Vancouver lawyer Melissa Briones named among 2026 Global FWN100 Most Influential Filipina Women

Melissa Briones, founder of Vancouver's Northam Law Corporation, has been named a 2026 Global FWN100 awardee in the Founder & Pioneer: The Groundbreaker category and is set to receive the award in Monaco on November 15 to 19.

Vancouver lawyer Melissa Briones, founder and principal of Northam Law Corporation, is one of this year's Most Influential Filipina Women in the World (Global FWN100) named by the Foundation for Filipina Women's Network (FWN), Canadian Filipino Net (CFNet) reported on November 1. She was recognised in the Founder & Pioneer: The Groundbreaker category, which Northam Law says honours entrepreneurs who have blazed new trails.

Award in Monaco this month

Briones is set to receive the award at the 22nd Filipina Leadership Global Summit, scheduled for November 15 to 19, 2026, in Monte Carlo, Monaco, according to Northam Law and the Philippine Canadian Inquirer. Northam Law said she was nominated by artist Lenore R.S. Lim, herself a U.S. FWN100 2009 awardee.

CFNet reported that Briones joins other awardees Luzviminda Miguel, a professor of nursing at the University of Hawaii, and Attorney Migs Nograles Almario, undersecretary for political and strategic concerns at the Office of the Secretary in Malacanang.

A working award

FWN founder Marily Mondejar describes the Global FWN100 as a "working award," CFNet reported. As part of the honour, Briones has committed to a two-year Global Pitch Project benefiting Filipina women and girls in her home community, and to mentoring an emerging Filipina leader.

"Knowing your rights shouldn't depend on who you know. This honour is a commitment to keep opening those doors for our kababayans here in BC." — Melissa Briones, quoted by CFNet

Path to practice in Canada

According to CFNet, Briones moved to Canada in 2011, challenged the National Committee on Accreditation of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada by writing a total of eight exams, and received formal accreditation in 2017. She founded Northam Law Corporation in 2019.

Northam Law says she is a member of the bars of British Columbia and the Philippines and a Foreign Law Consultant in Washington State, and that she completed her Master of Laws at the University of Washington School of Law in June 2026. CFNet said she provides free community legal education sessions and mentors young articling students, and serves as CFNet's honourary legal counsel.

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