1. How did you get started as an immigration lawyer? What are your primary areas of immigration practice? 
My interest in immigration law started when I was doing my Master’s degree. I wrote my thesis on the Safe Third Country Agreement. I then worked at the Immigration and Refugee Board, before going to law school. Two years after getting called to the Ontario Bar, I started working as Counsel at the Department of Justice, where I worked for over six years before co-founding a boutique immigration firm in Toronto. At Rashid Urosevic LLP, our primary areas of immigration law consist of temporary resident applications, economic immigration, including express entry, provincial nominations and LMIAs. We also do family sponsorships and Federal Court litigation.
2. What motivated you to join the OBA Citizenship & Immigration Law Section Executive?
One of our motivations for joining the Canadian Bar Association was to have access to the Listserv, which is a great resource to keep up-to-date on changes to immigration and citizenship programs as well as to know what issues other practitioners are experiencing and how others are dealing with them. I decided to get involved with the OBA Citizenship & Immigration section executive to expand my network and get involved in addressing some of the issues faced by fellow practitioners in Ontario. I currently hold the position of Secretary on the executive. For the two previous years, I was one of two CPD Liaisons. I enjoyed identifying relevant topics/issues to build CPD programs around to keep Ontario practitioners informed and up to date.
3. What do you enjoy most about practicing immigration law?
First, I am happy to be practicing with an amazing business partner, Jelena Urosevic. Together we built our thriving practice from nothing. We left the Department of Justice with no clients and could not start building a client base until day one of opening the firm.
Second, I am fortunate to have worked at the Department of Justice in the early years of my legal career. There, I worked with a great group of people and received excellent mentoring and the opportunities to develop my written and oral advocacy. As hard as it was to leave the DOJ, I was ready for a change. I wanted to provide top-notch immigration services.
Third, as an immigrant myself, whose immediate family immigrated to Canada in stages, I am acutely aware that the decision to move to a new country is not a decision made lightly. It brings me joy to know that I played a role in helping someone/an employer fulfil their immigration needs.
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