Elias Jimenez Gonzalez
Labour and Employment Lawyer
| Pronouns | he/him |
| Law School | University of Alberta |
| Hometown | Merida, Mexico and Tsawwassen, BC |
| When not at work I am | Playing a board game, cooking a new recipe, or spending time with friends and family. |
| Languages | English and Spanish |
| Ice Cream Flavour | Caramel |
| If I wasn’t a lawyer I would be | Either in academia, or in some type of creative discipline. |
| Book Recommendation | Fifth Sun: A New History of the Aztecs by Camilla Townsend |
about Elias
As a first generation immigrant from a family that tried to run a small business in BC, I have experienced first-hand how difficult it can be to navigate the complex world of workplace law. I am thankful to have the opportunity to help my clients through that same process, assisted by my own lived experiences.
I practice in all areas of workplace law, relying on my previous experience serving underrepresented communities to better understand and come up with creative solutions to workplace issues. I am passionate about litigation and I am thankful to have had opportunities to advocate for my clients at all levels of court in British Columbia.
My interest in litigation started in law school. I represented the UofA in the National Labour Arbitration Moot and the National Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Law Moot, where my team made it to the championship round and won the Top Oralist Team award and Top Law School runner up awards. I also acted as a Writing Fellow, assisting in the delivery of the first-year legal research and writing class.
I am an advocate for access to justice. I was the program coordinator for the UofA’s Pro Bono Students Canada chapter. I also worked closely with Student Legal Services of Edmonton (SLS) throughout law school, first in the legal education and reform project and later in establishing the Special Initiatives Project, through which I oversaw many pro bono initiatives. I took a lead in the development of SLS’ Human Rights Project, which provides legal representation to low income parties at the human rights tribunal.
I am an active member of the Hispanic community, and advocate for my community through my role in the board of directors of the Canadian Hispanic Bar Association as well as through my involvement with the lower mainland’s local Hispanic business advocacy groups.