As we wrap up another year, we are looking back on some of the fun that we have had as a team! It has been a year of change and growth at the firm, and we cannot wait to see what we can do in 2025. We are grateful for our clients and community partners for being with us for the ride! Here our top 10 moments from 2024:
1. February – Gallery Wall installation
Working with The ArQuives and The San Francisco Public Library LGBTQIA Archives, we curated a special collection of photos that tell a story close to our hearts—one of HIV/AIDs and 2SLGBTQ+ activism. Toronto Image Works, Jennifer Kominek Design, Dimensions Gallery, and Stellar Art Services brought our vision to life with the printing, framing, and installation!
Practice Development Supervisor, Kate, then took us through some of their favourite photos from the collection.
2. March – Joycna and Nicholas coach University of Toronto’s Moot team for the Immigration Refugee, and Citizenship Law Moot at the Federal Court!
3. May – Founding Counsel, Justice Michael Battista is appointed as a Judge to the Federal Court of Canada
This was certainly a key highlight of our year! Our team is so proud of Justice Battista and can already see him making an incredible impact with his work on the Bench. We knew we would miss him (and wow, do we ever!), but that he had also set us up to keep moving forward with the vision that he had shaped for the firm over the last 30 years.
4. May – Introducing our new leadership team!
We were lucky to keep the leadership of the firm within our BMLG family! The Partners of the firm, Pablo Irribarra, Nicholas Woodward, Joycna Kang, and Mathew Wilton had all worked with Justice Battista as Associates. They were ready to take on this next challenge and have continued to lead our team to accomplish amazing things for the remainder of 2024.
5. June – Vivi’r LGBTQ+ obtains charitable status
Vivi’r LGBTQ+ is an organization near and dear to our hearts, providing incredible support to Latinx LGBTQ+ refugees and newcomers in their journey to settle in Canada. We are proud to have supported them in obtaining Charitable Status and cannot wait to see the work that they do in 2025.
6. August – Team Lunch and Learn on vicarious trauma
We know that we need to take care of ourselves so that we can continue to provide compassionate and professional service to our clients. Linda H., MSW, RSW gave us some tips to make sure that we are doing what we need to in terms of self-care and collective care so that we can continue to the work that we do!
7. September – Justice Battista’s presentation to the Federal Court
On September 13, 2024, Justice Michael Battista was formally presented to the Federal Court as a Judge. It was a proud day of celebration and fun!
8. October – Pablo Irribarra presented with a plaque for Volunteer Excellence
It is no secret that our team loves to get out in community and participate in Public Legal Education. It was a pleasant surprise to have this plaque presented to Pablo by la Iglesia Adventista de Brampton, with whom Pablo tabled at an event to share legal information with their community.
9. December – BMLG Team Holiday Party
We closed off the year with a celebration of our hard work…by working hard on some creations at a hand building workshop with the Gardiner Museum! We then migrated over to Glad Day Bookshop for some delicious food and socializing with our loved ones.
10. All year – We grew!
We were fortunate to welcome 3 new staff members in 2024! Lexi Zhao joined us in June as a Senior Immigration Consultant, supporting Partner, Mathew Wilton’s practice.
Benjamin Merrill joined in September as an Articling Student!
Daisy Sun joined us in October as an Associate.
We are taking some time to rest and recharge, and we will be back and better than ever in 2025.
With love,
The BMLG Team
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