The Canadian Bar Association - British Columbia Branch

The Honourable Chief Justice Donald Brenner

hief Justice Brenner was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in 1992 and Chief Justice of the Court in 2000.

Raised in British Columbia, Chief Justice Brenner developed an early interest in aviation becoming a commercial helicopter pilot at 18. He flew during the summers while obtaining an undergraduate degree from the University of British Columbia. He joined Canadian Pacific Airlines in 1966 and started working as a pilot on the DC-6B aircraft.

In 1967, while continuing his airline career, the Chief Justice enrolled at the University of British Columbia Law School. He graduated in 1970 and was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1971. He started his own law firm in Vancouver, Brenner and Company which specialized in the fields of aviation, professional indemnity and products liability law.

In 1975, Chief Justice Brenner left his position with CP Air as a Boeing 737 captain for the full time practice of law. Brenner and Company acted as the general insurance defence counsel for many airlines such as: CP Air, Wardair, Pacific Western Airlines, Transair, Quebecair, Nordair and EPA. These were ultimately merged into Canadian Airlines International which he continued to represent. Brenner and Company also represented many helicopter operators throughout Canada including Okanagan Helicopters and Canadian Helicopters. The firm acted locally for the Boeing Company, the Cessna Aircraft Company and major international airlines.

While in practice Chief Justice Brenner served on a number of committees as an ad hoc bencher of the Law Society and chaired the Air Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association. He was appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 1987.

Since joining the Supreme Court of British Columbia in 1992 Chief Justice Brenner has been active on a number of court committees dealing with technology, court administration and reforms to the justice system.

In 2002, Chief Justice Brenner was a founding member of the Justice Review Task Force which was set up to examine improvements in the justice system in BC. He co-chaired the Civil Justice Reform Working group which released a report at the end of November last year containing recommendations for significant changes to the existing civil justice system in British Columbia. To implement those recommendations he has participated in a complete revision of the BC Civil Rules of Court which are expected to be adopted later in 2008.

Since his appointment, Chief Justice Brenner has supported the development of information technology for use by the courts both in British Columbia and in his capacity as a member of the Canadian Judicial Council, throughout Canada.

Chief Justice Brenner has continued to sit as a trial judge hearing cases principally in the areas of commercial insolvency, corporate reorganization and class actions. He has also continued to be very active in the field of judicial dispute resolution conducting many judicial mediations and mini-trials.
 

Copyright © The Canadian Bar Association