Working as One Annual Report 2025 26
CBABC Strategy 2030
Strengthening B.C. Lawyers Strategic Goals
Our Voice
Our Community
Our Association
Amplify our members’ voice and influence to uphold rule of law and strengthen our legal and justice systems
Cultivate a connected and inclusive membership that strengthens the capacity of lawyers across the province
Enhance our sustainability as B.C. lawyers’ professional association
Personal & professional wellbeing We are committed to supporting the professional success and personal wellness of our members.
Guiding Principles These commitments shape the way we pursue our Strategic Goals
Reconciliation We are committed to embedding the principles of Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in our work.
Equity, diversity & inclusion We are committed to recognizing and valuing the differences in lived experiences and perspectives of our members.
A Message from our President This is a pivotal time for our profession. Across British Columbia, lawyers are working hard to deliver access to legal services and ensure our practices are current and efficient, while confronting challenges to our independence and the rule of law. CBABC’s Strategy 2030 reflects our long-term commitment to strengthening lawyers and law students in British Columbia through impactful advocacy, meaningful connections and a sustainable, inclusive organization. During my term, we set this work in motion. Our Voice. This year demonstrated the important role we play in safeguarding the independence of lawyers. Through the CBA’s intervention in the constitutional challenges to the Legal Professions Act, we helped secure the BC Supreme Court’s recognition that this independence is an unwritten constitutional principle. We spoke out against public commentary by elected officials that risks undermining judicial independence and developed submissions to promote fair and accessible legal systems for all British Columbians. Our Community. CBABC’s top priority this year was to support solo practitioners and small firms across the province. We launched the Business of Law professional development series to support lawyers navigating the realities of running a business. Our virtual Section meetings kept members connected year-round, while expanded in-person events brought networking and learning to more communities in the province. Our Association. Effective governance and strong volunteer leadership helped ensure that CBABC remains responsive to members and the profession. This year, we travelled across B.C. to meet lawyers from Surrey to Terrace, from Fairmont Springs to Campbell River, and many places in between. From those conversations, we learned about the issues that matter most to members, including the shared commitment to access to justice. Running a small firm in a small community has guided both my understanding of access to justice and my perspective on what is needed to advance it. I’m proud of our progress and remain inspired by the commitment to this work shared by lawyers, our courts and CBABC. It has been a great pleasure and honour to lead our association this year, and I’m excited to see what CBABC will accomplish on the path to 2030 and beyond.
Patricia Blair CBABC President 2025/26
1
Our Voice
Members using their voices to advocate for reforms, share ideas and advance a more inclusive profession.
Advocacy in Action CBABC is the collective voice of B.C.’s legal profession, advocating for law and policy reform that strengthens access to justice, protects the independence of lawyers and judges, and supports fair legal processes. Over the past year, CBABC delivered 12 submissions to the provincial government, the regulator and the courts. These included calls for: • Securing sufficient compensation and protections for articling students • Improving BC Supreme Court civil and family chambers procedures • Enhancing the BC Supreme Court’s role in advancing Reconciliation • Improving disclosure in child and family services matters • Increasing transparency in property transfer tax changes • Modernizing the civil costs tariff • Reducing wait times for Temporary Foreign Workers • Clearly defining regulated paralegals’ scope of practice • Procedural fairness in roadside driving prohibitions • Funding a comprehensive data system for the BC Supreme Court • Competitive compensation for judges across B.C. • A better system for motor vehicle injury claims
2
Protecting the Rule of Law CBABC continued to speak out on issues affecting judicial independence, the rule of law and public confidence in our legal system. When public comments by an elected official criticized court decisions on Aboriginal rights and title, we wrote a letter to emphasize that courts must remain free from political pressure. CBABC also raised concerns about proposed amendments to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act that could have limited the courts’ role in resolving disputes about the consistency of B.C. laws with UNDRIP. We urged the government to provide transparency about its proposals, maintain access to courts, and work collaboratively with Indigenous governing bodies and experts. Reflecting on her term, past CBA President Bianca Kratt, KC in a National Magazine article explained how people can critique court decisions without weakening Canada’s system of justice: by engaging with the law, the reasoning and the facts.
