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www.canadianlawyermag.com 23 I approach life and work," she says. Teich's passion, drive, and unwavering resolve in defending human rights, bringing global issues to the forefront of legal and public discourse, and influencing public policy have resulted in several notable achievements: • As Human Rights Coalition convener representing eight Canadian diaspora communities, Teich obtained full standing in the Foreign Interference Commission for the group and has actively participated in the Commission's proceedings; second-stage hearings are slated to proceed in the fall of 2024. • Filed a complaint with the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) in April 2022 about 14 companies using Uyghur forced labour. This action led to the CORE's first-ever investigations. As lead counsel for the Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project and 27 other non- profit organizations, she secured a significant rebuke and recommendations in the first report on Dynasty Gold Corp. • In January 2023, filed a complaint to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child on behalf of Yusuf Sayin, a young boy with advanced-stage cancer whose mother was arbi- trarily detained in Türkiye. This relentless advocacy led to new Turkish legislation allowing temporary releases for mothers of ill children, enabling Yusuf to spend his final days with his mother. The Yusuf Sayin case hit close to home for Teich, who was undergoing chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer, a diag- nosis she received two years ago at age 30. At the time, her mother accompanied her to each appointment for comfort and support. "I asked to be involved with this case because it resonated with me," she says. "I remember talking to the non-profit worker who was case handling and saying I can't imagine a child not having their mother while going through this kind of thing." Two significant mentors have inspired Teich to perse- vere against all odds: Human Rights Action Group (HRAG) co-founder David Matas and Secure Canada (formerly known as the Canadian Coalition Against Terror) co-founder Daniel Eisen, who serves on the HRAG board. Secure Canada collaborates on various projects with HRAG. "David's mentorship has taught me so much. He says the wheels of justice grind slowly but inexorably, and I love that quote. It is motivating and accurate because many of these files can take years. The point is to be resilient, not give up, and have