Biography
Ada Roberts is an Associate Lawyer at Esna Law PC, a Toronto-based law firm focused exclusively on Canadian immigration, refugee, and citizenship law. She is particularly interested in cases that raise difficult questions about the interpretation of Canada's immigration legislation, procedural fairness, and the legal protections available to people facing serious immigration consequences.
Ada completed her articles at a Toronto immigration and refugee law firm recognized for its work with members of the LGBTQI+ community, and joined Esna Law in 2025.
Ada's practice includes
- Litigation: Applications for leave and judicial review before the Federal Court, and hearings and appeals before the Immigration and Refugee Board.
- Inadmissibility: Misrepresentation and other inadmissibility grounds.
- Refugee claims and appeals: Representation of refugee claimants, including on appeal.
- Discretionary applications: Temporary Resident Permits, humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) applications and related matters.
Education & bar admission
- Juris Doctor, University of Toronto Faculty of Law (2022)
- Honours Bachelor of Science, Biological Anthropology, University of Toronto (2016)
- Called to the Ontario Bar in 2023
- Exclusively practises immigration and refugee law
During law school
- Assisted Rainbow Railroad with its application for leave to intervene in the constitutional challenge to the Canada–United States Safe Third Country Agreement, and with its intervenor arguments before the Supreme Court of Canada
- Project worker, Deportation of Former Crown Wards, International Human Rights Program, University of Toronto Faculty of Law
- Associate editor, Indigenous Law Journal, University of Toronto Faculty of Law
Community & professional involvement
- Member, Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers (CARL)
- Volunteer content editor, Immigration & Refugee Law, Steps to Justice, Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO)
Beyond the office
Outside the office, Ada enjoys reading, music, dancing and nature.
Notable matters
Federal Court
- Rahmati v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2024 FC 1158
- Talukder v. Canada (Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness), 2024 FC 1489
