Benchers

Dean Lawton, QC is a partner with Carfra Lawton LLP in Victoria.

First elected a Bencher for 2014, Dean is currently Chair of the Executive Committee and the Anti-Money Laundering Working Group, Co-Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Advisory Committee, and a member of the Litigation Subcommittee. 

In 2014, he was appointed as a Bencher representative to the Continuing Legal Education Society's Board of Directors. He has also served as a guest judge at practice advocacy sessions for the Professional Legal Training Course. In 2018, he was appointed by the Federation of Law Societies of Canada as the western Canada (BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan) Bencher representative on the Federation’s Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action Advisory Committee.

Dean has been a sessional lecturer in civil procedure and insurance law at the University of Victoria; co-author of CLEBC publication Advising BC Business, Chapter 13, Insurance Basics 2006, revised 2008; past member of editorial advisory panel for CLEBC publication, CIVJI, 2008 revised; a past contributor to CLEBC programs; executive member (2001-2002), President (2003) and Treasurer (2004) of the Victoria Bar Association; and a member of Mediate BC since 2007.

In the community, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the United Way of Greater Victoria from 2008 – 2014 and a member of its Finance Committee from 2012 – 2014.

Lisa Hamilton, QC is a founding partner of Hamilton Fabbro, practising family law. She attended UBC (psychology) and UVic (law), and was called to the bar in 1995.

First elected a Bencher in 2016, Lisa is VP, currently Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee and Access to Justice Advisory Committee, and a member of the Executive Committee, Anti-Money Laundering Working Group and Litigation Subcommittee. She is the Law Society representative on both the Provincial Court Family Law Rules Working Group and on the Supreme Court Rules Committee.

She has served the legal profession as treasurer and co-chair of the CBA BC Vancouver Family Law Section; elected member of the Provincial Council of the CBA BC; member of the Family Law Working Group of the CBA BC for law reform; and member of the Board of Directors of CLE.

Lisa is a member of, and has written and presented for: the CBA, Trial Lawyers Association of BC, BC Arbitration and Mediation Institute, Family Law Advocates Group and BC Parenting Coordinators Roster Society.

Lisa has assisted editing practice checklists for the Law Society and practice manuals for CLE. Lisa has served as a guest instructor at UBC, UVic, PLTC and for the BCAMI Family Law Arbitrator Training Course.

Christopher McPherson, QC is a senior prosecutor responsible for challenging, high-profile homicide cases. He has prosecuted over 30 homicide cases.

First elected a Bencher for 2016, Christopher is currently Vice-Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee and Governance Committee, and a member of the Executive Committee, Rule of Law and Lawyer Independence Advisory Committee, Truth and Reconciliation Advisory Committee, Mental Health Task Force and Anti-Money Laundering Working Group. 

Christopher is a member of the International Association of Prosecutors and International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law. He formerly served as a director of the BC Crown Counsel Association, President and on the Executive of the New Westminster Bar Association, Co-chair of the CBA Westminster Criminal Subsection and member of the Policy Review Committee, Criminal Justice Branch.

His teaching and lecturing experience includes coach of the Western Canadian Criminal Moot Competition and UBC Burns Moot Competition, instructor of CLEBC’s Winning Advocacy, lecturer with the National Judicial Institute, ongoing training with the Ministry of Justice and various law enforcement agencies, and presenter at the International Association of Prosecutors Conference.

In the community, Christopher is a member of the East Vancouver Port Lands Liaison Committee, and was formerly an official with Biathlon Canada, volunteering with the Winter Olympics 2010, captain at the Vancouver Rowing Club and president of the Vancouver Skiers Cross-Country Club. 

Pinder K. Cheema, QC practises primarily as Crown Counsel, but also spends part time doing solicitor's work as a sole practitioner. She was appointed Queen's Counsel in 2002.

First elected a Bencher in 2014, Pinder is currently Chair of the Credentials Committee, and a member of the Governance Committee and Anti-Money Laundering Working Group.

