Founded in 2024, the Japanese Canadian Lawyers Association (JCLA) exists to connect and support Japanese Canadian lawyers, judges, and other legal professionals across generations and practice areas. The JCLA brings together individuals of Japanese heritage — including Issei, Nisei, Sansei, Yonsei, and mixed-heritage professionals — as well as legal professionals who have studied or trained in Japan and those who work in Japanese. Through networking, mentorship, and community engagement, the JCLA fosters meaningful connections within the legal profession while advancing diversity, inclusion, and collaboration in Canada’s legal community. For businesses, industry and other professionals, JCLA also maintains a growing public directory of members, including areas of legal practice and jurisdiction (https://jcla.ca/member-directory/Members).

Members of the Japan Society and their networks are warmly invited to connect, collaborate, or become involved with JCLA’s initiatives. To learn more or connect, please visit JCLA’s website at https://jcla.ca/ or contact Caitlin Ohama-Darcus at cohamadarcus@lawsonlundell.com.