律师团队
愿景
Heron Law Offices 由 Will Tao 和 Edris Arib 于 2021 年 2 月创立。梦想很简单 —— 以不同的方式执业，建立一家以研究为导向、以证据为基础的法律事务所，在移民、难民和行政法领域提供具有前瞻性、以客户为中心的解决方案。
卓越的传承
自成立以来，Heron Law Offices 一直以其对法律倡导与卓越执业的承诺而闻名，获得多个业界重要奖项认可，包括 2025 年“最佳律师事务所”称号。
本所持续突破边界，将法律创新与对社会正义和客户权益的深切承诺相结合。
坚实的基础
在创立 Heron Law Offices 之前，Will 已在加拿大著名的移民律所积累了丰富经验，并建立起在移民与难民法领域的领先声誉。他的工作涵盖处理复杂的移民事务、法律政策建议，以及为重要法律出版物与意见提供贡献。通过多年来的努力，Will 在法律专业性、客户权益维护以及创新解决方案方面建立了深厚的口碑。
我们的团队与成长
多年来，Heron Law Offices 吸引了一批致力于创新、卓越与客户倡导的顶尖法律人才。随着团队不断壮大，我们始终致力于建设一支充满热情的法律专业团队，积极推动本所使命，塑造加拿大移民法与行政法的未来。
认识我们的团队
Will Tao
首席律师 / 联合创始人
Laura Schemitsch
加拿大移民与难民律师
Dr. Hamidreza Siavashpour
加拿大移民与难民律师
Karina Juma
加拿大移民与难民律师
Yussif Silva
加拿大移民与难民律师
Caitlyn Waterhouse
法律实习生
Edris Arib
案件管理总监
Tamara Yang
案件经理
Olivia Yin
业务与人事主管
Kennedee Fung
客户接待与行政助理
Meeting Angela
Early in our practice, we met Angela Lee Harris, a lawyer who is passionate about social justice and assisting people on their journeys to building a better future. Angela articled at a small full-service law firm in downtown Vancouver, BC, where she developed a keen interest in immigration and refugee law. She is also eager to explore the intersections between Canadian immigration law and Indigenous law and communities.
Adding Candy
Shortly after, a former star student from Will’s teaching days at University of British Columbia (UBC), Candy Hui, a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC), joined the team as a case manager. Candy brings a high-energy, research-intensive approach in working on our immigration matters and with our clients. As a Pharmacist by training, she is always looking for the right solution for our clients.
Our Team, Together
Together, as a team, we want to build a firm around the core principles of compassion, empathy, and justice. We believe that our lived experiences and evidence and research-based knowledge can help guide you in your times of greatest need.
Read about our vision in our open letter below:
Canadian Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship law firm based in the Greater Vancouver area serving clients in Canada and around the World.
Our core areas of specialization:
1. International Students
2. Judicial Reviews
3. Family and Spousal Sponsorships
4. Immigration Appeals
We chose to launch our headquarters in Burnaby, B.C. (with mobility throughout the Greater Vancouver region) because we believe this city represents our ideal future Canada in terms of diversity, resilience, and often hidden beauty. We look forward to welcoming you at our offices.
As set out in our value propositions, we believe there is a way to lawyer differently. We aim to provide process-oriented, cost effective services that are aided (not hindered) by technology and project management. We want to lawyer compassionately and confidently and continue the excellent work we have done to inspire future immigration lawyers and law students.
We want to be Lawyers for Migrant Communities and do this for our next generation. We thank you for being part of our story.
Going Beyond the Law
At Heron Law, we go beyond the limitations that the law often provides. Our clients’ experiences are transformed into advocacy and action. We take lessons learned and apply them to our community work, our strategic litigation, and our participation on policy panels. We advocate for larger systemic changes to benefit our clients and the system as a whole.
Our Visions for Expansion
We hope for Heron Law Offices to provide other legal services beyond immigration law and are actively looking to partner with human rights, family, criminal, small business, non-profit, employment, and social services-related lawyers to transform our Firm into a more comprehensive source for migrant communities.
