OUR TEAM

Satwinder is a seasoned commercial lawyer who has provided leadership to and advised many nonprofit entities. Among others, he was the Chair of the Peel Multicultural Council (Kimbermount Place) social housing initiative. Satwinder was a founding member of the Centennial (now Sikh) Foundation. He has participated in and written about leading cases which have established the rights of Sikhs to wear their articles of faith. In 2001 he coordinated the Canadian contingent of a NGO presenting at the United Nations WCAR conference. He was a board member of the Peel Police Services Board. By day his practice focuses primarily on commercial and condominium law. Satwinder has been involved in anti- racism initiatives for decades and is currently chair of his law firm’s equity, diversity and inclusion committee. He has contributed to a book on condominium law and has written articles on the quest of Sikhs in their right to wear articles of faith.

Baljit is an accomplished businessman and an excellent team player. Serving as a Lay-Bencher (director) at the Law Society of Ontario for twelve years, he has offered his time and perspective on numerous issues. He has collaborated with many organizations, helping them with social and political issues that affected their business and communities. Baliit’s selfless efforts have garnered a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal for social service in the community.  Always willing to go the extra mile, he brings skills and perspective that will add value to any organization. 

Bhagwan has over 30 years of experience working in various senior management roles in IT, including 25 years at a financial services firm. He has also owned and managed commercial real estate for over 10 years.  Among other volunteer positions, Bhagwan Grewal was the Chair of the South Asian Advisory Council of United Way for Peel Region and was a member of the City of Mississauga Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee (DIAC). Bhagwan holds a Masters of Science degree. 

Deepa is a lawyer and Executive Director at the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic (2019 to present) she was working as the Director of Legal Services at the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic (2016 – 2019). Before joining the Schlifer Clinic, Deepa was Project Co-Ordinator, Staff Lawyer and Executive Director at the South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (2007 -2016). Deepa, in her role at the Schlifer Clinic, manages Legal, Counselling and Interpretation services at the Clinic.  As a Director of Legal Services Deepa managed the Independent Legal Advice (Sexual Assault) Program at the Clinic. Since 2016, Deepa is an Adjunct and Visiting Faculty at the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto. Deepa was also appointed as Adjunct Professor at Osgoode Hall Law School (2017- present) for her role as the Co-Director of the Feminist Advocacy Program, hosted at the Schlifer Clinic. Deepa also manages three important projects related to the Criminalization of women and Risk assessment of gender-based violence. Deepa was the Law Foundation of Ontario’s Community Leadership in Justice Fellow at Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto (2017). She has trained thousands of service providers for best practices and legal education to work

with forced marriage survivors, racialized non-status women, and immigration law clients in the context of gender-based violence. Deepa has appeared before parliamentary committees and commissions on a wide range of social justice and human rights issues as well as acted as an observer at various forums such as UN headquarters. She has represented hundreds of clients at multiple tribunals and courts in multiple jurisdictions. Since 2017, Deepa has supervised the Clinic’s public interest interventions at various appellate Courts and has represented the Clinic at the Supreme Court of Canada. Deepa works as a consultant with many organizations for strategic planning, social responsibility, evaluation, change management and equity and diversity audit and training.

Dr. Syan graduated from the Government Medical College of Patiala and pursued post-graduate training in internal medicine from the prestigious Post Graduate Institute, Chandigarh. He trained as an Internal Medicine Specialist in Scotland and was awarded the MRCP (UK) designation. Dr. Syan pursued his career as an Internal Medicine Specialist in Saudi Arabia before serving as a chief of Internal Medicine and chairman of the Intensive Care Unit, at the regional hospital in Yorkton Saskatchewan for four years. He was awarded the FRCP in Internal Medicine.

Dr. Syan worked at the Ottawa Heart Institute for a year. He was awarded the FRCPC and subsequently was accorded the Diplomat Nuclear Cardiology, USA. He retired as a cardiologist in Sudbury.

He has shown a lifelong commitment to community services. He was the president of the India Canada Association in 2007. He was on the Police Advisory Committee, Sudbury Multicultural and Folk Art Association as well as being a board member of the Sudbury Sikh Sangat. He immensely enjoys his time with his family. All three daughters are high grade medical specialists. 

While not involved in his entrepreneurial activities and community activities, Dr. Syan enjoys singing and Bhangra.

Harlene is a lawyer by profession and specializes in criminal law. She is currently working as a provincial Crown Attorney. Harlene is passionate about community involvement and engagement. She has volunteered with various organizations and initiatives in the past centred on assisting others in need. This has included guiding law students to hone their research and writing skills through projects designed by Pro Bono Students Canada. She has also served as a board director for Youth Speak Canada, an organization dedicated to giving young students a platform to express themselves and provide a platform to their creative pursuits. Her volunteer experience includes organizing fundraiser events, creating written materials and media resources. Her passion for community engagement connected her with Sukhmani Haven and the strong and inspiring members of this organization

Pawanjeet Garewal is a community leader and progressive thinker. She is  rooted in her philosophy for way of life and service in Sikhism.  For over 30 years Pawanjeet has supported the settlement journey of hundreds of newcomers to Canada. Her love for human service knows no bounds,  and her humility opens difficult doors for people. She loves to problem solve and be a conduit for access to resources for people in distress  and need from all walks of life.

Lovely is a dedicated social worker who believes in the power of community to create lasting change. With a foundation built on compassion and connection, she strives to empower those around her through direct support and action. Her involvement in local social programs, volunteer efforts, and leadership on community boards speaks to her unwavering commitment to giving back. For Lovely making a positive impact is not just part of her work—it’s a core part of who she is.