About Keyork Immigration Law
We are a dedicated and experienced team and we are committed to make a difference everyday for our clients.
Mary Keyork, Lawyer with the Law Society of Ontario, conseiller juridique canadien with the Quebec Bar and Founder of Keyork Immigration Law
Mary Keyork is a Canadian lawyer with the Law Society of Ontario and a conseiller juridique canadien with the Quebec Bar who specializes in Canadian immigration law and leads her own law firm, Keyork Immigration Law. She handles all types of Canadian immigration matters and visas, with a focus on contesting negative and complex decisions at all three divisions of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) as well as at the Federal Court of Canada.
Mary is fluent in English, French and Armenian, and has conversational skills in Spanish.
Get to know Mary by watching the videos below
Passion for immigration stems from her roots
Mary Keyork is a lawyer with the Law Society of Ontario and a conseiller juridique canadien with the Quebec Bar who specializes in Canadian immigration law and leads her own law firm, Keyork Immigration Law. Mary was born into an immigrant Armenian family in Montreal. Mary’s passion for immigration stems from her roots as her great-grandparents endured and escaped the Armenian genocide in 1915 - this led her parents and grandparents to immigrate to Canada in the 70’s.
Handling immigration files more than 10 years
Given Mary’s years of experience in Canadian immigration court proceedings, she provides strategies and recommendations in submitting improved and enhanced applications in order to avoid refusals. Mary also has a unique experience in submitting spousal sponsorships and ensuring a fast and smooth reunification of couples in Canada. She also handles stopping deportation from Canada.
Academic background and affiliation
- Civil Law Degree from the University of Montreal in 2005
- Master’s Degree in Transnational Law and Common Law from the University of Sherbrooke in 2006
- Licensed lawyer with the Law Society of Ontario
- Conseiller juridique canadien with the Quebec Bar (c.j.c.)
- Certified Specialist in Immigration Law by the Law Society of Ontario
- Member of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA)
- Member of the Ontario Bar Association (OBA)
- Former Member-at-Large of the Immigration Section of the OBA from 2010-2011
- Member of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers (CARL)
- Member of the Refugee Lawyer Association (RLA)
- Member of the Quebec Immigration Lawyers Association (AQAADI)
Volunteer engagement in Toronto and Montreal
Mary served as a Board Member for the Armenian Family Support Services (AFSS) from 2008-2012 as well as for Hay Doun from 2012-2017, charitable organizations in Toronto and Montreal, which help newcomers settle and integrate into Canada.
Through this volunteer engagement, Mary created and conducted immigration law clinics on a pro-bono basis for several years. Mary is also currently legal counsel for la Kasa de Kamu, a charitable organization in Montreal dedicated to helping young women in Peru.
International Volunteer Experiences
Mary has a diverse background of related international volunteer experiences, including :
- Internships at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Yerevan (Armenia) through the Birthright Armenia in 2006
- Internships at the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva (Switzerland) in 2007
- The Ontario Lawyer’s Assistance Program (OLAP) from 2009 to 2012
- The Metropolitan Action Committee on Violence Against Women and Children (METRAC), providing legal information training on the subject of the impact of changes in immigration policy on vulnerable women
- Immigration training at the social work department at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal.
In the media
Mary has been asked to speak and comment on immigration issues in Canada by the Montreal Gazette, the CBC and the Law Times News.
Our team
Annette Bakos, Director of Operations
Annette Bakos is the Director of Operations at Keyork Immigration Law. Annette has a bachelor’s degree in administration from McGill University and is also a Charted Professional Accountant (CPA).At the office, Annette handles all matters related to H.R., finance, customer service and day-to-day operations. Prior to taking on this role, Annette has assisted several small and medium-sized businesses in various projects often involving business growth strategies, financial projections, and restructurings of operations.Annette is fluent in English, French and Armenian and in her spare time she enjoys surfing at Rockaway beach.
Joely Greenbaum, Office Manager | Case Coordinator
Joely Greenbaum is the Office Manager and is also a Senior Immigration Case Coordinator at Keyork Immigration Law. She obtained her bachelor’s degree (BA) in International Development at McGill University.
Joely is responsible for opening new files, filing applications, conducting intake appointments, billing tasks, and managing the office flow. She is fluent in English and French.
Alongside her work at Keyork Immigration Law, Joely works as an intern for Nets For Net Zero, a Montreal based non-profit which facilitates a circular economy for ghost fishing gear from coast to coast.
Outside of work Joely enjoys playing rugby and snowboarding.