We invite lawyers, law students, immigration professionals, and support staff interested in our work and our direction to email us at info@heronlaw.ca
荣誉与奖项
- 入选《2025 加拿大法律 Lexpert 名录》移民领域推荐律师（Lexpert-Ranked Lawyer）
加拿大律师协会（CBA）2020 年“创始人奖”（Founder’s Award）——表彰其在执业前五年内的杰出成就
荣获四项 Clawbies 加拿大法律博客奖，包括2015、2019、2021年“最佳移民法律博客奖”及2023年“名人堂奖”
自 2019 年起连续入选《Best Lawyer™》移民法领域推荐律师名单
联合创始人 / 加拿大移民、难民和行政法律师
Will Tao 陶律师
Will Tao（他/他）是一位具有十多年执业经验、拥有华裔背景的加拿大移民与难民律师。他是Heron Law Offices 的联合创始人。
Will 提供涵盖加拿大移民与难民法各领域的法律服务，重点处理复杂申请、拒签救济、不准入境案件、上诉以及联邦法院的司法复核。他经常出庭于加拿大移民与难民委员会（IRB）及联邦法院，主要服务对象包括国际留学生、家庭团聚申请人及临时外国劳工。他目前的工作还包括挑战政府在移民程序中使用自动化决策系统（ADM），处理涉及安全与虚假陈述的不准入境问题，并为科技、艺术、娱乐及体育等行业的申请人制定战略性移民方案。
Will 还为政府、媒体、教育机构和企业提供关于移民、难民、去殖民化与种族平权议题的战略咨询服务。他创办并运营屡获殊荣的 Vancouver Immigration Blog（温哥华移民博客），致力于让公众更容易获取和理解移民与难民法律知识。他亦曾在英属哥伦比亚大学（UBC）“移民法律、政策与程序证书课程”（CILPP）中担任讲师，拥有丰富的教学经验。
作为加拿大移民领域的意见领袖，Will 经常受邀在各类会议上发表演讲，并在新闻媒体中就相关议题发表评论。他曾在联邦法院担任专家宣誓人，并为加拿大财政委员会秘书处提供专业意见。2024 年 12 月，他受邀出席加拿大国会下议院移民事务常务委员会，就国际留学生项目改革提供专家证词。
代表性案例
- S v. Canada (Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness), 2020 FC 718 (CanLII)
- Canadian Council for Refugees v. Canada (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship), 2019 FC 418 (CanLII)
- Z v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2018 FC 502 (CanLII)
- Canada (Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness) v. M, 2018 FC 729 (CanLII)
- C v Canada (Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness), 2018 CanLII 89016 (CA IRB)
- W v Canada (Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness), 2016 CanLII 90976 (CA IRB)
社区贡献
Will 曾担任 Roundtable Society 的董事会成员，加拿大律师协会全国移民委员会反种族主义委员会的共同主席兼创始成员，并曾被加拿大国际教育局（CBIE）移民倡导委员会授予荣誉成员称号。
他还曾担任温哥华市文化社群咨询委员会主席，并是加拿大亚裔律师协会卑诗分会（FACLBC）董事会成员。
“如今，我认为移民法是一个完美且包罗万象的执业领域。我是那种典型的“诉辩合一”律师（solicitigator）——我处理申请类事务（律师工作），同时又从事诉讼相关工作（复议、司法复核、上诉），两者相辅相成。 移民法本质上是一个高度行政化的领域，因此我在应对体制、理解其背后的“人”方面的能力也常常派上用场。我每天都有机会与形形色色、真实而不完美的人交流，聆听他们的故事，帮助他们厘清并处理这些经历。” Will Tao
加拿大移民、难民和行政法律师
Laura Schemitsch
Laura Schemitsch 自 2019 年起从事加拿大移民与难民法律工作，处理的案件类型广泛、复杂程度不一。她于 2019 年在渥太华大学获得法学博士学位，专攻公共法律及法律与社会正义领域。在攻读法律前，她曾在麦克马斯特大学获得历史学荣誉文学学士学位，并在皇后大学获得艺术史硕士学位。
