Education & Affiliations:

University of Guelph, BA, 1989
University of Windsor, LLB 1992
Law Clerk -Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories Fall 1991
Called to the Bar of Ontario, 1994
Certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a Specialist in Immigration Law, 2004 to Present

Highlights:

• Co-Founded Corporate Immigration Law Firm with Harry Goslett in 2006.
• Practiced law for over ten years in the area of citizenship and immigration law initially as an Associate at Smith Lyons LLP, and subsequent to the merger, with Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP as a Partner.
• Early professional experience includes working as a Canadian Customs Officer at Pearson International Airport in Toronto.
• Experienced and successful in securing temporary and permanent visas to Canada for a variety of newcomers, including senior executives of major multi-national corporations; highly skilled and technical workers; professionals, such as engineers, accountants, actors, athletes, lawyers, doctors, veterinarians, computer system analysts, and management consultants; and spouses, children and parents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
• Earned an enviable reputation for personal service.
• Responsible for securing over 100 work permits for employees of a major retail chain to ensure they had experienced managers, supervisors and support staff available to help with the opening of their first Canadian store.
• Secured approval of work permits for CEOs and Presidents of major corporations on very short notice, to ensure a seamless change in leadership and minimal disruption to local business operations.
• Experienced in adjusting immigration status for key personnel already in Canada, and minimizing the risk of a disruption to business and loss of business opportunities.
• Assisted individuals and families with criminal or medical issues to enable them to enter Canada.
• Successfully obtained visas to reunite family members.
• Developed and advised on strategies to permit individuals to protect and maintain their permanent resident status in Canada.
• Provided critical input to employers with respect to various implications of hiring foreign nationals.
• Prepared and successfully advocated applications for Canadian Citizenship.
• Has appeared before the Immigration Appeal Division and Federal Court with respect to both immigration and citizenship matters.
• Has appeared before Senate Committee hearings with respect to amendments to the former Immigration Act.
• Barbara is a past contributor to the Canadian Immigration and Citizenship Bulletin, a presenter at the Ontario Justice Education Network, and has guest lectured at Seneca College and the Canadian Bar Association Continuing Legal Education program

Contact Information

Harry Goslett - Partner

Education and Affiliations:

BA, Economics, Brock University, 1970
Certificate in Criminology, University of Toronto, 1981
Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants - A Member in good standing

Highlights:

• Co-Founded Corporate Immigration Law Firm with Barbara Jo Caruso in 2006
• Over 20 years experience providing professional immigration services to multi-national corporations, entrepreneurs and business immigrants, skilled workers and other individuals.
• Experienced in facilitating the cross-border movement of corporate executives and their families, intra-company transferees with specialized knowledge, skilled workers, investors, sports and entertainment personalities and post-secondary students.
• Short and long term strategies that provide labour market opinions, work permits, study permits and the timely issuance of permanent resident visas and permanent residents.
• Visas, cross-border access through NAFTA, CCFTA work permits, spousal work permits, study permits and advice regarding residency obligations.
• Co-author of the Annotated Immigration and Refugee Protection Act of Canada, Carswell; co-author of the Annotated Citizenship Act of Canada, Carswell; former editor of Canada's Immigration and Citizenship Bulletin; Canada Law Book; author of numerous articles and essays on immigration and citizenship matters.
• Past coordinator and lecturer of the immigration program at Charles O. Bick Police College (Toronto); lecturer and panelist at the Law Society of Upper Canada on the immigration consequences of criminal sentencing; lecturer at Seneca College-Ethics Course for immigration practitioners; lectured police forces, crown attorneys, student groups and other agencies on immigration policy, procedures and law.
• Appeared before the House of Commons standing committee on labour and immigration.
• Founding member, Director, Vice President and President of the Organization of Professional Immigration Consultants (OPIC).
• Was a special partner with Smith Lyons LLP and subsequently joined Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP when they merged with Smith Lyons in 2001.

Contact Information:

Brenda Wong - Associate Lawyer

Education and Affiliations:

Glendon College, York University, BA Hons, 1998
Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, LLB, 2001
Seneca College, Immigration Practitioner Certificate Program, 2004
Called to the Bar of Ontario, Canada, 2002
Admitted to the Bar of Massachusetts, USA, 2009
Member of the Law Society of Upper Canada
Member of the Massachusetts Bar Association, USA
Member of the Canadian Bar Association - Immigration Section
Member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association

Highlights:

• Brenda provides personalized services to a diverse clientele from around the world including small and large corporations, highly skilled and well-educated individuals, and family members wishing to reunite in Canada.
• She has successfully prepared and submitted work permit, business visitor visa, permanent residence, study permit, Permanent Resident Card and Canadian citizenship applications to immigration offices in Canada, and to Canadian visa posts overseas.
• She has prepared visa applications for business visits and expatriate assignments for Canadian employees of multi-national corporations destined for India, China, Peru, France, New Caledonia, Belgium, Indonesia, the Philippines, Russia, and Chile.
• She has appeared before the Immigration Appeal and Refugee Protection Divisions of the Immigration and Refugee Board.
• She guest lectures on the subject of immigration and refugee law at Seneca College and the Toronto Hostels Training Centre.
• Brenda contributes articles published in ImmQuest (a national immigration law newsletter).
• She serves as a National Executive Member of the Chinese Canadian National Council and as a member of the personnel committee at the Syme-Woolner Neighbourhood and Family Centre. She also served as a Grant Review Team Member at the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
• Her previous experience includes working as a Customs Inspector and Labour Relations Analyst, and as a law student at the Superior Court of Justice, Parkdale Community Legal Services, Smith Lyons LLP and Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP.
• During her university studies, she participated in academic exchanges in Rivière-du-Loup, Québec; Chongqing, China; and Barbados, West Indies.
• Brenda is conversant in French, and she has studied Spanish, Cantonese and Japanese.

Contact Information:

Ernest Wheeler - Associate Lawyer

Education and Affiliations:

Memorial University of Newfoundland, Bachelor of Commerce (Honours), 1995
Dalhousie Law School, Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), 2001
Called to the Bar of Ontario, 2002
Member, Law Society of Upper Canada
University of Toronto, Master of Laws (LL.M.), 2006

Highlights:

• Ernie practiced corporate and securities law at one of Canada’s leading business law firms from 2001 to 2004, first as an articling student and then as an associate
• In 2005-2006, Ernie completed his Master of Laws at the University of Toronto, focusing on public international law and international human rights
• Prior to joining Corporate Immigration Law Firm, Ernie practiced civil litigation with one of Toronto’s largest boutique litigation firms
• Over the past several years, Ernie has volunteered with the Francophone Centre of Toronto where he has helped French-speaking immigrants adjust to life in Canada and Toronto
• Since 2005, Ernie has traveled regularly to Latin America, including Mexico, Central America and South America, to study Spanish
• Today, Ernie is conversant in both French and Spanish

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