Regulation of the Profession The CBA was an intervenor in the Law Society of BC and the Trial Lawyers Association of BC’s constitutional challenges to the Legal Professions Act. At the BC Supreme Court trial in October 2025, CBA counsel Michael Feder, KC, Connor Bildfell, Lindsay Frame and Nico Rullman argued that the Act unconstitutionally interferes with lawyerclient relationships and erodes protections for the independence of the bar, including its ability to self-regulate. While the Court ultimately upheld the legislation, our intervention helped secure the recognition of the independence of the bar as an unwritten constitutional principle. As LSBC and TLABC make their appeals, the CBA once again seeks leave to intervene. The CBA, as the only organization representing lawyers across the country in every practice area, brings a unique and independent voice to this issue. CBABC kept members informed throughout the trial with same-day updates on our website and social media. Beyond this trial coverage, we provided information about what the transition to the new regulator means for the profession.
3
Advancing Reconciliation CBABC continued our commitment to Reconciliation by creating opportunities for meaningful dialogue and action. Drawing 134 attendees, the Advancing Reconciliation series explored topics like the practice of two-eyed seeing and economic Reconciliation. Sections programming also incorporated Indigenous perspectives in meetings, especially on topics with significant relationship to Indigenous experiences. To support ongoing awareness and education, BarTalk’s Indigenous Matters column highlighted issues like the Indigenous conception of a constitutional democracy and inequities in language acquisition. Updates on CBABC’s land acknowledgement guidance and cultural competency training helped members and staff strengthen respectful and informed engagement. This year also marked progress towards an updated Reconciliation Action Plan. Through in-person and virtual engagement sessions and a member survey, CBABC gathered feedback to help the Truth & Reconciliation Committee recommend future priorities. These conversations will inform a renewed action plan.
A More Inclusive Profession CBABC introduced A Legal Profession for Everyone, a three-year Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan that sets priorities for addressing barriers related to race, gender, Indigeneity and accessibility within the legal profession and justice system. Developed through member input, external expert consultation and a review of comparable initiatives, the plan responds to inequitable career outcomes and cultural barriers experienced by lawyers in the province. The plan guides CBABC’s member programs, procedures and advocacy work through 2029.
4
BarTalk BarTalk provided a platform for thoughtful discussion on issues important to the legal profession in B.C., where lawyers shared their insights, explained complex areas of law and advocated for muchneeded reforms. This year’s issues explored timely and consequential topics, such as the Protecting Democracy issue, in which Chief Justice Leonard Marchand reflected on the importance of defending judicial independence. Contributors in this issue shared their thoughts on the regulation of the profession, their response to political commentary directed at judges and their insights on the role of dissent in a free society. Across other BarTalk issues, authors looked at pressing social justice challenges and at gender inequity in the profession. The publication also delivered substantive analysis across practice areas, including privacy and cybersecurity as well as estate law. Experienced lawyers shared their knowledge on these topics, highlighting emerging issues due to rapidly changing technology and explaining complex processes and legislation. Contributors also reflected on the relationship between adjudicators and advocates, from professional norms to the importance of diversity at administrative tribunals.
5
Our Community
Members coming together to learn, network, find support and celebrate achievements.
Sections With over 220 programs from 50+ Sections, three sessions stood out as member-favourites in 2026/26. More than 250 members attended each of In-House Lawyers’ This is Privileged Right?, Legal Research and Business Law’s Contract Law Update for Commercial Practitioners, and Senior Counsel’s H@cked! Experience a Live (Simulated) Cyber Attack. CBABC’s Sexual and Gender Diversity Alliance was proud to partner with UBC, UVic and TRU OUTLaws, organizing networking events with local 2SLGBTQIA+ students and lawyers. Working with the Supreme Court of BC, CBABC supported 100 early career lawyers throughout B.C. in Associate Judge Shadowing. CBABC members introduced two new Sections. Fertility Law completed their first year with almost 100 enrolled members and 100+ attendee registrations across three meetings. Mergers & Acquisitions organized three meetings and a networking event, attracting 105 enrolled members and 180+ registrations.
Sections & PD by the numbers
181 6
CPD Programs
242
CPD Hours
92%
of CPD Programs held online
Professional Development Responding to solo and small practitioners’ requests for more business management support, CBABC launched the Business of Law series, guiding over 400 attendees across four sessions on hiring and performance management, firm technology and business development. Advancing Reconciliation, Mind Matters, Diversity on the Bench and Access to Justice Week BC webinars returned, offering accessible, quality programming to members across B.C. To complement our returning conferences, Government Law & Practice, Privacy Law, Immigration Law, and Wills, Estates & Trusts, CBABC premiered three new in-person programs this year. Criminal Justice Conference, led by Justice Eric Gottardi and Justice Suhail Akhtar, offered immersive sessions examining the pursuit of justice when mental health and culpability are in question. Aboriginal & Energy Law Seminar, co-hosted with the Canadian Energy Law Foundation, sold-out weeks before the deadline and brought together over 100 lawyers practicing in these evolving areas. Women Lawyers Retreat: Progress, Pressure & Possibility offered a space for authentic reflections and inspiring strategies for women navigating the legal profession.