Laura 的学术研究曾发表于多个同行评审期刊及主流媒体。2022 年 11 月，她受邀在加拿大国会下议院的公民与移民事务常务委员会上发表演讲。
Laura 于 2017 年加入 Capital Rainbow Refuge 私人担保团体，协助 LGBTQIA2S+ 难民前往渥太华，从而发现了她对移民与难民法律的热情。她于 2019 年 8 月至 2020 年 6 月在渥太华一家专注于移民与难民法律的精品律所 Gerami Law PC 完成实习，并在之后被聘为移民与难民律师。Laura 于 2020 年 6 月随家人移居卑诗省，并成功将律师执照转至卑诗省。她曾在 Sea to Sky 地区执业，后于 2023 年 6 月加入 Heron Law Offices。
Laura 成功代理客户出庭加拿大移民与难民委员会（IRB），并协助客户应对诸多复杂移民问题，包括申请被拒、人道与同情理由申请、不准入境问题、程序公正函回复以及司法复核。Laura 协助雇主、创业者、永久居民申请人、临时外籍工人、国际学生与访问者踏上他们独特的加拿大移民旅程。
工作之余，Laura 热衷于户外探险、舞蹈、手工艺及志愿服务。
文章发表
- Laura Schemitsch, “No more excuses for our immigration backlog” (2 February 2022) #1 Top Read Article in CBA National Magazine 2022.
- Arghavan Gerami and Laura Schemitsch, “Canada’s immigration removal machine” (13 Jan 2021), CBA National Magazine.
- Laura Schemitsch, “So, About Those Anti-Immigration Claims Being Made This Election” (7 Oct 2019), Huffington Post.
- Laura Schemitsch, “Setting a Deportation Target Puts Canadian Values on the Line” (7 Nov 2018), Huffington Post.
社区贡献
Laura 目前担任 Sea to Sky 社区服务机构的董事会成员。她是加拿大移民律师协会（CILA）编辑委员会的积极成员，并为该协会撰写评论文章（https://cila.co/news/）。此外，她也是加拿大难民律师协会（CARL）倡导委员会的成员。
Laura 此前曾担任 Capital Rainbow Refuge 的董事会成员，目前仍持续为该组织提供法律支持与指导。
荣誉与奖项
2025 年获加拿大律师协会（Canadian Bar Association）颁发创始人奖（Founder’s Award），以表彰其在执业前五年中的杰出成就。
加拿大移民、难民和行政法律师
Dr. Hamidreza Siavashpour*
Hamidreza Siavashpour（是一位加拿大移民与难民律师，同时是不列颠哥伦比亚省律师协会及伊朗中央律师协会的自豪成员。他拥有德黑兰大学的国际公法博士学位。
在移民加拿大后，Hamidreza 于英属哥伦比亚大学（UBC）获得普通法硕士学位，并在 Everyone Legal Clinic 完成实习，随后在不列颠哥伦比亚省正式取得律师资格。
作为第一代移民，Hamidreza 曾亲身经历加拿大移民体系的复杂程序，因此他能以独特视角和深切同理心为客户提供法律服务。他能流利使用英语和波斯语，为多元背景的客户提供协助，帮助他们顺利应对加拿大的移民流程。他的执业重点是加拿大移民法，同时也在商业法、房地产法和租赁法领域拥有丰富经验。他致力于帮助个人和家庭克服法律挑战，实现他们的移民目标。
在法律工作之外，Hamidreza 创作了YouTube 频道“Lawyer Explains”。
Hamidreza 很荣幸成为 Heron Law Offices 的一员，致力于为来自世界各地的客户提供全程法律支持，协助他们实现加拿大移民之路。
Candy is a member of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC), Canadian Association of Professional Immigration Consultants (CAPIC), Saskatchewan College of Pharmacy Professionals (SCPP) and Pharmacy Association of Saskatchewan (PAS).