Pinder has served a number of other organizations in the legal community: Canadian Bar Association Women Rainmakers, South Asian Bar and Judicial Advisory Committee; Legal Services Society Executive Committee, Legal Aid Committee, Media Committee and Finance Committee; and Victoria Bar Association as Treasurer and Director. She has been a sessional lecturer, mock trial judge and a principal to articled students. She has served on numerous administrative boards, including Safety Standards Appeal Board and the Mental Health Review Board.

In her community, Pinder has volunteered as director of the Warehouse School Society; director of La Societe Francophone de Victoria; and member of the UVic Senate and Awards Committee.

Jennifer Chow, QC is Senior Counsel at the federal Department of Justice, focusing on constitutional, administrative, Indigenous and commercial litigation. She was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2016.

First elected a Bencher for 2018, Jennifer is Chair of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee and a member of the Access to Justice Advisory Committee. She also sat on hearing panels before becoming a Bencher.

Jennifer served on the Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch’s Executive Committee for six years, and was the first visible minority president of the BC Branch. Her past service at the CBA includes two-term elected member of the Provincial Council, chair of the Equality and Diversity Committee, chair of the Annual Branch Conference Committee, Treasurer of the Women Lawyers Forum and chair of the Professional Development Courses. She won the Community Service Award in 2010.

She is currently a member of the Trauma Informed Practice Project Steering Committee (Access to Justice Initiative), and a former member of the Judicial Council and former secretary of Dress for Success Vancouver.

Jennifer regularly contributes to professional development, including CLEBC, DOJ-CBABC Professional Development Courses and PLTC Advocacy Courses. She co-taught an Indigenous law course at the University of Victoria law school. Her speaking engagements have included topics on diversity, administrative law, Aboriginal law and Federal Court practice. Jennifer is an active mentor and articled student principal. She has appeared at all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada.

Barbara Cromarty is a partner with Ghilarducci & Cromarty in Trail, practising civil litigation – primarily family law, company, conveyancing, wills and estates. She attended UBC, completing her law degree in 1992, and was called to the bar in 1993.

Elected a Bencher in March 2017, Barbara is currently Vice-Chair of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee and a member of the Discipline Committee.

Barbara has served as an appeal board tribunal member with the Health Professions Review Board, as a mentor for young female lawyers with the CBA Women Lawyer’s Mentoring, as a governor of the Law Foundation and as Secretary-Treasurer, Vice-President and President of the Kootenay Bar Association.

Barbara has a broad range of volunteer experience in the community, including serving as a governor of Selkirk College, director of Kootenay Friends of Children Foundation and director, secretary and chair of Trail Family & Individual Resource Centre Society.

Jeevyn Dhaliwal, QC is a solicitor with the immigration boutique, Larlee, Rosenberg, where she practises workplace immigration law. She was called to the Bar in 1998.

First elected as a Bencher for 2014, Jeevyn is currently Chair of the Ethics Committee and Governance Committee, and a member of the Executive  Committee and Finance and Audit Committee.

Jeevyn has served as current executive and former President of the South Asian Bar Association of BC, past elected member of the Canadian Bar Association Provincial Council, past elected member of the Vancouver Bar Association and as a mentor to young female lawyers. She is a frequent presenter on immigration and employment-related topics.

She is a member of the Association of South Asian Professionals of BC, a guest anthem singer for Vancouver Canucks, a volunteer with the Kamloops Multicultural Society, a former member of Industry Training Appeals Board and the BC Advisory Council on Multiculturalism, and a past board member and secretary of the Kamloops – Cariboo Regional Immigrant Services.

Cheryl S. D’Sa was called to the bar in 2008 and is currently the managing partner of Narwal Litigation LLP, a firm devoted to criminal defence, personal injury, professional regulation and securities litigation.

Elected a Bencher in the May 2020 by-election, Cheryl is currently a member of the Practice Standards Committee, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee and Rule of Law and Lawyer Independence Advisory Committee.

