Board Members
The WLAO Board is comprised of members who volunteer their time and leadership to govern the organization and lead initiatives to ensure its mandate is fulfilled.
Jocelyn Tatebe – President
Jocelyn is currently working as in-house counsel at Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company. Prior to joining Wawanesa, Jocelyn practiced civil litigation in downtown Toronto with a focus on the defence of bodily injury and accident benefits claims. Jocelyn has a particular interest in insurance coverage issues and she appeared before the Superior Court, the Financial Services Commission of Ontario, the License Appeal Tribunal and the Divisional Court. Jocelyn holds a B.A. in History and International Relations from the University of British Columbia. She obtained her Civil law (B.C.L.) and Common Law degrees (LL.B) from McGill university. Jocelyn was called to the Bar in 2009.
Emily Kostandoff – Treasurer
Emily is an associate at Quinn Family Law. She represents clients on issues including divorce, custody and access of children, child and spousal support, and division of property. Emily regularly appears before the Ontario Court of Justice and the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Before joining Quinn Family Law, Emily summered and articled at a large boutique litigation firm in downtown Toronto. She obtained her Juris Doctor and her Honours Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Music and French Studies from the University of Ottawa. While attending the University of Ottawa, Emily competed in several oral advocacy competitions. She won first place in the Canadian National Negotiation Competition in Winnipeg. Her performance led her to the International Negotiation Competition in Oslo, Norway, where she competed against more than 30 teams from around the world and was awarded second place. Emily has been a member of the Women’s Law Association of Ontario since her articles when she was an active member of the Articling Chapter. She has since sat on several committees including Communications and Programming. Emily joined the Board of Directors in 2020. Emily Kostandoff Quinn Family Law 416-551-1025 [email protected]
Sylvia Kim – Director
Sylvia has been working for the City of Toronto’s Legal Services – Prosecution Division since 2018. Prior to this she worked for the Niagara Region’s Prosecution team. Current work focuses on appellant work at the Ontario Court of Justice and is a volunteer mentor for newly arrived lawyers through TRIEC. She graduated from Osgoode Hall with a joint JD and Masters in Environmental Policy in 2015. Before attending Law School she spent two years teaching English in rural Japan and has kept up her interest for work abroad by completing two law focused internships in East Africa. She can be reached at [email protected]
Vagmi Patel – Director
Vagmi practices Civil Litigation with an emphasis on subrogated claims involving construction-related litigation and contractor’s negligence, environmental disputes, product liability, and property damage. Prior to joining Mason Caplan Roti LLP, Vagmi articled and practiced at a prominent insurance defence firm in Toronto, assisting counsel in defence of personal injury, occupier’s liability, and contractor negligence. She has appeared in front of the Superior Court of Justice, the Ontario Court of Justice, the Small Claims Court, the Social Benefits Tribunal, and the Landlord Tenant Board. Vagmi obtained her law degree from the University of Windsor. While at Windsor, she worked as a litigator at the community legal clinic in Windsor representing underprivileged clients in civil, criminal, and residential tenancy matters. Vagmi completed a semester at the University of Mannheim in Germany through an exchange program. Prior to attending law school, Vagmi completed her undergraduate degree in Life Sciences and worked as a research assistant in Molecular Biology and Pathology. During articling, Vagmi was Co-Chair of the Articling Chapter of the Women’s Law Association of Ontario. She now sits on the Mentoring and Social Committee. Education: Honours Bachelor of Science, McMaster University, 2012 Juris Doctor, University of Windsor, 2016 Professional Affiliations: Law Society of Ontario Women’s Law Association of Ontario Ontario Bar Association
Najma Jamaldin – Director
Passionate about Canadian law and history, Najma has accumulated over 20 years of court expertise. With a deep belief in individual rights, she will apply herself to your case with professionalism and dedication. She engages in open communication with the client to ensure that you are kept updated throughout the process. She has experience dealing with complex matters before all levels of court and regularly appears in the appellate courts. Najma has frequently participated as a panelist for several legal education conferences held by Ontario Bar Association, Osgoode Hall Professional Development Program and the Criminal Lawyers Association. She serves on committees for the Advocates’ Society and Women’s Law Association of Ontario. Najma works with a network of lawyers in shared chambers to ensure you are served from all angles. Najma Jamaldin Barrister & Solicitor 1702 – 180 Dundas Street West Toronto, Ontario M5G 1Z8 [email protected]
Fariya Walji – Director
Fariya Walji is currently the Assistant Director of Professional Development and Work Experience at the Law Practice Program. She leads a team in supporting hundreds of licensing candidates each year in their career development and liaises with legal professionals and stakeholders across the province. Fariya’s home position is as a Crown Counsel within the Ministry of the Attorney General. She engages in civil and criminal litigation and works on special projects including legislative amendments, student hiring, and training police officers. In addition to Chairing the WLAO Membership Committee and engaging in mentorship activities, Fariya is a frequent public speaker on topics covering career development, litigation, EDI, and more. A proud alumna of the University of Windsor Faculty of Law, Fariya was called to the bar in Ontario in 2015.