BarTalk October 2002
Volume 14, Number 5

BarTalk thanks the members of the 2002/2003 Executive Committee for providing the following biographies.

David A Paul, President
David graduated from the University of Victoria Law School in 1986. Since his call to the Bar in 1987, David has spent his professional career in Kamloops, where he was born and raised. His practice areas include Criminal Law, Family law, Personal Injury Law, Mediation, and Real Estate Sales. In 1997 he established the law firm of Paul & Company where he now practises with his sister, Lorianna Bennett. David is a member of the BC Trial Lawyers’ Association, the BC Arbitration & Mediation Institute, and the BC Mediator Roster Society.

Prior to his election to Provincial Council, David was actively involved in the profession at the local level. He served the Kamloops bar Association from 1990-1994 where he held various executive roles until his presidency in 1993-94. As well, David participated on the Law Day committee and he sat on the Advisory Committee for the University College of the Cariboo.

David was first elected to Provincial Council in 1995. Between 1998 and 2001 he served as an Executive Committee member. David previously served as a member of the Branch’s Supreme Court ADR Committee and the Communications Committee. He is a Past Chair of the following committees: Planning & Priorities; Nominating; Awards & Recognition; and BarTalk Editorial Board. David belongs to the Kamloops Criminal and Family Bar Sections and served as the Branch Section Coordinator between 1998 and 2000. During this period David also chaired the Sections Task Force.

Currently, David is the Executive Liaison to the Lawyers Property Exchange Committee, the Chair of the Provincial Court Judges Pensions and Salaries Committee, and the CBABC appointee to the Judicial Council of BC.

Robert Brun, Vice-President
Robert was born in Whitehorse, Yukon Territories, in 1952 and attended elementary and secondary school in Vancouver. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from UBC in 1974 and a Bachelor of Laws degree from UBC in 1977. He was called to the Bar of BC in 1978. Robert entered private practice in Vancouver in July of 1978, going to the Legal Services Department of the WCB in May of 1979. He remained there until July of 1984 when he entered into a partnership with Lyle Harris in Vancouver.

Since 1984, he has practised continuously in Vancouver, appearing frequently in the Supreme Court of BC and the BC Court of Appeal. On several occasions he has ventured before the Supreme Court of Canada.

Robert is a frequent guest speaker at seminars put on by CLE and the Trial Lawyers Association of BC. He has been an active member of the Trial Lawyers Association of BC since 1991. He has been a member of the Canadian Bar Association since 1977 and was an Executive member of the Insurance Law Section from 1991 to 1995. In 1997, he became an Elected member of the Provincial Council and is now in his second term. He was first elected to the Executive of the Provincial Council in 2000. Robert was Secretary-Treasurer during 2001/2002.

Michael C Woodward, Secretary-Treasurer
Michael Woodward is a graduate in mathematics and law at UBC, and was called to the Bar in 1986. He is a founding Partner in the law firm of Woodward Walker, which acts for local government throughout the Province.

An elected member of CBA Council since 1997, Michael was elected to the Executive in 2001, and in 2002 elected as Secretary-Treasurer of the Branch.

He is past-Chair of the Municipal Law Section and a member of the Labour and Environmental Sections as well. He has presented papers at several CLE courses, and authored the Municipal Law Chapter for CLE’s Annual Review of Law and Practice for the past five years, and was course coordinator for a recent Municipal Law CLE program. He frequently lectures for the Municipal Officers’ Association, the Union of BC Municipalities, the Municipal Administration Training Institute, and the Capilano Administration Program.

Following articles and three years as a labour/school law associate at Campney & Murphy, Michael spent two years with the municipal law firm Lidstone, Young, Anderson, followed by 11 years as a partner in the Municipal law firm Thompson & McConnell. He and his law partner Robert Walker founded Woodward Walker in mid-2002.

Michael is 46 years old, and resides in White Rock with his spouse and three children. Summer Saturdays he rows boats and is a founding Director of the Nicomekl Rowing Club. In the winter, he skis, after a fashion.

Carman J Overholt, Past President
Carman was born in London, Ontario in 1958. He received an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in History in 1981 from the University of Western Ontario. In 1984, Carman received a Bachelor of Laws degree from Queen’s University and was awarded the Tricolor Award for outstanding contribution to the University community. Carman was called to the BC Bar in 1986.