Jorge Saurez, Network Engineer | I.T support
Jorge Suarez is a Network Engineer, and I.T support for Keyork Immigration Law. He is originally from Habana, Cuba having immigrated to Florida at the age of 19. After living in the United States for 12 years, Jorge immigrated to Canada.
Having gone through complex immigration processes himself, Jorge enjoys finding efficient solutions to provide the office staff with the tools and resources they need to better serve our clients. Jorge is fluent in Spanish, English and conversational French.
Outside of the office, Jorge enjoys cooking, gaming, traveling, playing with his dogs, and enjoying all that Montreal has to offer.
Gracie Lowes, Immigration Case Coordinator
Gracie Lowes is an Immigration Case Coordinator at Keyork Immigration Law. She graduated from McGill University as a Loran Scholar and obtained her bachelor’s degree (BA) in Philosophy with a focus on Political and Legal Theory.Gracie spent time working in Washington DC and Vancouver, holding positions that served those impacted by the ongoing overdose epidemic and individuals engaging in the sex industry. Gracie was also the recipient of the Mccall MacBain International Fellowship Award, allowing her to work in political journalism while living in Thailand.At the office, Gracie assists clients in preparing and filing immigration applications – she ensures a smooth communication with our clients in order to efficiently and correctly file cases. Gracie loves being part of the team at Keyork Immigration Law. When she's not at work, she's at home with her cat, Ms. Bernie Sanders.
Annie Ye, Immigration Case Coordinator
Annie Ye (Xiaoyan Ye) is an Immigration Case Coordinator at Keyork Immigration Law. Annie holds a master’s degree of Business Law in a Global Context from University of Montreal.
Prior to joining Keyork Immigration Law, Annie worked as an assistant in an immigration law firm focusing on economic immigration applications.
At the office, Annie handles a caseload of immigration applications – she prepares applications from A to Z, guiding clients in collecting all required documentation to submit complete and strong applications.
Annie is fluent in English, Mandarin, and conversational French. Outside of work, Annie enjoys playing piano, listening to classical music, jogging, and watching movies.
Zakia Griffin, Senior Immigration Case Coordinator
Zakia Griffin is a Senior Immigration Case Coordinator at Keyork Immigration Law. Zakia holds a master’s in public administration (MPA) with a concentration in International Development from New York University and is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC).
Zakia has a diverse background in international development and education having worked in many East & West African countries with the United States Peace Corps, non-governmental organizations, and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Education development and micro-finance projects.
At the office, Zakia’s role is to conduct intake appointment and assist clients in preparing applications, reviewing forms, writing legal submission letters, and communicating updates on the immigration process to clients.
Zakia is fluent in English and French and has a passion for helping others with their immigration needs.
Jane Wu, Assistant
Jane Wu is the Assistant at Keyork Immigration Law. She obtained her LLM from the University of Montreal before joining the firm. Before joining Keyork Immigration Law, Jane worked as a legal assistant and consultant for over ten years in different legal environments from diverse cultural backgrounds.
At the office, Jane assists and supports the team in preparing and finalizing applications. She is a licensed Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) and fluent in English, Mandarin, and has conversational French.
Outside of work, Jane enjoys learning about occidental and oriental cultures and their impact on immigration and social development. She is also writing in Mandarin on topics relevant to cultural communication and human behavior.
Samantha Guy, Legal Submission Writer
Samantha Guy is the Legal Submission Writer at Keyork Immigration Law. She studied psychology at Dawson College before obtaining her Diplome d’Étude Collegiales (DEC) in Social Studies and reignited her passion for writing while taking English Literature courses at Concordia University.
Samantha is responsible for collaborating with the Immigration Case Coordinators to write our client’s stories outlining the legal framework to meet eligibility requirements. She is detail-oriented and enjoys learning about others to write exhaustive accounts of their lives and painting a picture of their unique circumstances for immigration authorities. She is fluent in English and has intermediate knowledge of spoken French.
Samantha loves to read fiction, re-watch her favorite films (LOTR) and TV series (The Office, Friends), cuddle with her cats, and play video games.
Niropana Karunakaran, Receptionist
Niropana Karunakaran is the Receptionist at Keyork Immigration Law. She obtained her Diplome d’Études Professionelles (DEP) in accounting from Shadd Health and Business Centre.
Niropana handles all incoming new inquiries via phone and email in order to schedule appointments with the legal team. Niropana ensures that all relevant information and documentation is received prior to appointments to allow the team to efficiently provide recommendations. She is Fluent in English and has an intermediate level of Tamil and French.
Prior to joining Keyork Immigration Law, Niropana worked in the Financial Services industry and at an Immigration Consultancy firm. She is sincere and passionate about assisting others with their immigration needs.
Outside of work, Niropana enjoys painting and teaching painting.
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