Transition

by Barry Cavanaugh

At its June meeting, the BC Branch Council conducted elections for the 1998/99 Executive Committee. The Executive Committee, which acts for Council between the five annual Council meetings, usually meets every three weeks and exercises Council’s authority in the policy management and leadership of the Branch. This year, in addition to the retirement of Past President, Emily Reid, QC, two senior and valued members of Executive Committee saw fit to retire from their roles after completing their terms: Judith Milliken, Secretary/Treasurer, and J. Gary Cohen, QC, Officer. Their wise counsel and considerable dedication will be sorely missed, though they will both remain active CBA volunteers and supporters. As a consequence of those retirements, Council elected three members to Executive Committee as Officers and returned the balance of the Committee. Your Executive Committee for 1998/99 is a committed and talented group, and the coming year promises to be one of accomplishment, solidarity, and substantial service to BC lawyers. The new Executive Committee is:

Doug F Robinson QC, President (Vancouver, Lawson Lundell)
Kerry-Lynne D Findlay, Past President (Vancouver, Watson Goepel Maledy)
D Mayland McKimm, Vice-President (Victoria, Mayland McKimm & Associates)
Margaret Ostrowski, Secretary/Treasurer (Vancouver, Ostrowski, Margaret V)
Kenneth J Sarnecki, Officer (Kelowna, Salloum Doak)
David A Paul, Officer (Kamloops, Paul & Company)
Clare F Barry, Officer (Vancouver, Department of Justice-Canada)
Carman J Overholt, Officer (Vancouver, Douglas, Symes & Brissenden)

The Executive Committee brings to its task a wealth of experience in the profession and in the CBA, in diverse and extensive voluntary roles. The staff of the BC Branch joins me in congratulating and welcoming the 1998/99 Executive Committee and in looking forward to working together for the good of the profession.

On a more personal note, I wish to thank the staff of the Branch for their outstanding work in the past year, their dedication to the service of the legal profession, and their support of me as we have worked together. I would like to particularly thank Emily Reid, QC, Judy Milliken, and J. Gary Cohen, QC, as they retire, for their steadfast support and encouragement, and for the laughter we have shared and the struggles through which we have stood shoulder to shoulder.

For a successful year now concluded, I want to express my gratitude to all the volunteers in the Branch--to the Elected Members of Council, the Section Chairs and Executives, to those who serve on the many active committees of the Branch, and to those who have responded when we’ve asked for help. Thanks are not sufficient--I applaud you. I also congratulate each and every member of this profession on another year of service to the people of BC. We look forward to another year of achievement and commitment in 1998/99.

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