Safia J. Lakhani, Partner

My legal practice is rooted in strong values and a unique perspective. I am committed to delivering positive outcomes and promoting equity with efficient and affordable legal services.

I have practiced litigation for ten years, eight of them at Iler Campbell. My practice includes housing law, employment law, construction law, and corporate governance. I work with charities, NGOs, housing co-operatives and other equity-seeking, progressive organizations to achieve the best outcomes, with an awareness of the values that underpin their work.

I became passionate about the law after completing a Masters in Middle-Eastern Studies at McGill, with a focus on feminist movements in religious and secular society. These made me realize that I wanted to pursue a profession directly involved in social justice issues. Law struck me as one such path towards this goal and so I attended law school at McGill.

While in law school, I volunteered at a legal clinic and helped run sessions on tenant rights at a women's shelter. I also helped co-ordinate a symposium on counter-terrorism and civil liberties, engaging academics, journalists, and lawyers in a conversation about Canada's counter-terrorism policy.

Since being called to the bar in 2013, I have volunteered with various community organizations. I served as a director of the Canadian Centre for Housing Rights, formerly CERA from 2014 until 2021, and as Chair of the Board from 2019-2021,to support the movement for housing rights across Ontario and Canada. I presently offer pro bono services through the Muslim Legal Support Centre where I provide culturally informed employment and housing advice to Muslims in Ontario. In my spare time, I compose piano covers of pop music and play with my dog, Nando.