495
Speakers
55
Networking Events
13,842
Attendees
7
Member Programs CBABC Mentorship facilitated over 350 matches this year through the Law Student, Career Starters and WLF Mentorship Programs. Mentor applications increased by 25% and evaluation survey results reveal 75% of mentees felt well-matched, highlighting the effectiveness of the program’s process and participant experience. Practice Coaches saw 48 requests this year, with overall usage remaining consistent to last year. A notable trend was increased engagement from those practicing in solo and small firms, making up 71% of requests to coaches this year. This continued demand highlights the program’s value in providing targeted support and guidance to practitioners navigating the unique challenges of smaller practice environments. Following the return to in-person delivery of the Ask a Lawyer Anything and Crush Your Articles sessions at TRU and UVic, student attendance increased by 113%, demonstrating the continued value of face-to-face opportunities for connection, learning and career development. Robe Bank supported 74 lawyers with free, loaned robes this year, 54 for their call ceremonies. Eleven new robes were also donated to help Robe Bank support the next generation of lawyers.
8
Events Networking is integral to build belonging in the legal profession. Whether it’s to connect with colleagues who share the same practice area or with local peers, CBABC’s events continue to be essential, collegial spaces to bond.
Building on the 70+ networking events members already enjoy, CBABC introduced several new opportunities throughout the province. Our hugely popular For the Love of Litigation Dinner expanded to Victoria, fostering connections among Vancouver Island litigators.
The inaugural Closing the Deal Luncheons in Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna created a space for real estate lawyers to connect. And the Honourable Chief Justice Leonard Marchand shared remarks at the Prince George Bench & Bar Dinner.
9
Recognition Georges A. Goyer, QC Memorial Award for Distinguished Service Derek LaCroix, KC, Lawyers Assistance Program of British Columbia’s executive director since 1996, was recognized for his lasting impact on lawyers’ mental health in B.C. LaCroix helped grow LAPBC from a small initiative to a province-wide support network backed by hundreds of volunteers and helped reshape how the legal profession responds to mental health, substance use and personal crisis.
President’s Medal Chief Judge Melissa Gillespie has led the Provincial Court’s commitment to innovation and change over the course of her leadership, adapting processes in the face of Covid-19, fostering the virtual bail program and early resolution process for families, and more.
Harry Rankin, QC Pro Bono Award Kathryn McGoldrick of Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP demonstrated dedicated service as Referral Counsel assisting self represented litigants, volunteering with the Access Pro Bono Court of Appeal Program, and offering full pro bono representation in bringing and defending appeals.
10
Community Supporter Award Arun Mohan, Director of Human Rights at UBC, provides leadership on addressing discrimination and advancing equity, diversity and inclusion across the university community and contributes to his local Vancouver community through volunteer service with Access Pro Bono, LAPBC, Langara YMCA, and numerous CBA committees.
CBA Douglas Miller Rising Star Award Incoming CBABC President and partner at McCarthy Tétrault, Connor Bildfell, was recognized nationally for his representation of the CBA as pro bono counsel in multiple proceedings, including the recent challenge of BC’s Legal Professions Act that resulted in the recognition of the independence of the bar as an unwritten constitutional principle.
CBABC Entrance Award Scholarships Through the CBABC Entrance Award, over $9,500 was awarded to three students at B.C.’s law schools this year. Michael Choi Cate Cochrane Jasvir Sandhu
UVic Faculty of Law Peter A. Allard School of Law TRU Faculty of Law
11
Our Association
Building a sustainable organization by meeting our members’ needs one connection at a time.
