since 2021. He has been a Canadian immigration policy professional for over a decade. He holds degrees from the University of Toronto and Durham University.
Membership Coordinator
Dinah Singh (She/Her/Elle)
Dinah has been supporting CILA since the onset of the Association. She supports Board members with important tasks essential to running the organization. Dinah holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in French-Spanish-English Translation and a Master of Information Studies, both earned from the University of Ottawa.
Digital Marketing Coordinator
Shara Brandt (She/Her/Elle)
Shara joined CILA in 2025 to support the growth of its marketing and outreach initiatives. She works to increase awareness and support for CILA’s range of events and resources. Shara holds a BA in Business Administration from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Our Latest Articles
She Has Nothing to Say That the Officer Is Allowed to Hear
Authored by Yoann Axel Emian, Canadian Immigration Lawyer
Rethinking Canada’s Caregiver Programs: Insights from the Hong Kong Model
Authored by Lijing Cao, Canadian Immigration Lawyer, Bellissimo Law Group
Some of the Most Important Immigration Decisions Are Made Long Before an Application Is Filed
Authored by Adolfo Morais, Canadian Immigration Lawyer, and originally posted on the website of Boghossian Morais LLP.
