People Find You on Google. Trust Is What Makes Them Choose You.

QUESTION 1 OF 6

Canadian Lawyer's headline for you was "fighting in two courts at once" - the courtroom and the court of public opinion. When did you realize visibility was part of the legal strategy, not a distraction from it?

In immigration law, legal arguments don’t exist in a vacuum. Public opinion and political narratives shape how people view immigrants, refugees and the policies affecting them.

As lawyers, we’re trained to work within a legal framework. But there’s often a gap between what the law actually says and what the public believes is happening. If we’re not explaining the legal realities, someone else will tell the story, often without understanding the human consequences.

Media engagement and public education allow me to help bridge that gap. Of course, client confidentiality and the client’s best interests must always come first. But when broader policy issues are at stake, lawyers have an important role in helping the public understand what’s happening.

For me, visibility isn’t about being well-known for its own sake. It’s about using my platform to make complex legal issues accessible and advocate for people whose experiences might otherwise go unheard.

QUESTION 2 OF 6

You co-founded the Gaza Family Reunification Project and took on cases most lawyers would keep quiet about. What did that cost you - and what did it build?

The cost has been significant. I receive calls every day from people desperate for help. Many are facing heartbreaking circumstances, and many are people I simply cannot help. Sometimes there’s no available immigration pathway, the legal options are extremely limited, or I don’t have the capacity to take on another case.

One of the hardest parts is knowing someone is reaching out because they see you as a source of hope, then having to tell them you may not be able to help.

I’ve also received death threats. That’s a reality of public-facing advocacy on politically sensitive issues that people don’t always see. There’s a personal cost to being visible, and it would be dishonest to pretend otherwise.

But I don’t want this to be only a story about sacrifice. The Gaza Family Reunification Project brought people together around a shared purpose and reinforced my belief that lawyers can accomplish more when we collaborate, share expertise and look beyond our individual practices. I’ve learned that I cannot personally solve every person’s problem or create an immigration pathway where one doesn’t exist. What I can do is use my expertise, bring people together and help ensure these issues aren’t ignored.

QUESTION 3 OF 6

Immigration clients come to you at some of the hardest moments of their lives. How does being publicly visible change the first conversation with a frightened client?

I attract certain clients because of what I’ve chosen to speak about publicly. Some see themselves reflected in my advocacy or have heard me speak about issues that are deeply personal to them. They come to me already feeling that they’ll be safe with me.

That changes the first conversation. People often open up faster because they don’t feel they have to spend as much time figuring out whether they can trust me or whether I’ll understand their circumstances.

In immigration and refugee law, people may be sharing experiences of persecution, discrimination, trauma or family separation. Some have spent a long time being afraid to speak openly.

When someone feels safe enough to tell you their full story, it can help identify legal issues that might otherwise remain hidden. Trust doesn’t replace careful questioning or evidence, but it makes the process possible.

For me, the point of visibility isn’t simply name recognition. It’s that someone who is frightened can approach my office knowing they’ll be treated with dignity, their story will be taken seriously, and they won’t have to hide who they are to receive legal help.

QUESTION 4 OF 6

You built your own firm in Calgary. What did founding Ansari Immigration Law teach you about the business of law that practicing never did?

It taught me that being a good lawyer and building a good law firm are two different skill sets.

Running a firm means thinking about cash flow, pricing, marketing, hiring, training, technology and operational systems. You have to build a business that delivers excellent legal services sustainably, rather than relying on one person’s ability to work harder and longer.

One of my biggest lessons is that being busy isn’t the same as building a sustainable practice. If every decision and operational problem depends on you, you eventually become the bottleneck.

Building Ansari Immigration Law has made me think more deeply about leadership, delegation and creating opportunities for others. It’s also made me conscious of the practical and financial realities lawyers face, particularly those running smaller practices.

QUESTION 5 OF 6

Immigration is crowded - consultants, big firms, everyone competing on Google. What do lawyers in your niche get wrong about winning clients?

Many lawyers confuse visibility with differentiation.

You can have an attractive website, invest in advertising and collect positive reviews, but prospective clients still need to understand why they should trust you with their particular situation. Otherwise, the decision comes down to price or whoever responds first.

Immigration law is deeply personal. People are trusting someone with their future, their family and sometimes their ability to remain in the country they’ve built their lives around.

Lawyers need to get better at explaining their expertise, educating the public and communicating the problems they solve. Public legal education, media engagement, community relationships and referrals can establish credibility before someone even books a consultation.

Marketing also doesn’t end when someone contacts you. Responsiveness, clear communication, realistic expectations and following through on commitments are all part of your reputation.

Smaller firms don’t necessarily need the biggest marketing budget. They need to understand their clients, communicate what they offer and deliver on their promises.

People might discover you through Google, but trust is what makes them choose you.

QUESTION 6 OF 6

Top 25 Most Influential 2026, Changemakers - what's the one thing you'd tell a lawyer who wants their work to matter beyond their own caseload?

Don’t wait until you feel established or influential enough to contribute.

Meaningful work often begins when you notice a problem, recognize you have something to contribute and decide to take responsibility. That might mean mentoring a junior lawyer, volunteering your expertise, advocating for underserved people or bringing colleagues together to address a problem.

For me, that increasingly means looking beyond my own practice. I’m running for bencher with the Law Society of Alberta because I want to contribute to the decisions shaping our profession and its future.