The Canadian Bar Association BC Branch (CBABC) has recognized former Vancouver city councillor and long-time lawyer Tim Louis with its top public service award.
The accolade is the Harry Rankin QC Pro Bono Award, named for another city councillor and local lawyer who was Louis’s mentor.
The branch said the award for commitment to pro bono work is in memory of Rankin for his unstinting support of access to justice for the poor.
“Tim Louis has followed in the footsteps of Harry Rankin himself and devoted much of the past 40 years to providing pro bono services for those in need,” the branch said.
For Louis, though, it’s an honour given Rankin was the man who shaped his politics, helped him get into law school and helped him get elected to Vancouver city council as a fellow member of the Committee of Progressive Electors — or COPE.
“As a college student in the late 1970s, I appeared numerous times before Vancouver city council in an effort to get HandyDART off the ground,” Louis said. “One city councillor towered above the others and planted the seeds in my mind — could I, should I become a lawyer?”
In 1980, Rankin wrote a letter and helped get Louis admitted into the UBC law faculty.
"Then, three years after that, Harry came to my rescue, hiring me as his articling law student, where he taught to me think on my feet, cut to the chase, and most importantly of all, the importance of pro bono work,” Louis said.
Portraits of Rankin are in both Louis’s office and home, he said.
The award announcement describes Louis as the driving force behind HandyDART’s implementation and co-founding of the Disability Alliance of BC and the BC Public Interest Advocacy Centre.
The branch also recognized Edward Wong with the Rankin award.
The branch said Wong routinely offers pro bono services through Access Pro Bono and his own solo practice, representing women experiencing domestic violence as well as racialized clients. Wong also mentors junior lawyers, most of whom are persons of colour working in small or solo practices. He's also committed to representing clients with financial challenges.
The accolades are among six the branch announced June 15.
Ken Kramer, QC was recognized with the Equality and Diversity Award for his work assisting seniors and those with disabilities.
“As a lawyer living with disability, his profound personal and professional knowledge have helped establish seven Elder Law Clinics across the Lower Mainland. He also negotiated with the B.C. government to allocate over $25 million to the home care community in B.C.” the branch said.
Audrey Jun was also recognized with an Equality and Diversity Award for her impact on the Asian-Canadian legal community by directing But I Look Like a Lawyer, an award-winning documentary “that masterfully weaves the lived experiences of pan-Asian lawyers.”
“She routinely presents at disability and trust workshops, and has contributed to the yearly Elder Law Update of Continuing Legal Education BC.”
The CBABC Innovation Award went to Sara Forte Forte Workplace Law to encourage clients to tell their story by focusing away from the billable hour, offering services at flat rates and bundled packages.
“Her ventures include Not Your Average Law Job, which highlights the stories of lawyers who have taken up alternative legal careers, as well as StandUP Teams, a training program to prevent workplace harassment,” the branch said.
And, the Community Supporter Award that honours lawyers demonstrating outstanding dedication and service by contributing the critical behind-the-scenes work for community-building went to Vanessa Werden.
The CBABC calls Werden an avid mentor and champion for women in the construction industry and legal profession.
“She was instrumental in granting $20,000 in bursaries for women pursuing trades or construction-related education and training, and has been an influential volunteer in the CBABC Young Lawyers and Construction Law Sections,” the branch said.
The awards were presented on Saturday, June 11 at the CBABC provincial council meeting.
The Canadian Bar Association is the professional organization representing more than 36,000 lawyers, judges and law students across Canada with over 7,600 members in British Columbia.
