JASMINE DAYA, Lawyer & Founder, Jasmine Daya & Co., Toronto, ON, Co-founder Geraci LLP, USA
- CARMEN MORGAN
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 5 hours ago
JASMINE DAYA
" I know everyone says this, but the only constant in life is change. We can either embrace change or suffer emotionally, psychologically, and financially. I find my own peace in moving on and making leomonade"
As a child, Jasmine Daya pictured herself as a Wall Street banker. Today, as a successful Toronto Personal Injury Lawyer and serial entrepreneur, she has dabbled in everything from commercial real estate to nightclub ownership, and her journey reads like a testament to adaptability and unwavering spirit. The founder of Jasmine Daya & Co. and now co-founder of Geraci LLP has built a career that challenges conventional boundaries, weaving together business, cookbook authorship and a commitment to justice for people in need.
“I studied undergrad in economics and finance in the US,” she says. “My parents suggested Dallas because we have family there. When I looked up the school and the weather and saw that I could wear a cute skirt and flipflops to class, I was sold.” During that time, Jasmine developed a fascination for monetary policy and economic systems. Her father, an accountant and entrepreneur, laid the groundwork early, teaching her about stocks, balance sheets and income statements during car rides to school. "I worked for my family growing up, as soon as I could see over the counter," she says, describing her early exposure to restaurant and hotel management.
A pivotal moment came when her father took her to hear economist Dr. Sherry Cooper speak at an investor meeting. “As the only teenager in a room full of adults in a downtown Toronto skyscraper, I thought, I want to be just like this woman one day,” she says. Jasmine’s early career trajectory seemed set when she landed a position at Pegasus Solutions' treasury department in Dallas where she thrived in the fast-paced environment. "I was making US dollars in the Clinton years. I was doing pretty well for a girl in her early twenties,” she says. “I had plans to be hired at JP Morgan Chase in New York, but then 9-11 happened.” Jasmine’s plans for the financial world were shelved and plans changed.
After a second summer working for Pegasus, she decided to take the LSAT and pursue law school. “My mom wanted me to study medicine,” she says. “I can’t see you spending all your time in the library she said to me when I expressed being interested in law. And she is not wrong, but I loved the idea of being in a courtroom,” says Jasmine. “I have a strong sense of justice and needing to be right, which is part of what makes me a very good litagator.”
Her practice has focused on complex personal injury cases, including commercial host liability, social host liability, and bouncer assaults. She's particularly passionate about representing minors, a focus that intensified after becoming a mother of three.
Jasmine is candid about the evolving challenges in personal injury law. During the COVID pandemic, courts were closed for six months and she found herself with unexpected time on her hands and began exploring business opportunities. Her background in hospitality, combined with her legal expertise, led her to purchase Pravda Vodka Bar, an iconic Russian bar in Toronto well-known for its selection of over 100 different vodkas and its walk-in freezer. “There were aerialists flying from the ceiling and drummers standing on bars,” says Jasmine. “It had a great vibe and was well-known in the city for its corporate crowd.”
On the west side of the city, right in the heart of the entertainment district, Jasmine purchased Bar 244 which had two floors with different DJ's on each, cheap drinks and a popular hotspot with the college crowd. She didn't stop there. When Cake Nightclub came for sale a block away, Jasmine didn't miss a beat in adding it to her business portfolio. She rebranded to Angel's Den, ensured it was equipped with an elevated DJ booth, floor to ceiling speakers, and incredible lights all in hot pink to cater to the women. She recalls when she built the nightclub to attract women, who would want to go there and spend money on booths and bottle service, and she replied with a smile, "Most men in town obviously!" But in the years spent recovering from COVID, costs soared at the clubs and interest rates went up on her commercial snd residential properties. "The costs were suddenly unsustainable," she says. I knew once again that I needed to make changes and quickly."
Within the business of personal injury law, she has also seen drastic changes, including the dramatic increase in deductibles since she began her career. “In 2003, an insurance deductible was $15,000. It’s $45,000 today, making smaller cases economically challenging for both lawyers and clients,” she says. To address these economic pressures, Jasmine has embraced technology and innovation. She's implemented virtual employees and AI to cut costs and reduce office space. Her approach demonstrates how traditional legal practice can adapt to modern realities. However, still, it’s extremely difficult for most personal injury firms to remain with ever changing laws and insurance rules.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Jasmine is not afraid to embark on multiple passion projects at once. One of these is close to her heart: a series of cookbooks preserving family recipes. "JD in the Kitchen" represents more than culinary documentation, it is quality time spent with her mother every Friday, capturing family history and catching up on gossip.
“In our community, my mom is very well known for her cooking,” says Jasmine. “I got my grandmother to write these recipes down for me—she refused to give them to my mother because she was afraid she would give them out to everyone.” Then one Christmas spent in Miami with the whole family, Jasmine wanted to do something sweet for her mom. Years later, the project has turned into a series of cookbooks. “When we started, my mom would measure or forget to measure and I would get annoyed and demand we start again and I would write. My dad would pick up the kids from school and then we would sit down together to enjoy dinner,” says Jasmine. There are three cookbooks for sale on Amazon and another three more in production, for sale. “It’s not to make money,” she says. “I like to give them out to friends and family, and it makes me feel connected to the Ismaili community.”
Jasmine credits ADHD as her "superpower," driving her need to face new challenges. "I can't sit still for long,” she says. “My fuel is learning new things and meeting new people.”
Today, Jasmine continues to practice law while maintaining her commitment to inspiring youth and motivating women. She believes the pandemic has left many people a bit lost and sees her role as helping others embrace change rather than resist it. "I know everyone says this, but the only constant in life is change," she says. Earlier this year, Jasmine took the California Bar exam, and is undegoing the licensing process. She has expanded into the U.S. as co-owner and Chief Operating Officer of the American law firm, Geraci LLP, a leading law firm catering primarily to private lenders and serving all their legal needs. We have to either embrace change or suffer emotionally, psychologically and financially. I find my own peace in moving on and making lemonade."
Her story serves as a compelling example of how professional pivots, entrepreneurial risk taking, and unwavering perseverance can create a career that defies traditional boundaries while making a meaningful impact on others' lives.
Carmen Morgan is a skilled business writer and storyteller, collaborating with business owners and executives to tell their stories and share perspectives on growth and success, as well as perseverance and adversity. Over two decades she has refined her interview, writing and editing skills to capture the nuggets and captivating details that engage readers and make a story memorable.
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