Aminder Kaur Mangat is a 2025 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards finalist, Canadian immigration lawyer, legal entrepreneur, and the founder of AKM Law, a boutique firm in Toronto dedicated to immigration and refugee law. A Certified Specialist in Immigration and Citizenship Law by the Law Society of Ontario, she has spent more than a decade advocating for both individuals and businesses, often in high-stakes and complex cases. Her strategic advocacy has led to precedent-setting decisions at every level of tribunal and the Federal Court, including rulings that have advanced fairness in spousal sponsorships and established alternatives to immigration detention.

Recognized as one of Toronto’s Top Lawyers by Post City Magazines in 2024, Aminder also contributes to the profession as an elected member of the Ontario Bar Association’s Immigration Law Section’s Executive Team. Known for her integrity and client-centred approach, she leads her firm with a commitment to accessible, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive legal representation—helping people build new lives in Canada with trust and care.

I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur when…

I realized traditional firms were not built for the kind of lawyer I wanted to be. I wanted a practice where clients felt like people, not just files, and where my team could thrive without burnout. Starting my own firm was not an option; it was the only way forward.

Entrepreneurship is made for me because…

It allowed me to design the kind of workplace and practice I had never seen but always wanted. I could build a firm where quality mattered more than volume, where clients were heard, and where lawyers, especially women of colour, were given space to lead without barriers. Entrepreneurship gave me the freedom to prove that this model could thrive.

The impact I hope to make through my work is…

To change the way people experience the law, especially immigration law, by making it transparent, accessible, and rooted in trust. I believe social justice means removing barriers, so anyone can speak to a lawyer, even a Certified Specialist like myself, and receive real, honest advice without fear or cost getting in the way. Beyond serving individual clients, my goal is to shift the culture of the profession itself, proving that a values-driven, people-first approach can succeed in a competitive industry.

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned on my entrepreneurial journey is…

Conviction matters more than confidence. There were many moments I questioned myself, but I never wavered in my belief that the law could be practiced differently. That deep sense of purpose has carried me through uncertainty and fueled my growth more than sheer self-assurance ever could.

My proudest accomplishment is…

Becoming a Certified Specialist in Immigration Law by the Law Society of Ontario, only seven years into my career, while running my own firm. That recognition was not just a professional milestone; it was proof that I could lead, mentor, and build while still reaching the highest standards of excellence in my field.

The biggest risk I took that paid off was…

In 2017, I launched my law firm with nothing more than a ten-year-old laptop and an unshakable vision of how I wanted to practice. I had no client list, no family connections in law, and no safety net. Taking that leap was terrifying, but it became the foundation for everything I have built since.

My biggest setback has been…

Stepping back from the front lines of my practice after giving birth in 2023, while also managing the impact of staff turnover and another lawyer’s maternity leave. Growth slowed, and our capacity was stretched, but it forced me to test whether the firm could stand on its own without me at the centre. That challenge ultimately reshaped how I lead, strengthened our systems, and taught me to build resilience into the business itself, not just into myself.

I overcame it by…

Trusting the team and the structures I had built. That experience proved the firm was stronger than one person and gave me confidence in its long-term future.

The best advice I’ve received as an entrepreneur was…

“Don’t try to be the biggest, be the boldest.” That advice reminded me that success is not measured solely by size or revenue, but by the courage to lead differently and to hold firm to one’s values, even when the easier path is to compromise.

I surprise people when I tell them…

I started my career in civil litigation and never imagined I would end up in immigration law. As an articling student, my principal had taken on a detention review and handed it to me, which opened my eyes to the urgency of immigration advocacy. From that moment on, there was no looking back; the work captured me completely and shaped the course of my career.

If I had an extra hour in the day, I would use it to…

Write. It is how I think, advocate, and share ideas, whether for clients, articles, or future projects. Writing sharpens both my voice and my vision.

If you googled me, you still wouldn’t know…

I launched my entire firm on a ten-year-old MacBook I had carried with me since undergrad. I still keep it on a shelf in my office as a reminder that big things can grow from very little, as long as you have clarity and conviction.

The future excites me because…

I can see the proof that even a small firm can change laws, set precedents, and challenge an industry. What excites me most is knowing that the next stage is not just about growth, it is about scaling that impact while staying true to the values that built it in the first place.

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