Alona was born in the Philippines and immigrated to Canada on February 22, 1975. She was raised in Winnipeg and attended public schools in the Seven Oaks School Division. Alona received her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Degree in Political Studies from the University of Manitoba (1994) and her Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of Ottawa (1998). She was called to the Manitoba Bar in 1999 and the Ontario Bar in 2003. Alona articled and practiced law with Taylor McCaffrey LLP for a couple of years before returning to Ottawa in 2001. She served several years as a Policy Advisor to the Senior Federal Cabinet Minister for Manitoba before joining Monk Goodwin LLP in January 2005 where she practiced until November 2015. On November 30, 2015 Alona, in partnership with Yenny Trinh, began serving their clients at their newly created firm - Mercado Trinh Law LLP.
Alona has served on numerous community boards and committees over the years. She was a Founding and Executive Board member of the Maples Youth Justice Committee, and a member of the Board of Directors of many organizations such as Hospice and Palliative Care Manitoba, the Seven Oaks Education Foundation, and the Immigrant Centre of Manitoba Inc. Alona was also a member of the Standing Committee on Governance and Policy for St. Edward’s School Inc., and the Past Chair of the Legal Committee of the Philippine Centre of Manitoba (PCCM).
In addition, Alona periodically writes a column entitled “Legal 411” in The Pilipino Express News Magazine and was an annual lecturer for Will Week: Estate Planning for Your Future for many years. She is also a member of the Canadian Free Wills Network. Alona has also given numerous presentations to such groups as the Fort Garry Women’s Resource Centre, the Philippine Centre of Manitoba, as well as various financial and community organizations.
Preferred Areas of Practice:
Residential Real Estate
Mortgages
Estate Planning (Wills, Powers of Attorney and Health Care Directives)
Estate Administration
Transfers of Title
Construction Mortgages
Business Law (buying and selling businesses, creation and start-up of businesses, etc.)
Immigration (Sponsorships, Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program, Tourist Visas, Student Visas).
Committeeship
Guardianship of Infant Estates