Inspiration from an immigrant

Yesterday, I had a tutoring session with a client, an experienced lawyer from South America, who is now a proud new father. Due to the challenges of Covid, he had been out of work for several months. However, he expressed his gratitude for currently holding multiple jobs to support his family and pay his rent, even if those positions were below his previous stature. At the end of our class, I surprised him by informing him that there would be no charge for our session. This gesture brought a bright smile to his face, and he became emotional.

After our meeting, I took some time to reflect on the encounter and the reason why I wanted to help this individual at this particular moment. It dawned on me that I wanted to repay him for being an inspiration and for reminding me of my own humble beginnings.

This person embodies the true immigrant spirit in Canada, just like my own family when they moved to the country when I was just a year old. They went through the process of starting over in a new country for the second time. I grew up in a single-parent home, where my mother worked tirelessly in multiple jobs to support my sister and me. As the first generation in my family to graduate with not one but three university degrees, I achieved success by working hard and persevering, but I never forget where we started.

My parents taught me the value of hard work from a young age. At the age of 11, I would brave the harsh winter weather, knocking on doors in my neighborhood to shovel driveways for money. I remember feeling proud as I handed my earnings to my mother, even with my hands and feet numb from the cold. Throughout my youth, I worked at my father's mechanic and body shop during every summer, cherishing the memories of the smells of oil, grease, and gasoline. I proudly bear the scars on my hands from those days. I achieved several accomplishments, such as becoming the youngest Ontario Drive Clean inspector and obtaining a used car salesperson license. During my time at the University of Toronto, I worked as an intern at an accounting firm and later enjoyed a job in forensic accounting. My journey led me to positions in sales at IBM and Salesforce.com, followed by practicing corporate law in NYC. More recently, I volunteered at a piano workshop to learn how to assemble pianos.

Yesterday's meeting with the lawyer from South America rekindled the immigrant spirit, the essence of hard work, and resilience within me. Despite his previous success as a well-paid attorney in his home country, he was content and immensely grateful for any job opportunity, and he wore a huge smile on his face.

It's no coincidence that I made a career out of helping internationally trained lawyers achieve their goals in Canada. These lawyers are not just professionals; they are individuals with families, stories, and dreams. Their success is something I deeply cherish and hold as my own. I am thrilled and passionate about the company we have built, and I am committed to supporting these lawyers in their journey.

- Liran