Carman is a Past President of the Advocates Club, a past Director of the Law Courts Inn and a past member of the Executive of the Vancouver Bar Association. Carman has been involved in the activities of the CBA throughout his time at the bar, including service as a member of the organizing committee for the annual meeting in Vancouver in 1989 and the joint meeting of the CBA and Commonwealth Law Conference in Vancouver in 1996. More recently, Carman was the Chair of the President’s Forum held in Vancouver in April 1999 on ‘The Business of Law’ and the Co-chair of the President’s Forum on ‘Specialization and Success in the Practice of Law’ held in Kelowna in April, 2000.

Carman was elected to the Provincial Council of the CBA in 1997 and to the Executive of the CBABC in 1998. In 2000, Carman was elected to the position of Secretary-Treasurer on the Executive. Carman is the Chair of the QC Appointment Committee, Co-Chair of the Joint Law Society of BC/CBABC Pro Bono Committee and the Chair and President of Pro Bono Law BC.

Carman has organized and chaired the annual Employment Law Conference for CLE for many years. He lectures frequently on labour, employment and human rights issues.

Carman is a partner of the national firm, Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP where he practises labour and employment law.

Sabrina A S Ali, Equality Committee Representative
Sabrina was born in Guyana, South America in 1967. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Administrative and Commercial Studies from the University of Western Ontario in 1989 and her Diploma in Honors Standing in Political Science from UWO in 1990. Sabrina received her Bachelor of Laws from the University of Saskatchewan in 1993. She embarked upon a backpacking adventure around Asia and was called to the BC bar in 1997.

Sabrina is Co-Chair of the Equality Committee, a member of the executive, on the Sections Standing Committee, an elected member of Provincial Council and acts as Executive Liaison for the International Resource Committee and the Law Week Committee, all of the CBABC. Sabrina is also a member of the Futures Committee of the Law Society of BC.

Sabrina runs her own practice in civil litigation.

Bill Clarke, Young Lawyers Representative
With a name like William Thomas Clarke III, it would seem that he was destined to be a lawyer, or at least aristocracy – we guess he will settle for being a lawyer.

William (Bill) Clarke attended the University of Alberta for his formal legal education, taking special interest in Criminal and Family Law. During this time he was employed at Berge & Company as a summer student, and then the Kelowna Courthouse Registry as a clerk in both the Supreme and Provincial Courts. He articled with the firm of Martin Johnson in Kelowna, and was called to the BC Bar in 1996. He practises Family Law, CFCSA litigation, and Criminal Defence at Martin Johnson, under the banner of the “Heritage Law Group.”

Since graduation, Bill continues to be highly active in his community. He has acted as the Interim Chair of the U2K (University 2000) committee, in which he was instrumental in initiating a community-based movement that desired the conversion of the local University-College, to a full-status university. As an avid Rescue SCUBA Diver and Medic First Aid, he has served as a board member of Project COOL (Clean Our Okanagan Lake), in which he is an active fundraiser, and guiding hand. Bill is also very active in the Kelowna Dragon Boat Festival, where his team just received the Bronze Medal in the September Races!

Since 1995, Bill Clarke has also been an active member in Sections, and has pursued the positions of Secretary, Vice-Chair, Co-Chair, and Chair of the Okanagan Criminal Justice Section. In this capacity he has been responsible for all aspects of organization and activism. In 2000, Bill was instrumental in creating a Young Lawyers-Okanagan Section. Bill chairs the Articling Student Committee.

As a member of the Provincial Council Executive, he is eager to learn and contribute to the interests of the young lawyers of BC. As anyone who knows him will attest, if you have a concern he will listen and act.

Diana L Dorey, Officer
In 1986, Diana received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in criminology from Simon Fraser University and in 1987 she obtained a Masters of Philosophy Degree from the University of Cambridge in England. Diana graduated from UBC with her law degree in 1990. Diana articled with Davis & Company and during her articles, Diana was a Law Clerk at the Supreme Court of BC. Diana joined Davis & Company following her call to the Bar in November 1991.

Diana enjoys a diverse litigation practice at Davis & Company with an emphasis on employment and insurance litigation, and long term disability disputes. Diana has written and presented papers for CLE, the CBA, Pacific Business & Law Institute and the Human Resources Management Association.

Diana was elected to Provincial Council representing Vancouver County in May 2000. This is her second term on the Executive as an Officer. Last year Diana co-chaired the President’s Forum on the Business of Law and served as the Executive Liaison to the Legislation and Law Reform and Communications Committees. This year Diana will continue as the Executive Liaison for the Legislation and Law Reform Committee. In August 2002 Diana was appointed to the Editorial Board for the National magazine.