Professional Affiliations
加拿大移民、难民和行政法律师
Karina Juma
Karina Juma 在 Heron Law Offices 完成律师实习，并于 2025 年 5 月在不列颠哥伦比亚省正式取得律师资格。在实习期间，Karina 积累了多方面的移民法律经验，包括司法复审、不予受理问题、程序公正信PFL、临时与永久居留申请、移民上诉、复议请求以及加拿大边境服务局（CBSA）的执法措施等。
Karina 在卡尔顿大学完成国际事务文学硕士学位，专攻难民与人道主义政策，并于 2024 年 6 月以优异成绩（优等荣誉 Magna Cum Laude）获得渥太华大学法学博士学位。在整个法律学习过程中，她始终保持卓越的学术成绩。此前，她于 2020 年以最高荣誉（Summa Cum Laude）从渥太华大学取得历史与政治学社会科学学士学位。
在法学院期间，Karina 在“难民中心”（现为 Pathways International）担任研究助理达四年之久，并连续两个暑假在渥太华一家专注移民与难民法律的精品律所实习。她还积极参与加拿大难民律师协会（CARL）学生分会，连续两年担任联合主席。
在本科阶段，Karina 曾在加拿大政府枢密院办公室担任信息获取与隐私（ATIP）分析师助理，完成了三个合作实习期。
Karina 对移民与难民法律的热情源自其家庭背景。作为移民家庭的孩子，她致力于回馈社会，帮助新移民应对加拿大移民体系的种种挑战。她也从其宗教社群——the Ismaili Muslims 中汲取灵感，该群体以慈善和服务精神在加拿大社会中发挥着积极作用。
在工作之外，Karina 喜欢热瑜伽、动感单车课程以及收听流行文化播客。她会说英语、法语和 Gujarati，并具备Hindi的基本沟通能力。
文章出版
Karina 曾参与合著并出版关于难民安置与倡议行动的书籍《平凡之人，非凡之举》（Ordinary People, Extraordinary Actions），该书于 2022 年由渥太华大学出版社出版。她的作品亦曾刊登于《加拿大人权年鉴》（Canadian Yearbook of Human Rights）。
文章出版
Karina 曾参与合著并出版关于难民安置与倡议行动的书籍《平凡之人，非凡之举》（Ordinary People, Extraordinary Actions），该书于 2022 年由渥太华大学出版社出版。她的作品亦曾刊登于《加拿大人权年鉴》（Canadian Yearbook of Human Rights）。
加拿大移民、难民和行政法律师
Yussif Silva
Yussif Silva 致力于为复杂的移民程序带来清晰指引。他协助客户获得在加拿大学习、工作或永久居留的许可，并处理签证拒签的上诉、不予受理指控的辩护，以及难民身份的申请。
Yussif 同时拥有不列颠哥伦比亚省和巴西的法律执业资格，曾在另一个加拿大领先的移民律师事务所工作三年，积累了丰富的高端移民事务经验。
Yussif 加入 Heron Law Offices，是希望为客户提供真正个性化的移民服务，理解并尊重每一位客户背后的故事。作为一名拥有阿拉伯血统的拉丁裔律师，Yussif 在其多元化的执业过程中展现出高度的文化敏感性。他细致严谨，关心客户的真实处境与人生目标。
他精通英语、西班牙语和葡萄牙语，乐于以客户最熟悉的语言提供服务。
工作之余，Yussif 喜欢武术、滑雪和尝试新的食谱。
法律助理
Tamara Yang (she/her)
Tamara Yang (she/her) holds a Master of Science in International Migration and Public Policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and a Bachelor of Arts (Joint Honours) in Political Science and International Development Studies from McGill University.
