Spotlight: Maria Kim-Bautista 

Maria Kim-Bautista is a Senior Legal Advisor for Population Data BC at UBC and was a past President as well as one of the founding members of FACL BC.  

What is something that not many people know about you?

I speak Japanese. One of my undergrad majors was in Japanese Language & Culture and I spent my 3rd year undergrad on an exchange program at Waseda University in Tokyo, living with a Japanese host family (who didn't speak any English). It was the best time of my life!

How did you first get involved with FACL? 

I first got involved with FACL BC in my 2nd year of law school in 2011. I was new to UBC / Allard Law, being a transfer student from the University of Alberta, and wanted to connect with other lawyers and legal professionals in Vancouver. I was one of the founding members of FACL BC, and stayed on the board for about 9 years, including my time serving as the President in 2017-18. Having been part of the FACL family for so long and wishing to further support its cause, my husband, Nicco, and I were motivated to recently create an award for first-generation law students at Allard Law. 

What advice would you give yourself if you were to go back in time?

Don't be afraid to seek out what you want. You will enter law school with preconceived notions about what path you ought to take in your career. Over time, your perception of your ideal career might be influenced by your desire to satisfy expectations from your community or financial commitments. Instead, try and remain true to your values, what you find interesting, and what you want out of your career, as in the long run, it will make your journey more rewarding.

What has been your favourite FACL event or initiative so far?

Mentorship events and initiatives for sure. One of the reasons why I jumped at the opportunity to join FACL BC was that I felt that there was a lack of support and a sense of community for Asian law students navigating the legal world. I found that many Asian law students who I spoke with are the first in their families to pursue law and may therefore lack the exposure, insights and connections in the legal community enjoyed by some of their peers (note: my first encounter with a real-life lawyer was at my 1L wine and cheese event!) I am proud that FACL BC, from day 1, has placed a strong emphasis on its mentorship program so that the law students who join FACL BC can continue to be supported in law school and throughout their respective legal careers.

Spotlight: Mark Leung

Mark Leung is the Director of Legal at BroadbandTV and was a previous board member for FACL BC.

What is something not many people know about you? 

For a couple of years during my undergrad, I volunteered as a radio show host for the campus radio station. The show was called "The Sandbox Theatre", where I played radio/audio theatre on the air (think today's digital audio books).  

How did you first get involved with FACL? 

I first got involved in FACL back in 2015 when I reached out to FACL's then current (and first) president, Serene Chow, and attended their AGM. Back then, FACL wasn't as "shiny" as it is now, so the AGM was actually held in the basement floor of a downtown brew pub. But despite its grassroots look-and-feel, it was clear, even then, that the organization was becoming a true champion for diversity in the local Legal community. So that year, I volunteered on a Mentorship committee, and then in the following year, I became a Director-at-Large, where I had the privilege of helping the Executive team come up with FACL's mission statements, some of which is still communicated to the public by the organization today.  

What advice would you give yourself if you were to go back in time? 

In terms of my career, it sounds awfully cliche, but I would tell myself not to worry about the big picture, and instead, be present with each step of the journey. And to just enjoy the ride, knowing that everything will work out just fine. 

What is something you would like FACL BC to achieve this year? 

Being a media lawyer myself, I am very excited to know that FACL will be focusing on growing its digital presence this year. Lawyers and law firms are only starting to scratch the surface at how social media will transform the practice of law and the delivery of legal services to the public. So to see FACL becoming more active on these new platforms is very encouraging.