Diana is 39 years old and was born and raised in North Vancouver. Diana resides in North Vancouver with her spouse, Geoff Baragar, a Crown prosecutor, and they have two young girls.

Ronald G Lamperson, Officer
Ron was born in Kamloops in 1962. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from UBC in 1985 and a Bachelor of Laws degree from UBC in 1989. Following articles with Braidwood, MacKenzie, Brewer & Greyell in Vancouver, Ron moved to Campbell River where he worked for six years as a Crown prosecutor. In 1996, he entered private practice with a solicitor in Qualicum Beach, forming the firm of Marshall & Lamperson. Ron has a general criminal and civil litigation practice.

Ron is a past president of the Campbell River Bar Association and of the Nanaimo County Bar Association. He is a member of the Trial Lawyers Association of BC and served on its Executive Committee in 2000/2001. He was involved in establishing the Salvation Army Pro Bono Legal Advice Program in Parksville/Qualicum and continues to be a participating lawyer in the program.

Ron served as an elected member of Provincial Council from 1995 until earlier this year when he was elected as an Executive Committee member. He has been a member of various CBA committees including the Court Services Committee, the Nominating Committee and the Advisory Committee to the Judicial Council. Presently he is the executive liaison to the Membership Committee, the Member Services Committee and to the Advisory Committee to the Judicial Council.

Kay Melbye, Officer
Kay was born in Victoria, BC in 1956. Kay was raised in Victoria, attending elementary and high school there. In 1980 Kay moved to Southern California where she lived and worked until returning to Victoria in 1990. After returning to Victoria with two young sons, Kay attended undergraduate studies at the University of Victoria from 1991 through 1994. In September 1994 Kay began her legal education at the University of Victoria and obtained her law degree in May 1998. Kay articled with the law firm of Cook Roberts in Victoria and was called to the bar in May 1999. Kay continued to work at Cook Roberts after her call to the bar, practising civil litigation and family law, until March 2001. In March 2001, Kay made the move to the law firm of Brown Henderson on Oak Bay Avenue in Victoria, only blocks from where she was raised and attended school. Kay continues to work at Brown Henderson and her practice is now primarily family law with some civil litigation.

Kay has been an elected member of Provincial Council representing Victoria County since 2000 and was elected to the Executive Committee in June 2002. Kay is former chair of the Women Rainmakers Section and is also a member of the Family Law, Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution Sections. Kay is also a founding member of the Women’s Advisory Committee which is a Special Committee formed with a mandate to pursue forming a Conference on women’s advancement and recognition in the legal profession. Kay is the Executive Committee Liaison to the BarTalk Editorial Board and the Planning & Priorities Advisory Committee. In addition, Kay is a member of the executive of the Victoria Bar Association.

Meg (Marguerite) E Shaw, Officer
Meg was born in Lethbridge, Alberta but has lived in BC since 1969. Meg graduated from the University of Victoria in 1983 with her Bachelor’s degree in the Science of Nursing and from UBC in 1988 with her Bachelor’s degree in Law.

Meg articled in Kelowna with the then firm of McAfee Harder and has been practising law in Kelowna since. She is with the firm Hattori & Shaw. Meg practises in the area of family law, mediation, wills and estates, and also practises as a CFCS mediator, child advocate, and ad hoc counsel for the Coroner’s Service of BC. Meg has been an invited participant in discussion groups hosted by the Law Society on the topic of regulation of mediation, and by the Federal Government and Provincial Government on the topic of proposed changes to the Divorce Act in the area of custody and access.

Meg first served as Chair of the Okanagan Family Law Section for three years, and attended two National Family Law Conferences as the delegate from BC. Meg was a Co-Chair for the Okanagan ADR Section, a member of the CBABC Communications Committee for two years, and was the Co-Chair of the President’s Forum that was held in Kelowna in April 2000.

Meg is currently completing her sixth year on Provincial Council as an elected member from Yale County and her second year as an Officer on the Executive.

Meg is also a Director on the Board of the Registered Nurses Association of BC, and has been involved with committee work with Kiwanis and the Kelowna-Westbank YM-YWCA. As well, Meg has been a guest lecturer for the Department of Nursing at the Okanagan University College and the Continuing Legal Education Society of BC. She has also provided pro bono services for the Central Okanagan Hospice Association and the Elizabeth Fry Society.

This article was published in the October 2002 issue of BarTalk and is subject to the copyright by the British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, 2005, all rights reserved.