BarTalk October 2000
Volume 12, Number 5

Branch office is here to serve you

by Rob Milen

I pleased to serve as Interim Executive Director of the CBABC. I wish to take this opportunity to introduce myself to you. For four and a half years, I have served as a Victoria-based consultant assisting various organizations, including the CBABC, on government relations matters. I am also a partner in the law firm of Phillips & Milen in Regina, conducting my practice from afar using the latest technology. I have been an active member of the Law Society of Saskatchewan since 1975 and a member of the CBA almost as long.

This is a period of transition for the CBABC, as we embark on a search and recruitment process designed to attract the best possible person to the Executive Director position following Barry Cavanaugh’s departure to take on an exciting new position in Alberta. My role is to ensure that during this transition there is a smooth and seamless continuation of programs and services for members, and a consistently high level of support to staff, members and the Executive. It is my intention to carry on the high standards of excellence established by my predecessor.

I have enjoyed my working relationship with Mr. Cavanaugh. I benefited from his sage advice before I took on my present role, and have consistently found him to be generous in his support and ready to help. He will be missed by the CBABC staff and by all those who worked with him. I wish him well in his new venture.

The Executive Committee is well into the process of finding and securing a new and talented Executive Director. They want to ensure the CBABC gets the best, and they have retained a professional executive search company to assist them in this endeavour. The Executive have attached a high priority to this task, and will be balancing the need to fill the position expeditiously with the due diligence required to obtain a high calibre Executive Director.

When appointed, my successor will have the benefit and pleasure, as I did, of being greeted by a hard-working and caring team of staff. They take pride and ownership in this organization, and they aspire to provide nothing less than excellence in their support to our members. My experience is that their contribution is not only recognized by members throughout the province, but also honoured and respected.

The Executive Committee I am working with is clearly a multi-talented professional board operating from a commitment to make decisions as “lawyers for lawyers”. They work long hours, taking precious time away from their practice of law and from their families, in order to contribute to the betterment of the legal profession. The entire organization benefits from their diversity of practice and experience, and their dedication and confidence in tackling the tough issues that face the profession and association.

Watch for the roll-out of the new Web site for the CBABC in upcoming weeks. It is a leading edge product for lawyers and will set a standard for other organizations. It is the realization of long-term efforts by Barry Cavanaugh, designed to ensure that our members benefit from the latest in technology – whether they are sole practioners in Hazelton, or managing partners of large Vancouver law firms. I am excited about the information the Web site will contain, including the BC Lawyers Directory, member services, Section information, public events and news, and a forum to share expertise and questions with colleagues. It will be easily accessible and interactive, and will hopefully be a favorite “home page” for many of you.

The months ahead are busy times for the CBABC. At times it seems the workload is overwhelming. But, we relish the challenge and look forward to meeting the needs of the members. I welcome and encourage your feedback and comments over the next few months.

This article was published in the October 2000 issue of BarTalk and is subject to the copyright by the British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, 2005, all rights reserved.