BarTalk October 2004
Volume 16, Number 5

By Matthew Nathanson

David Gibbons, QC, one of Canada’s pre-eminent criminal defense lawyers, passed away on August 27, 2004. He had been waiting more than a year for a double-lung transplant. Unfortunately for his family, his friends, his colleagues at the bar, and just about every person facing the long arm of the law, time simply ran out.

David died too young. He was 64 years old, but in many ways he was in his prime. As one Vancouver reporter put it, “when you get in a jam, that’s the guy you want in your corner.” He couldn’t have been more right. Big Dave, as he was affectionately known, understood people. He could relate to people from all walks of life on their own level. And he brought all of that into the courtroom with him.

But David’s skills in the courtroom, formidable as they were, paled in comparison with his skills in life. When David shook your hand and said it was nice to see you, he meant it. He treated everyone from the flustered articled student to the esteemed barrister to the accomplished judge the same way. He had a unique way of making everyone feel important. As a bencher of the Law Society he spent countless hours helping troubled lawyers find their way. But David was truly at his best when he was with his wife Janice, his son Dave Jr., and his daughter Lise. No matter how busy he was, he always put them first.

Tales of Big Dave’s hilarious adventures, both in and outside the courtroom, could fill volumes. So could accounts of the many high profile cases he won, and the countless people whose lives he touched. Those of us who were lucky enough to know him appreciate what a caring, genuine person he was. He was the classic barrister, equal parts gentleman and pit bull. With his passing, we have lost something very special.

This article was published in the October 2004 issue of BarTalk and is subject to the copyright by the British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, 2004, all rights reserved.