Better than a speeding bullet

He’s just won silver in the 1,500 meter, 3,000 meter, and 10,000 meter races at the 1997 BC Senior Games. Michael B. Ellis is 60. After completing the races, he straddles his bicycle and speeds out of New Westminster to Yarrow, to catch the BC Lung Association’s Trek for Life and Breath. The trek is 200 km long, spanning 48 hours. Mike, a “sweep”, cycles back and forth within the group giving information and building confidence among cyclists. Ken Currey, Director of Development, Victoria YM-YWCA, marvels at Mike, “He could be the first one home and then go back and help people and never mention that he’d finished first.”

Currey has known Mike for years--they work together on the Royal Victoria Marathon, of which Mike is a principal organizer--and has also been a client of Mike’s. Mike is a Victoria general solicitor. He is also a former Commanding Officer of the Naval Division, HMCS Malahat.

Involved in health and fitness organizations in Victoria, Mike has earned a reputation as someone to be counted on. “Mike is available when we need him,” says Scott MacDonald, CEO of the BC Lung Association, “He takes most things he does very seriously.” Mike became a BC Lung Director in 1992. He also works with the Victoria YM-YWCA. Mike has used his legal background as a “springboard” to contributing to organizations, says Steve MacCarthy, a Labour Relations lawyer with the provincial government. Mike is actively involved in the YM-YWCA capital campaign, involving others through what Currey says is “his ability to talk to people in a genuine and sincere way about the needs of the Y.”

Mike likes to run. He has run the Jasper to Banff relay. He’s run from Haney to Harrison. He completed the California International Marathon in 2H59 in 1994 and the Seattle marathon in 3H03 in 1995. The following year he ran a marathon in London, England. In 1997, his relay teams broke records. MacCarthy, a competitive runner, first noticed Mike in 1982-83. “I was amazed because it was obvious he was somewhat older and it was always ‘How dare this older guy be ahead of me?’ ” Steve is 20 years Mike’s junior.

Maurice Tarrant is a running teammate. He says Mike “works stress out by running.” The benefits of running are echoed by Currey, “I think it’s an opportunity to be contemplative.” Mike’s running however, seems to extend beyond himself. “He’s so greatly supportive of so many people in so many ways,” says Currey. “He’s not doing it for his ego, but he gets some private satisfaction out of helping people.”

“Sincere”, and “self-effacing” is how people describe Mike. “He never says a harsh word about anyone. You won’t find Mike criticizing anyone or running anyone down,” says Tarrant. “That’s his nature,” says Currey. “He is so genuine and concerned about what he says, you know what he says to you is all sincerity.” Mike does not boast. He’s “quite quiet”, says MacDonald. “He’s the type who can be very effective in a quiet, behind-the-scenes way,” says Currey. “Although he may in the forefront, he doesn’t appear to be there.” Yet, judging by the remarks of his peers, he is very much in the forefront, as a type of person people respect. “We all love to know people we can really trust. Mike is one of those people. If he says yes, you can be damn sure he’s going to do it,” says Currey.

MacCarthy is not the only person to juxtapose Mike with the negative image lawyers as a group sometimes hold. MacCarthy explains, “We all know there are members in the profession who are full of themselves and arrogant. Mike is the antithesis of that, and yet he has so much to be a braggart about. You are more inclined to marvel at his accomplishments because of that. He’s a role model to the profession and the world beyond.” At 60, with a running pace of 15 km per hour, Mike’s speed gives onlookers a reason to marvel, but the marvel is the person behind the speed.

We’re looking for more outstanding lawyers
If you know of a lawyer who has made a vital contribution to life in his or her community beyond the law, please call BarTalk Editor Caroline Nevin at 604.687.3404 or, if you’re outside the Lower Mainland, call our toll free line at 1888.687.3404.

This article was published in the February 1998 issue of BarTalk and is subject to the copyright by the British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, 2006, all rights reserved.