The idea of starting such a law firm was proposed by a dynamic lawyer, Sam M. Bayat, a young entrepreneur from Canada. He first came to Dubai in late 1992 to study the GCC market and reached the conclusion that the service of a Canadian law firm specialising in immigration matters is needed. He also concluded the need for a strong legal base in Canada. Sam Bayat approached a well-respected Montreal law firm, Bertrand Deslauriers and another well-known Toronto law firm specialized in immigration, Dewji Chauhan and Associates. Mr. Ismail Iqbal Dewji, a lawyer from Toronto, was a well-known specialist in federal immigration matters and Mr. Jean Francois Bertrand was a specialist in Quebec Immigration matters and one of Canada's best immigration litigators.
Four partners were initially involved in the start up of CLS and its activities started in the spring of 1993. In May 1993, Sam Bayat moved to Dubai permanently. A second lawyer joined him in November 1993. An official license to practice law was issued to the group in December 1993 and the group officially opened their office in the Juma Al Majid Building in Dubai. By early 1995, the partnership was dissolved. The two non-resident lawyers, Ismail Iqbal Dewji and Jean Francois Bertrand, agreed to withdraw from the group and the remaining two lawyers, now residing permanently in Dubai, continued practising law independently from each other.
Sam Bayat's initial idea in forming CLS in Dubai was to bring on-location, the professionals who are needed to assist applicants for permanent residency to Canada. Also, since processing for Canadian immigration is always done through visa offices abroad, a better working protocol could be established between the law firm and the different visa offices by being closer to these offices. Finally, processing the cases from a location closer to the applicants area of residence and using locally engaged staff would allow a better understanding of the local realities and therefore, a better presentation of the cases to a visa office.
The commitment of CLS is to provide quality service and client satisfaction. CLS, through its founding member, has established a working protocol which is today one of the best among Canadian immigration professionals, lawyer or consultants.
Several former employees of CLS today are well known immigration professionals - all following the footsteps of CLS, creating a mirror image of its ideology and methodology. Also recently, several well-known Canadian Immigration lawyers and consultants have consulted with CLS to improve their administrative and their client's permanent residency application submission methodology.
Today, CLS is part of a worldwide network of law firms, legal professionals and trade consultants, around the world. CLS is affiliated to Ted Tzovaras, an Australian law firm. The origins of Tzovaras Legal may be traced to the establishment, in 1981, of Tzovaras & Company. Throughout the ensuing years, the firm has vigorously and successfully pursued one simple foundation ethos – commercially realistic, cost effective solutions for our clients
What really distinguishes Tzovaras Legal from other legal firms is its innovative culture – the freedom and ability to operate in a creative, lateral, imaginative, inventive and, where appropriate, unconventional manner. That means solutions formulated and optimum results achieved where none might otherwise appear to exist.
Senior Lawyers
Sam M. Bayat,
B.Sc, L.L.B., is the founder of CLS. He is a Quebec licensed attorney with background in international law and is specialized in immigration law of Canada. He has an experience in immigration consultancy for over ten years. He is a registered lawyer with both the Quebec Bar and the Canadian Bar Association (Quebec and British Columbia Immigration sections) and was the former president and vice-president of the Canadian Bar, International Section in Quebec. He had lectured in International law at the Concordia University in Montreal. He is the senior resident lawyer in Dubai.
Ted Tzovaras -
Mr. Tzovaras is a Registered Migration Agent (No 9360652), having practiced in migration law since 1980.
Mr. Tzovaras practices a wide range of law including commercial and corporate law, commercial litigation, intellectual property and IT and property transactions, construction and development.
Fluent in English, Greek and French, Mr. Tzovaras has traveled widely and developed an extensive network of international clients from many countries including China, the Asia Pacific and South East regions, the Middle East, Europe and South Africa.
Mr. Tzovaras is the author of published articles on the Trade Practices Act, the European Court of Justice and international trade and business. He has also authored several legal and commercial papers, which he has presented to various business groups in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Abu Dhabi, Belgium, France and Greece.
Qualifications: LLB (University of Sydney), LLM (University of Technology, Sydney), Diplôme Supérieur de Francais d’Affaires (Paris), MBA (Macquarie University, Sydney), Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Louisa Wei
B.A., MBA
Registered Migration Agent 0211341
Ms Wei obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in English from Suzhou University in the People’s Republic of China. She worked for multinational corporations before came to Australia in 1998 where she completed her Master of Business Administration at University of Technology, Sydney.
Prior to joining Tzovaras Legal, Ms Wei worked as Chief Editor of Chinese Press Pty Limited, publisher of the Chinese Herald and Melbourne Chinese Daily.
Ms Wei specialises in the areas of skilled and business migration, including preparation of Business Plans. She serves the firm’s many Chinese clients.
Ms Wei is fluent in English and Mandarin. She is a NAATI Accredited Translator from English to Mandarin.