She is a former president of the Vancouver Bar Association. She has held seats on several Canadian Bar Association committees, including the Business of Law and Automobile Committees, and was chair of the Solo & Small Firm Section. She has been an active volunteer in the legal profession and community: as a mentor for Allard Law first-year students, Women Lawyers Forum members and through Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers BC; and as a guest speaker for the CBA, BC Branch, the Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia and the Advocates’ Society, among others.

Cheryl was named one of the Top Forty Under 40 by Business in Vancouver in 2019.

Lisa H. Dumbrell was called to the bar in 1998. She is currently counsel for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC), where she serves as a federal Crown for the North Shore, Sechelt and Pemberton areas.

First elected a Bencher for 2021, Lisa is a member of the Act and Rules Committee, Credentials Committee and Access to Justice Advisory Committee.

She is a member of the PPSC Vancouver Diversity and Inclusion Committee, the Vancouver Criminal Section of the Canadian Bar Association, the International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law, the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice and the CBABC’s Women Lawyer’s Forum.

Lisa has volunteered with the Canadian Cancer Society, the Harvest and Aunt Leah's Society.

Lisa Feinberg was called to the Ontario Bar in 2012 and the BC Bar in 2015. She currently works as Crown Counsel in Smithers with a primary focus on criminal prosecutions. Prior to working for the Crown, she worked in a general practice firm in Smithers. She moved to Northern BC from Toronto five years ago, where she practised labour, employment and administrative law. 

First elected a Bencher for 2020, Lisa is a member of the Complainants' Review Committee, Credentials Committee and Unauthorized Practice Committee.

Lisa is an active volunteer with the Canadian Bar Association; she currently serves as the Chair of the Women Lawyers Forum – BC North and as a volunteer mentor. She has also been a board member on community organizations in Smithers, including the Smithers Public Library and the Northern Society for Domestic Peace.

Martin Finch, QC practises criminal and civil litigation at Baker Newby LLP, including commercial and personal injury law. He has practised family law and acted for lawyers on disciplinary hearings. He was appointed Queen's Counsel in 2010.

First elected a Bencher in 2014, Martin is currently Chair of the Discipline Committee, and a member of the Act and Rules Committee, Rule of Law and Lawyer Independence Advisory Committee and Truth and Reconciliation Advisory Committee.   

Martin also serves the profession as a member of the Board of Directors of the Continuing Legal Education Society. He was formerly the Canadian Bar Association representative to the Chilliwack School District and Secretary of the Cariboo Bar Association. He represented the CBA and the Chilliwack Bar Association at the government inquiry on the Chilliwack and Abbotsford courthouses. He is a member of the CBA and TLABC. He was formerly a member of the CBA Judicial Appointments Advisory Committee.

Martin holds an LLM . He has taught various courses in law at SFU, University of the Fraser Valley and Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, and has been a lecturer in law at Q.U. T in Brisbane, Australia

In the community, Martin was a Director of the Vancouver YMCA Foundation, Chilliwack Arts Council, Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce, Williams Lake Child Development Centre and Chilliwack YMCA Foundation.

Brook Greenberg, QC has been a member of the Litigation Department of Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP since being called to the bar in 1998. His practice focuses on complex commercial, construction and forestry litigation. He has appeared before all levels of court including the Supreme Court of Canada. He has been the partner responsible for pro bono matters in Fasken’s Vancouver office since 2004. He has taught civil procedure as an adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia from 2006 to the present.

First elected a Bencher for 2016, Brook is currently Chair of the Mental Health Task Force, Vice-Chair of the Discipline Committee and Lawyer Development Task Force, and a member of the Complainants' Review Committee.

Brook has been involved with the Law Students’ Legal Advice Program since 1993, first as a student clinician, clinic head and executive member, and then as a supervising lawyer at various clinics. In 2012, Brook joined the founding board of directors of the Greater Vancouver Law Students’ Legal Advice Society. Brook also acted as Secretary/Treasurer of the GVLSLAS in 2012 and 2013. He then served as President in 2014 and 2015, and as Past-President from 2016 to present.