Making Connections CBABC is committed to building relationships with lawyers where they live and practise — in their firms, communities and local professional networks. Throughout the year, CBABC leadership connected with members, firms, local bar associations, law students and the judiciary across B.C. A particular focus was connecting directly with solo and small-firm lawyers, who are deeply rooted in the communities they serve. In total, CBABC made 35 firm visits in 15 communities in all corners of the province, from Victoria to Prince George, from Surrey to Kamloops, and from Campbell River to Hazelton to Fairmont. These conversations provided a personal opportunity to hear about members’ day-to-day experiences, understand the issues affecting their practices and communities, and identify where CBABC could provide greater support. Across the province, outreach included Bench & Bar gatherings, judicial welcoming and call ceremonies, law school events, community lunches and dinners, and meetings with local bar associations. In northern B.C., CBABC hosted events in Prince Rupert, Terrace, Smithers and Prince George, creating valuable opportunities for in-person connection in communities where professional gatherings can be less frequent. Together, these engagements help us build stronger connections, hear firsthand about the realities of practice across B.C. and ensure those perspectives inform our work.
12
Your Practice, Powered This year, CBABC launched a campaign aimed at bringing awareness to the support available to solo and small-firm lawyers and made relevant resources easier to find. The campaign brought greater visibility to services, programs and benefits designed to help solo and small-firm lawyers build strong, sustainable practices while maintaining the independence that defines their work. The campaign employed targeted digital advertising, email, search, social media and CBABC channels, generating more than 111,000 impressions and 3,500 visits to the campaign microsite. Your Practice, Powered gave CBABC new insight into what matters most to independent practitioners. Messaging that clearly communicated affordability and immediate practical value generated the strongest response, helping us better understand how to connect solo and small-firm lawyers with the support they need.
Strengthening Our Committees This year, CBABC completed a comprehensive review of our committee structure to strengthen effectiveness, governance oversight and the volunteer experience. The Board approved a refreshed structure of 17 standing committees, including new committees focused on Democracy & the Rule of Law and Indigenous-Crown law reform, as well as clearer mandates for existing committees. The review expanded the focus of the former Nominating Committee into leadership development and volunteer recruitment across CBABC, introduced greater flexibility in committee size where additional expertise is needed, and established an ongoing Governance Committee to support continuous improvement over periodic large-scale reviews.
Membership by the numbers
as of May 31, 2026
8,043 5,163 1,064 1,413 Members
YOC 4+
YOC 10+
Students
13
Expanding Representation at Provincial Council We updated CBABC’s bylaws to significantly broaden the pool of Section members eligible to serve as representatives on Provincial Council. Section Executive members are given the first opportunity to serve, and where a representative is not elected from the Executive, CBABC can now recruit from the entire Section membership. This creates more opportunities for members to take on leadership roles while helping ensure Sections have a strong voice in association deliberations.
Shaping CBABC Strategy 2030 CBABC Strategy 2030 sets our long-term direction for strengthening lawyers and law students across British Columbia. Shaped by member input and grounded in our mission and vision, our strategic plan identifies where CBABC can have the greatest impact and how our association needs to evolve to deliver that impact sustainably. The strategy focuses on strengthening our advocacy, building a more connected and inclusive profession, and ensuring CBABC has the capacity, systems and resources needed for the future. Our Guiding Principles — personal and professional wellbeing, Reconciliation, and equity, diversity and inclusion — provide a consistent lens for how we advance this work across advocacy, programming, member engagement and operations.
14
Leadership 2025/26 Board of Directors
