Steering Committee

Mr. Aleem Bharmal, KC is a human rights lawyer with the Community Legal Assistance Society (“CLAS”) and was its former Executive Director for 12 years from late 2007 to 2019. Mr. Bharmal has practiced human right law for over 20 years at CLAS, a not-for-profit legal organization advancing dignity, equality and justice in BC since 1971. Mr. Bharmal has been a presenter on human rights, social justice, access to justice, and legal ethics issues. He served as the President of the Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch (CBABC) for the 2022-23 term and has Chaired or been on the executive of a number of CBABC Sections and Committees, including the Social Justice and Human Rights Sections, the Policy & Advocacy and Finance Committees, among others. Mr. Bharmal is also a CBABC law student mentor with the UBC Allard School of Law, his alma mater.

Hasan Alam is a Vancouver-based labour and human rights lawyer at the BC General Employees’ Union, President of the BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA), and Co-Founder of the Islamophobia Legal Assistance Hotline (ILAH). His practice spans workplace rights, civil liberties advocacy, and community legal education, with a particular focus on protecting the rights of marginalized communities.

Aisha Afzal is a registered social worker and psychotherapist committed to providing compassionate, culturally responsive mental health care. She supports clients in both the public health system and a community-based practice, grounding her work in trauma-informed, anti-oppressive principles. Aisha holds a Master of Social Work with a clinical mental health focus from the University of Toronto and post-graduate training in various therapeutic modalities. Guided by a deep commitment to collective care and justice, she serves on the steering committee of the Islamophobia Legal Assistance Hotline to help build accessible, affirming support for those affected by Islamophobia. Aisha is currently on leave.

Natalie Chan is a Legal Counsel at the BC College of Nurses and Midwives, where she practices administrative law, health law and policy, and professional regulation. She previously served on the ILAH and other programs of Access Pro Bono, as a lawyer on their volunteer rosters. Natalie was recently the Vice Chair for the Advocacy Committee, and an executive for other committees, of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (BC Branch). She also served as an executive on a few sections of the Canadian Bar Association (BC Branch), including Labour and Employment.