Meet Sonia Virk, Accomplished Lawyer, Entrepreneur, and Community Builder

Meet Sonia Virk, an accomplished lawyer and entrepreneur specializing in corporate law, commercial law, residential and commercial real estate, wills, estates, and general litigation matters. Born and raised in India, Sonia received her B.A. LL.B from Guru Nanak Dev University before immigrating to Canada. Upon obtaining a Canadian Law Degree from the University of New Brunswick, Sonia began her legal career in British Columbia. After being called to the bar in 2005, she co-founded her firm, Joomratty & Virk in 2008. In 2012, she co-founded Virk Sabharwal Lawyers, now Virk Viyas & Associate Lawyers.

I started Virk Viyas & Associate Lawyers because… I have always been very entrepreneurial and dreamt of building my practice where I decide the kind of work I want to do, which is tailored to my interests and passion and gives me flexibility in my schedule. In this journey, TD Bank has been instrumental. The relationship I’ve cultivated with TD has opened doors to collaborate with industry leaders and engage in business development activities that benefit both parties. The TD team has been a great supporter of both my professional growth and personal development over the years. For instance, my collaboration with Tammy Rea, Regional Manager for Women in Enterprise, has led to the creation of numerous community events. Together, we’ve fostered a network of women in leadership roles, nurturing an ever-expanding professional ecosystem.

I’m passionate about law because… I get to help my clients make very crucial decisions and assist them in their time of need.  

My proudest accomplishment is… that I have achieved a very good work-life balance.  Because of this, I can make time for myself, travel to explore the world, and take care of my health and well-being in addition to developing my business and being involved in the community. I like to work hard and work smart. 

My biggest setback was… since I am a part of a profession that can often be considered to be fairly male-dominated, it was challenging in the beginning to navigate and find my footing. Even though I had a lot of support, there were still some challenges to overcome and constant learning of how I could make my place in this industry and develop my business on my terms. 

I overcame it with… the right attitude. As they say, attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. I always kept my focus on how I would approach life and my profession, and with what kind of attitude. I did not want to settle for less and accept the status quo. I overcame the challenges of my profession with a lot of networking with the right individuals, being on various boards for different organizations, and developing a strong community profile for myself. 

My best advice for anyone who cares about a cause and wants to contribute to it would be… to contribute your time and your money where and when needed. Take on important roles on the boards of organizations and be on the decision-making side where you can make an actual difference for the things you care about and truly have an impact. It is important to not only work hard but also use your skills smartly to support that cause. 

The one piece of advice I give that I have trouble following myself is… to keep your business and emotions separate. The nature of work I do sometimes gets your emotions involved as you see injustice and suffering. 

The thing I love most about what I do is… that there is no dull moment. It is interesting, challenging, and rewarding. I get to meet and work with people from all backgrounds. As I continue to learn, my work helps me evolve as a human being. 

If I were to pick one thing that has helped me succeed, it would be…  hard work, as there are no shortcuts to success. You have to be persistent, you have to learn the business, and your work has to speak for itself. Women especially need to learn how to unapologetically go after what they want. 

If you googled me, you still wouldn’t know… much about my personal life. 

I stay inspired by… the people I work with, my clients, and the desire to be better every day, professionally and personally. 

The future excites me because… there are endless opportunities for growth, learning, and success. I am looking forward to growing the practice and doing good work for our clients. I also look forward to being more involved in the community, especially in philanthropy.