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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 12, 2011
HALIFAX - Preston Parsons, an articling student with Bull, Housser & Tupper LLP in Vancouver, is the winner of the Canadian Bar Association’s (CBA) 2011 Edward K. Rowan-Legg Award for his contributions to the CBA as a student member.
“Preston is exactly the type of student meant to be recognized by the award,” says Rod Snow, President of the Canadian Bar Association. “Through his leadership at our B.C. Branch, he has already come to exemplify the dedication to our profession and to Canadian society generally that is seen in leaders of the Canadian Bar Association many years his senior.”
Parsons’ experience with the CBA is extensive. A member since his first week of law school, he has been actively involved with Young Lawyers, the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, the Criminal Justice Section, the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Conference (SOGIC), and the Entertainment Law and Civil Litigation Sections.
Most notable is his involvement in the founding and operation of SOGIC at the CBA’s B.C. Branch. Preston Parsons joined the founding executive in June 2009 as the membership and outreach coordinator. Together with other LGBT members of the legal profession, Mr. Parsons helped re-establish and revitalize SOGIC in BC. It is now an active and dynamic part of the B.C. Branch.
Preston Parsons earned his Bachelor of Commerce with Great Distinction from Athabasca University, and received his Juris Doctor from the University of British Columbia Law School. He was class valedictorian and finished in the top 15 per cent. In 2008 he won the Pozer Award for his outstanding contribution to the Law Students’ Legal Advice Program, and throughout his academic career he has been awarded scholarships for academic excellence, including the George Neil Wilson & Ethel (Sloan) Wilson Memorial Scholarship in 2007, and the Commonwealth Credit Union Scholarship in 2006 and 2007.
The Edward K. Rowan-Legg Award was established by Judi Rowan-Legg in honour of her husband, Edward K. Rowan-Legg of Ontario and Nova Scotia. Ted was a dedicated and active member of the CBA, who served as its National Treasurer from 1999 until his death in 2001.
The award, consisting of a cash prize of $1,000 plus complimentary registration to the CBA’s Canadian Legal Conference, is designed to recognize a dedicated contribution to the CBA by a student member and encourage student member participation in the Canadian Legal Conference.
The award will be presented at the CBA Awards Lunch on Saturday, August 13, 2011, at 12:30 p.m. in the Halifax ABC Room of the Marriott Halifax Harbourfront. The reception is held in conjunction with the CBA 2011 Canadian Legal Conference and Expo in Halifax August 14-16. The event is open to accredited media who have registered with the CBA Media Centre. Please contact Hannah Bernstein for accreditation.
The Canadian Bar Association is dedicated to support for the rule of law, and improvement in the law and the administration of justice. Some 37,000 lawyers, law teachers, and law students from across Canada are members.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Hannah Bernstein
The Canadian Bar Association
Aug 12-16: 902-492-7889
E-mail: hannahb@cba.org
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