FOUNDER / PRINCIPAL 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.

Email: sofia@ijazlaw.ca

ARTICLING STUDENT

Sevinj Gamarli is an Articling Student at Ijaz Law. She completed her Global Professional Master of Laws at the University of Toronto and holds an NCA Certificate of Qualification. Trained in law in Azerbaijan, where she earned both her Bachelor of Laws and Master’s degree in International Law with distinction, Sevinj has combined strong academic achievement with extensive professional experience in immigration services in Canada.

Before joining Ijaz Law, Sevinj worked for several years as a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant, assisting individuals and families with a wide range of economic and family class immigration applications. Her own journey as an immigrant to Canada inspired her to pursue a career in immigration law, and she is committed to helping others navigate the legal processes that shape their lives.

Through her articling, Sevinj is expanding her practice to encompass the full spectrum of immigration and refugee law, working under the mentorship of the Ijaz Law team. She is able to assist clients in English, Azerbaijani, and Russian.

Email: sevinj@ijazlaw.ca