Born and raised in Vancouver, Tamara maintains close ties to the local Chinese community that welcomed her family in the early 90s. Prior to joining Heron, she began her post-graduate career in consulting, public affairs, and strategic communications in the United Kingdom (UK). Abroad, Tamara has worked on organizational development projects for global multinational companies, successfully pushed for positive policy changes affecting small businesses in the UK, and led public engagement campaigns in partnership with major companies and industry leaders.
Now, driven by her studies and time in the tech industry, she is interested in the intersections of migration and tech policy. She has extensive research experience, assisting various McGill-affiliated projects and labs on issues such as international organization behaviour, harm reduction policies, and questions surrounding ethical artificial intelligence. Tamara is excited to bring her experience in policy research to Heron Law Offices.
In her free time, Tamara enjoys baking, pop culture trivia, and running in nature. Tamara is active in her alumni groups in both the UK and Vancouver. She speaks English, French, and Mandarin.
Publications
Published in the 2018 edition of the McGill Journal of Political Studies (MJPS), article entitled Predicting Uganda’s Age Limit Crisis: The Future of Museveni’s Regime. Article and internship experience funded by the McGill Susan Casey Brown Award.
Publications
Published in the 2018 edition of the McGill Journal of Political Studies (MJPS), article entitled Predicting Uganda’s Age Limit Crisis: The Future of Museveni’s Regime. Article and internship experience funded by the McGill Susan Casey Brown Award.
法律实习生
Caitlyn Waterhouse
Caitlyn Waterhouse (she/her) is a recent graduate of Simon Fraser University, where she completed a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in International Studies and English Literature. During her time at SFU, she was deeply engaged in community-based programs supporting newcomer and refugee youth, including leading weekly sessions and developing curriculum for the English Language Support program and coordinating after-school activities through SFU’s Connect Through Homework initiative.
Caitlyn also worked as an assistant policy analyst with the B.C. Climate Action Secretariat, where she conducted research on provincial decarbonization strategies. Her honours thesis similarly focused on pathways toward deep industrial decarbonization.
Originally from Naicam, Saskatchewan, Caitlyn’s commitment to equity and inclusion is grounded in her small-town roots and her belief in the importance of belonging. This dedication was recently recognized with a McCall MacBain Regional Award—granted to just 93 of over 700 Canadian applicants—which supports students who demonstrate exceptional character, leadership, and intellectual curiosity. Outside of work, she enjoys playing sports, reading, and spending time in nature.
文章出版
“Sustainability in the Sky”，发表于 2025 年版《英属哥伦比亚大学国际事务期刊》（UBC Journal of International Affairs）。
案件总监
Edris Arib
Edris Arib is a seasoned legal and public policy professional with extensive experience in law offices and civil society organizations. He co-founded Heron Law Offices in February 2021 with Will Tao, following nearly three fulfilling years at Edelmann & Co. Law Offices. Initially serving as Director of Operations and Case Manager, he transitioned in February 2022 and has now returned as Director of Case Management.
In this role, Edris collaborates closely with the Manager of Business and People Operations to oversee case management operations, supervise legal assistants and case managers, develop client strategies, and lead training initiatives for lawyers, case managers, and articling students. In addition to his hands-on involvement in case management, he contributes significantly to process improvement and the firm’s growth strategies.
He holds a master’s degree in public policy from the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy at the University of Erfurt, Germany, where he is currently in the final year of his doctoral studies.
社区贡献
Beyond private practice, Edris has held key legal and advisory roles, including serving as Legal Counselor for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), Senior Legal Advisor for the European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL), and Policy and Advocacy Consultant for Transparency International Secretariat in Berlin.
业务与人事主管
Olivia Yin 殷 (she/her)
Olivia Yin is the Manager of Business and People Operations at Heron Law Offices, where she oversees daily operations with a focus on human resources, accounting, and marketing. In her multifaceted role, she also contributes to quality assurance, internal auditing, and the development of best operational practices, working alongside the Director of Case Management and Client Strategy to ensure smooth operations across the firm.