Committee Chairs
Patricia D. Blair President
Cherolyn Knapp EDI Rep
Connor Bildfell Policy & Advocacy
Connor Bildfell First Vice President
Anwar Mujtabah Young Lawyers Rep
Hasan Alam Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
Sarah Klinger Second Vice President
Rebecca L. Darnell Director at Large
Sarah L. Klinger Member Services & Engagement
Erin Brook Family Law
Daniel Moseley Finance & Audit Chair
Laurel D. Hogg Director at Large
Daniel Moseley Finance & Audit
Daniel Moseley Finance & Audit
Martin Bühler, KC Aboriginal Lawyers Rep
Dimple Kainth Director at Large
Connor Bildfell Nominating
Eric Ledding Professional Issues
Lindsay Frame Access to Justice
Stewart Carstairs Real Estate
Michael Kleisinger Advisory to Judicial Council
Talia Magder Restorative Justice
Lisa Picotte-Li BarTalk Editorial
Adam Munnings Truth & Reconciliation
Nathan Bauder
Stephen Yung Court Services
Mark Seebaran Truth & Reconciliation
Cherolyn Knapp Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
County Reps Cariboo
Coral Atchison Jon Duncan
Kootenay
Jamie Lalonde
Christopher Trudeau
Nanaimo
Philip Dwyer
Menaka Giri
Ben Kingstone
Section Reps
Prince Rupert
Emily Beggs
Vancouver
Connor Bildfell
Erica Chow
Joseph Cuenca
Rupinder Gosal
Tina Parbhakar
Sonali Sharma
Leena Yousefi
Brian Yuen
J. Berry Hykin
Cherolyn Knapp
Victoria
Anwar Mujtabah Westminster
Grace Cleveland
Rebecca Darnell
Manpreet Mand
Natasha Nair
Gurjit Tiwana Yale
Laurel Hogg Aachal Soll
Veronika Pidskalny
Nisha Sikka Aboriginal Law
Brian Yuen Immigration Law
Halie Bruce Aboriginal Lawyers Forum
Anisha Jagpal Real Property
David Hainey Business, Tax, Insolvency, Securities
Myron Plett Sexual & Gender Diversity Alliance
Sybila Valdivieso In-House Lawyers
Karen Liang Senior Counsel
Maegan Richards Criminal Justice
Shamim Aidun Wills & Trusts
Marlene Harrison Family Law
Puneet Klar Women Lawyers Forum
Sanjeeta Johal General Practice, Solo & Small Firm
Kirsten Hume Scrimshaw Workplace Investigations, Employment, Labour
15
Leadership 2025/26 Section Chairs Aboriginal Law Vancouver
Saul Joseph Kassie K. Seaby
Freedom of Information & Privacy Law
Michela Fiorido
Aboriginal Law Vancouver Island
Courtenay Jacklin
Marta Davidson
Aboriginal Lawyers Forum
Martin Bühler, KC
General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Lower Mainland
Administrative Law
Kate Phipps
Health Law
Atoussa Mahmoudpour
Laura Allen Stephen McPhee, KC
Human Rights Law
Matthew Allard
Immigration Law
Adrienne Denham
ADR Vancouver
Harpreet Dosanjh
Insolvency Law
Eamonn Watson
Air Law
Mike Wagner
Insurance Law
Jocelyn Lau
Animal Law
Rebeka Breder
Appellate Advocacy
Kathryn McGoldrick Jeremy Shragge
Intellectual Property & Technology Law
Afshaan Jiwaji Kapasi Anika Klassen
Internationally Trained Lawyers
Joseph Cuenca
ADR Nanaimo
Business Law
Jennifer Lo
CCCA BC
Peter Kletas Lindsey LeClair
Labour Law
Kas Pavanantharajah
Legal Research
Catherine Whitehead
Charities & Not-For-Profit Law
Stephen Hsia Rhys Volkenant
Maritime Law
Mathew Crowe
Mergers & Acquisitions
Emma Costante
Children's Law
Michael Zimmerman
Civil Litigation Okanagan
David Horvath
Municipal Law
Heidi Boudreau
Civil Litigation Vancouver
Stephanie Streat
Natural Resources Law
Roark Lewis
Class Action Law
Parmida Elahi Patrick Williams
Pensions & Benefits Law
Meghan Popp
Constitutional Law / Civil Liberties
Jason Gratl
Public Sector Lawyers
Mark Seebaran
Construction Law
Seema Lal
Real Property Vancouver
Benson Westerterp
Criminal Justice - Vancouver
Vicki Williams
Securities Law
Joey Levesque
Criminal Justice - Vancouver Island
Menaka Giri
Senior Counsel
Andrea Jones
Elder Law
Sara Pon
Social Justice
Meagan Auger
Employment Law
Erin Brandt Navpreet Chhina
SAGDA
Nicolas McKay Myron Plett
Environmental Law
Una Radoja* Emma Russell Sharon Singh
Taxation Law
Sam Shi Jie Liang
Unbundled Legal Services
Sonali Sharma
Wills & Trusts Okanagan
Shamim Aidun Louise McLeod
Gerald Gaunt
Family Law Fraser Valley
Jessie Ramsay Stephanie Talbot
Wills & Trusts Vancouver Wills & Trusts Victoria
Xiaopeng (Leo) Yuan
Family Law Kamloops
Marlene Harrison Aachal Soll
Women Lawyers Forum
Sara Li
WLF Kamloops
Catrina Thomas Whitney Mahar
Family Law Okanagan
Erin Bowman
Family Law Vancouver
H. Hailey Graham
WLF Vancouver Island
Jacquelyn Miller
Family Law Vancouver Island
Samantha de Wit Christine Murray
Workplace Investigations
Jacqueline Beltgens Sharon Cartmill-Lane
Fertility Law
Michelle Kinney Catherine Wong
Young Lawyers Vancouver
Michelle Liu
Young Lawyers Victoria
Sadaf Pourmand
16