“Caring is the only daring” defines Lai’s approach to work and life.
 

After 15 years at national firms in Montreal and Toronto, in 2014 Lai founded Hum Law Firm a boutique firm  focused on workplace law, investigations,  mediations, human rights, professional regulation, and litigation. Her team of four lawyers assists individuals, businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and entrepreneurs based in Canada, and internationally, with their legal issues.  Her clients include those in education, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, and financial / banking services.   
 
In addition to her advocacy work, Lai also conducts workplace investigations and mediations.  She is one of the three Counsel in the Discrimination and Harassment Counsel Program - a service funded by the Law Society of Ontario. Lai is also a part time Deputy Judge, at the Toronto Small Claims Court, Superior Court of Justice.    
 
Integral to her work and life is Lai’s commitment to the promotion of diversity and inclusion.  She has held roles as past-Chair of the Roundtable of Diversity Associations (RODA); a coalition of legal associations committed to diversity initiatives, and is a pastPresident of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (http://on.facl.ca).

 

In February 2020 The Federation of Asian Canadians Lawyers (FACL) awarded Lai its prestigious Lawyer of Distinction Award. In 2018 Lai was shortlisted as one of Canada’s 25 Most Influential Lawyers by Canadian Lawyer Magazine and was called to the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade & Commerce to speak on Employment and Labour aspects of free trade agreements. She is also a sought after speaker to legal, professional and business associations.

​

As part of her belief that leadership is about service, Lai is a Director of Up with Women (https://upwithwomen.org), a not-for-profit organization operating in Ontario and Quebec providing coaching to homeless women, and a Trustee with CPAC Foundation (https://www.cpac-canada.ca/cpac-foundation/).  Visit her at www.thehumlawfirm.ca.