In the community, Brook served from 2005 to 2012 on the board of directors of MOSAIC, a not-for-profit provider of settlement and support services for immigrants and refugees. He was Vice-President of MOSAIC in 2008, and President from 2009 to 2011.

Jamie Maclaren, QC is a sole practitioner with a primary focus on civil litigation, and a secondary focus on solicitor’s work for small businesses. He is the founding Executive Director of the Access Pro Bono Society of BC, a former Executive Director of Pro Bono Law of BC, and the Vice-President of the Social Planning and Research Council of BC. 

First elected a Bencher for 2014, Jamie is a member of the Complainants' Review Committee, Credentials Committee, Access to Justice Advisory Committee and Rule of Law and Lawyer Independence Advisory Committee.

Jamie volunteers as a supervising trial lawyer and director for the UBC Law Students Legal Advice Program, conducts legal seminars for people overcoming homelessness and addiction in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, and regularly provides pro bono legal advice and representation at all levels of court. 

He is also an adjunct professor at the UBC Faculty of Law, and an original member of the UBC Law Dean’s Advisory Council. He writes a column for the Slaw.ca blog and speaks internationally on the subject of access to justice. In 2009, Jamie received the UBC Law Alumni Association Outstanding Young Alumnus Award. In 2014, he received the Canadian Bar Association BC Branch’s Harry Rankin, QC Pro Bono Award.

Geoffrey McDonald practises with the Ministry of the Attorney General as a Crown Counsel and is based out of Prince George. His practice is a mix of criminal and regulatory prosecutions throughout northern British Columbia.

First elected a Bencher for 2018, Geoff is currently a member of the Act and Rules Committee, Complainants' Review Committee and Credentials Committee.

Geoff is very active in the Prince George Bar Association, as a former president and the longstanding Education Chair. He is the creator and chair of the Prince George Law Talks – a yearly conference held every May that is now in its 10th year. He has volunteered for the past five years as a scout leader.

Steven McKoen, QC is a partner at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, practising in the areas of securities, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance.

First elected a Bencher for 2016, Steven is currently Chair of the Unauthorized Practice Committee and Lawyer Development Task Force, Vice-Chair of the Credentials Committee, and a member of the Ethics Committee, Executive Committee and Anti-Money Laundering Working Group.

Steve is active in the community. He is a director of the Pacific Legal Education and Outreach Society and since 2006 has provided legal advice to artists and not-for-profits through its monthly pro bono clinic. Steve has been an adjunct professor in the faculties of law at both UBC and UVic, served on the UBC Dean’s Advisory Committee for the Centre for Business Law and is a past chair of the Securities Law Section of the CBABC. Steve grew up in Port Alberni and Nanaimo, attended law school at UVic and was called to the bar in BC in 1998 and New York in 2002. He is married and is the proud father of two daughters. 

Steve is recognized as a leading lawyer by the following publications: The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2019, The 2016 Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Corporate Lawyers in Canada, and The Best Lawyers in Canada 2020. In 2014, Steven was a recipient of a national Lexpert Zenith Award, which recognized those lawyers and judges, called between 1986-2000, who each demonstrated excellence and thought leadership in their areas of practice.

Jacqueline McQueen, QC practises family law and is a partner at Aaron Gordon Daykin Nordlinger LLP, a boutique family law firm in Vancouver. A native of British Columbia, Jacqueline completed her B.A. at York University and her LL.B. at Osgoode Hall in 1993. She was called to the bar in Ontario in 1995, BC in 1996 and New Zealand in 2001.

Elected a Bencher for 2019, Jacqueline is currently Chair of the Practice Standards Committee, Vice-Chair of the Rule of Law and Lawyer Independence Advisory Committee, and a member of the Executive Committee.

