Lawyer Thomas R. Berger, OC, QC received one of the Canadian Bar Association BC Branch’s highest honours, the Georges A. Goyer, QC Memorial Award for Distinguished Service. The Award was presented to Mr. Berger at the 2006 Bench & Bar Dinner at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel in Vancouver.

The Goyer Award was created in 1992 to recognize exceptional contributions to the legal profession, to jurisprudence or to the law in British Columbia. The award was established in memory of Georges A. Goyer, QC, a respected member of the BC Branch who passed away after a courageous battle with cancer.

Mr. Berger, of Vancouver’s Berger and Company, was nominated for the honour by several distinguished judges and lawyers who applauded “his commitment, his passion, and above all his integrity.” They acknowledged his tireless efforts to promote social justice as well as his advocacy of Canadian unity and equality.

In addition to recognizing the extent of his contributions, Mr. Berger’s nominators specifically noted his dedication to defending minority groups and the rights of Canada’s Aboriginal peoples.

CBABC President Frits Verhoeven, who chaired the selection committee, said “Mr. Berger's accomplishments are widely known. He has had a distinguished career in politics, public service and the law. He is in fact one of the most respected lawyers in Canada, and is held in very high regard by the legal profession and the judiciary. The British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association is very pleased to add its highest honour, the Georges A. Goyer Q.C. Memorial Award for Distinguished Service, to the long list of accolades and awards that Mr. Berger has already received.”