Before joining Heron Law Offices, Olivia gained extensive experience as a Total Compensation Analyst with a local Provincial Health Authority and held various HR roles in a medium-sized service business. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours) and a Diploma in Human Resources Management, both from BCIT. Her academic journey began at the Southwest University of Political Science and Law, where she earned a double degree in Broadcast Journalism and Law.
As a native Mandarin speaker, Olivia plays a key role in assisting the firm’s Chinese-speaking clients, ensuring seamless communication and a client-focused experience.
客户接待和行政助理
Kennedee Fung
Kennedee Fung (she/her) is the Client Intake and Administrative Assistant at Heron Law Offices, where she supports the firm’s daily operations with a focus on client service, administrative coordination, and team collaboration.
Kennedee holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of British Columbia and is currently completing her Human Resources Management Certificate at BCIT. She brings experience from both nonprofit and corporate environments, having worked in Vancouver and her hometown of Hong Kong. Her background in program coordination and project management has shaped her collaborative, people-first approach to working with diverse teams and engaging with clients. She values inclusive spaces where individuals feel seen, supported, and heard.
Fluent in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin, Kennedee is proud to support the firm’s multilingual client base with clarity and care. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring new restaurants and cafes, watching hockey, and spending time with her foster cat.
助理
Tobie Lin - 休假到2026月 (she/her)
Tobie joined Heron in October 2022 as a Case Manager. She brings with her 10 years of work experience in Canadian Immigration, with a solid understanding of immigration application and litigation processes.
Tobie has previously supported senior legal counsels and senior founding partners in her previous positions. To stay competitive in this field and continue to master her knowledge, she completed her Immigration Consultant Diploma in 2016. She also has recent experience assisting on complex civil litigation matters.
Tobie assists Will as his primary case manager, resuming a partnership that begin when Tobie served as Will’s primary legal assistant at Larlee Rosenberg.
Tobie is trilingual (English, Mandarin and Cantonese) and is able to assist in communication, appeal hearing preparation, and other immigration-related litigation in all three languages.
Outside of work, Tobie enjoy spending time with her young son and family.
Co-founder/Consultant
Edris Arib
At – On Leave – Completing PhD (he/him)
Edris Arib is a Director of Operations/Case Manager at Heron Law Offices.
Edris Arib is a law and public policy professional with experience in international and civil society organisations. He worked as Legal Counselor for Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and International Development Law Organization (IDLO), and as Policy and Advocacy Consultant for Transparency International.
He holds a Masters degree in Public Policy from the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy at the University of Erfurt in Germany.
Outside the Law Firm, Edris is immersed in his PhD on Grand Corruption and explores BC Parks and Restaurants with his family.
Awards and Achievements
- The Honourable Justice Grant Burnyeat Award in Law, University of British Columbia (2016)
- University of Victoria Faculty of Social Sciences Dean’s List (2016)
- University of Victoria Excellence Scholarship (2011-2015)
Professional Affiliations
Candy is a member of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC), Canadian Association of Professional Immigration Consultants (CAPIC), Saskatchewan College of Pharmacy Professionals (SCPP) and Pharmacy Association of Saskatchewan (PAS).
*Candy provides case management services as an independent contractor through her consulting company, CJ Immigrations Ltd.
Co-founder/Consultant
Edris Arib
At – On Leave – Completing PhD (he/him)
Edris Arib is a Director of Operations/Case Manager at Heron Law Offices.
Edris Arib is a law and public policy professional with experience in international and civil society organisations. He worked as Legal Counselor for Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and International Development Law Organization (IDLO), and as Policy and Advocacy Consultant for Transparency International.
He holds a Masters degree in Public Policy from the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy at the University of Erfurt in Germany.
Outside the Law Firm, Edris is immersed in his PhD on Grand Corruption and explores BC Parks and Restaurants with his family.
Professional Affiliations
Candy is a member of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC), Canadian Association of Professional Immigration Consultants (CAPIC), Saskatchewan College of Pharmacy Professionals (SCPP) and Pharmacy Association of Saskatchewan (PAS).
