Students of Samfiru Tumarkin LLP

Elise Mehrassa

Elise Mehrassa is a summer student at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP. She currently is working towards her Juris Doctor (J.D.) and will graduate from the University of British Columbia’s Allard School of Law in May 2026.

Elise is excited to learn more about employment and disability law from a firm renowned for its client advocacy.

Prior to law school, Elise sought out justice-oriented volunteer opportunities in-line with her passions for social justice and legal advocacy, such as working with the Wrongful Convictions Collective to educate high school students and teachers about the harms of wrongful convictions.

She recently completed a clinical semester at Rise Women’s Legal Centre, a community legal clinic serving economically disadvantaged clients who are self-representing in their family law matters. This experience provided Elise with valuable hands-on experience providing tangible legal supports to people trying to navigate the family law system in B.C., and allowed her to gain exposure to a trauma-informed approach to providing legal services.

In her spare time, Elise enjoys exploring her local farmer’s market and cooking new recipes for loved ones.

Alexander Grund

Alexander Grund is a summer student at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP. Alex recently completed his second year of studies at the University of Windsor Faculty of Law and is excited to work with an employment law team dedicated to helping individuals enforce their rights.

Alex explored his advocacy interests during his first and second years of law studies by participating in three moots, including the 51st Annual Zuber Moot Competition, where he was awarded Honourable Mention Oralist.

In his first year of law school, Alex volunteered as a student caseworker with the Community Legal Clinic and assisted clients with their legal matters. Prior to law school, he worked for a Member of Parliament where he was involved in community affairs and helped constituents with various federal government-related inquiries and matters.

In his spare time, Alex enjoys running (he is training for his next half-marathon), travelling, reading history, and watching 90s sitcoms.

Joshua Carrasco

Joshua Carrasco is a returning 2L summer student at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP. He has a long-standing passion for employment law and is eager to continue learning from the lawyers and paralegals who are making waves across Canada.

In 2022, Joshua graduated from the University of Toronto with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He is now completing his Juris Doctor (J.D.) at the University of Windsor Faculty of Law.

Joshua has a strong background in both research and mooting. He has held the positions of Research Assistant to Professor Ruth Kuras at the University of Windsor Faculty of Law on the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) in Canadian law, as well as lead researcher for a Pro Bono Students Canada project informing persons with disabilities of their transportation rights in Ontario.

Joshua has also competed in the Warren K. Winkler Class Actions Moot, as well as the Windsor Law 1L moot, where he received distinction.

In his free time, Joshua enjoys writing, reading, trying new restaurants, and brushing up on both his Spanish and Portuguese.

A.J. Roberts

A.J. completed my undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia with a major in Philosophy and will graduate from Thompson Rivers University Faculty of Law (“TRU Law”) in June 2024.

While at TRU Law, he co-founded and served as co-president of the TRU Law Mixed Martial Arts club, was an editor of the TRU Law Review, and represented TRU Law both at the National Sports Law Negotiation Competition in San Diego, California and at the MacIntyre Cup Trial Moot Competition in Edmonton, Alberta.

A.J. dedicated his adolescence to competitive alpine ski racing which allowed him to travel across North America and to Switzerland to train and compete. In that time, he for-ran the Lake Louise World Cup Downhill. While attending TRU Law, he coached 9 and 10-year-old ski racers at the Sun Peaks Alpine Club.

In his free time, he enjoy all things sports. In particular, skiing, basketball, golf, and boxing. Otherwise, he enjoys taking in Vancouver’s exciting culinary scene.

Sarah Cvetkovski

Sarah Cvetkovski is an articling student at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP. She is excited to be returning to the firm after spending the last year as a Client Intake Representative.

She recently completed her Juris Doctor (J.D.) at Western University where she developed a passion for labour and employment law. She is enthusiastic about providing accessible legal services and is looking forward to learning from our experienced legal team.

During her studies, Sarah was heavily involved in several executive committees. She was a supervisor for both Project Consent and the Legal Information for Sexual Assault Program where she provided legal information throughout the London-Middlesex community. Sarah participated in numerous advocacy competitions including the Torys LLP Negotiation Competition and the Hicks Morely Labour Moot.

In her spare time, you can find Sarah practising yoga, trying new cafés, or spending time outdoors.

Melanie Vincent

Melanie Vincent is an articling student at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP. As a former 2L summer student with the firm, she is excited to return to the Toronto office.

Melanie recently obtained her Juris Doctor from the University of Toronto.

During her studies, she actively participated in her law school community as an upper Year Representative for the Labour & Employment Law Society, Co-President of the Faculty of Law Athletics Association, and Senior Editor for the Critical Analysis of Law Journal. Her commitment to workers’ rights advocacy grew as a caseworker with Downtown Legal Services, where she represented clients on matters at Small Claims Court, the Canadian Human Rights Commission, and the Ontario Labour Relations Board.

Prior to law school, Melanie completed an undergraduate degree in Global Political Economy at the University of Manitoba. At graduation, she was awarded the program medal for highest standing in the Bachelor of Arts degree program. She volunteered as a Judicial Board member with her student union and a public speaker with the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Melanie’s is passionate about empowering individuals facing workplace injustices. She is thrilled to begin her legal career at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.

In her spare time, Melanie enjoys overly competitive game nights, live music, and working out.

Braeden Davis

Braeden Davis is an articling student at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP. Braeden is very interested in employment and disability law and is very excited for the opportunity to learn more from our
lawyers and paralegals.

Braeden earned his bachelor’s degree in Community Rehabilitation and Disabilities Studies from the University of Calgary in 2021, graduating with distinction. While working towards his degree, Braeden developed a passion for helping vulnerable populations and spent several years working with special needs children. Braeden went on to obtain his Juris Doctor (J.D.) at the University of Alberta in 2024.

While working towards his law degree, Braeden continued to be active in the community, volunteering at the Edmonton Community Legal Centre (ECLC) and supporting various clubs
and organizations.

Braeden’s previous work with vulnerable populations led him to apply to Samfiru Tumarkin LLP, as he admired their commitment to their clients and person centred work.

In his free time, Braeden enjoys watching soccer, specifically the Premier League, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, and is a huge fan of the Italian and Canadian National teams. You will also often find him at ATCO field supporting Calgary’s home team, Cavalry FC. Braeden also loves travelling and is an avid moviegoer.