FOUNDER / LAWYER

Sofia Ijaz is a Canadian refugee and immigration lawyer based in Toronto, Canada.

As an advocate for migrant and refugee rights, Sofia has worked in Syria, Palestine, Greece, the United States and The Netherlands. She has served in positions with local and international NGOs and the United Nations. Sofia regularly appears before the Federal Court of Canada and the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.

Since 2015, Sofia has acted as legal counsel to migrants and refugees in Canada on a wide range of matters including refugee claims and appeals, judicial reviews, stays of deportation, complex family sponsorships and strategic constitutional litigation. She spent the first eight years of her law career practicing with a leading Canadian refugee and immigration firm in Toronto.

Sofia holds a law degree from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Affairs and Middle East Studies from the University of Virginia. She studied Arabic at the Institut Français du Proche-Orient in Damascus, Syria and Yarmouk University in Irbid, Jordan.

ARTICLING STUDENT

Amin Sadiqi is an articling student with Ijaz Law based in Ottawa, Canada. 

Amin is passionate about immigration and refugee issues, which motivated him to enter the legal profession. As a refugee himself, he knows the challenges of navigating the refugee determination system. 

Before beginning his journey as a refugee rights advocate, Amin worked with a non-profit organization serving newcomers in the Ottawa region. He also has extensive work experience in the humanitarian sector with the UN and other international organizations in Afghanistan. Amin is currently a board member of a non-profit organization supporting refugees and volunteers with other refugee-sponsoring groups in Canada.

Amin holds a law degree from the University of Ottawa, a Master’s Degree in Communications from New York University, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the American University of Afghanistan. He is fluent in English and Farsi (Dari) and has working knowledge of French and Pashto.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Ayaa Dakkak is an administrative assistant with Ijaz Law based in Mississauga, Canada.

Ayaa sought refugee protection in Canada in 2016. She originates from Aleppo, Syria, the site of large anti-government protests which were quickly crushed by the regime. Her beginnings as an activist in Syria have now led her to become an advocate for those seeking political asylum in Canada.

Ayaa is a student member of the Canadian Association of Professional Immigration Consultants and a candidate in Queen University’s Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law.

Prior to her work in refugee and immigration law, Ayaa worked with a college in Ontario assisting students in Oakville and Brampton secure financial aid. She also served as a Human Resources Assistant with the Canadian Red Cross.

Ayaa holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Sheridan College. She also studied engineering at Aleppo University but due to the war, was forced to flee prior to graduating. Ayaa is fluent in English and Arabic.