BarTalk October 2004
Volume 16, Number 5

Volunteers Build A Vibrant Branch

By Michael C Woodward

The B.C. Branch of the Canadian Bar Association has, throughout its lengthy history, seen the involvement of literally thousands of lawyers who have volunteered their time and effort on behalf of the profession in this province. The Branch was created by volunteers, and has been continuously governed, operated, and advanced through the valuable efforts of these volunteers. Thousands of volunteers will follow in future. These volunteers serve on your Executive, on your Provincial Council, on your Committees, on your Section Executives, and in a host of other roles. To say that I feel humbled to work with and speak on behalf of not only our extensive membership here in British Columbia, but also on behalf of those past and future volunteers, would be a significant understatement.

The recent accomplishments of both the Branch and the national organization are significant. Throughout the course of last year, simply by way of example, the Branch enjoyed significant success in lobbying the B.C. Government on issues affecting the ability of our members to make a living and to enhance access to justice by the clients on whose behalf we act. The national organization’s PracticeLink was recently awarded an outstanding- achievement award by the Association for Continuing Legal Education. The important work done abroad by Canadian lawyers in helping bar associations organize themselves and achieve independence in Zimbabwe and in Cambodia, are but part of the important and successful work occurring in building the brand “Canadian Lawyer”; a brand which is, internationally, clearly ascendant.

These good works will, of course, continue. The end of universality will not displace the fact that the B.C. Branch is and will remain the second largest Branch within the national organization. The ongoing relevancy and vibrancy of the Branch is evident in the fact that elections to our Provincial Council this year were contested in all but one of our counties.

With this change, of course, will come many opportunities. For example, is it timely for the Branch to reassess its position relative to other organizations? Of course it is, and that will bring with it creative new ways to serve our members.

I look forward to working on your behalf during this coming year, and to meeting as many of you around the province as possible, and to hearing your ideas. When, towards the end of this year, you are making the decision as to whether to continue your membership in the CBA, I ask only one thing of you – please take into account the tireless efforts of the volunteers who have, and will in future, work on your behalf, in advancing your professional and commercial interests.

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.