Jacqueline has been an active volunteer in the legal profession and community: in a variety of CBA Vancouver sections, including at the executive level; as a mentor through the CBA Women Lawyers Forum; at CLEBC as a contributing author to Annotated Family Practice and as a course presenter; as a moot court judge in PLTC; and in pro-bono legal advice programs.

She has also been a board member on community organizations, including 365give, a registered not-for-profit that encourages children to give back every day.

Elizabeth J. Rowbotham practises environmental law with the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, with a focus on Crown liability. Her past experience includes commissioner with the BC Utilities Commission and legal and policy analyst for a British academic NGO and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

First elected a Bencher for 2014, Elizabeth is currently Chair of the Act and Rules Committee and Rule of Law and Lawyer Independence Advisory Committee, and a member of the Finance and Audit Committee.

Elizabeth is a former Chair and long-serving member of the executive of the CBA, Environmental and Natural Resources section; a regular judge at UBC Law Environmental Negotiations Competition; and presenter at CLE.

She has been a significant contributor to Covenant House Vancouver, a not-for-profit society assisting street youth, as a Director, Vice-chair, Corporate Secretary, Co-chair of the Governance Committee, Chair of the Advocacy Committee and Program Committee member.

She is a 2013 Premier's Innovation and Excellent Award Nominee in the Cross-Government Integration category.

Karen Snowshoe has worked in diverse practice areas since 2004, including Indigenous issues, administrative law, arbitration and mediation. She attended the University of British Columbia, completed her law degree in 2002, and was called to the bar of British Columbia in 2004.

First elected a Bencher in 2018, Karen is currently a member of the Discipline Committee and Unauthorized Practice Committee.

Her work is currently focused on providing adjudication services across Canada. Her past clients include the Indian Residential School Adjudication Secretariat, the Northwest Territories Human Rights Adjudication Panel and the Workers’ Compensation Tribunal of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

An experienced adjudicator, Karen has held over 250 hearings across Canada and written 150 decisions and 20 appeal decisions. She is a member of two federal land claim arbitration panels, and recently served as senior counsel with the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. She also maintains membership in numerous professional organizations dedicated to the administration of justice.

Born and raised in Vancouver, Karen is a member of the Tetlit-Gwich’in Nation in Fort McPherson, NT.

Thomas L. Spraggs (Tom) is the owner and operator of Spraggs Law. He holds a Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws and Masters of Business Administration. Tom is also a Qualified Arbitrator. His law firm has navigated significant growth over the last several years, and his lifelong passions for technology and learning have helped him develop unique approaches to collaborative work processes and practice management. The firm was acknowledged by the Canadian Bar Association with the 2016 Innovative Workplace Award.  
  
First elected a Bencher for Westminster County in 2020, Tom is currently a member of the Practice Standards Committee, Unauthorized Practice Committee and Lawyer Development Task Force. 

Tom's past volunteer work includes serving with the British Columbia Law Institute and Canadian Centre for Elder Law as a director from 2012 to 2020. He served on the Strategic Planning Committee, the Audit, Finance and Risk Committee (as Chair), and as Chair of the Board for two terms. He also chairs the CBABC Civil Litigation Tri-Cities/New Westminster section.  

As a member of the Law Societies of British Columbia, Yukon and Alberta, Tom's work has been primarily in civil litigation. He has been a frequent participant in the Continuing Legal Education of BC Solo and Small Firm Conference as well as co-chairing the 2018 Professional Wellness for Lawyers and Law Firms. Tom is a regular contributor to the Trial Lawyers Association of BC publication The Verdict, writing on legal technology. Tom is actively involved in the technology start-up community and is working with several legal innovation and digital technology projects.

Michael Welsh, QC, is a well-known member of the Okanagan Bar based in Penticton. He has extensive litigation experience at all levels of the court system, including the Supreme Court of Canada.

First elected a Bencher in 2018, Michael is currently Vice-Chair of the Ethics Committee, and a member of the Credentials Committee and Governance Committee.

Appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2017, Michael is a Past President of the Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch and Past President of the ADR Institute of BC. He has been a member of both the CBA and the Trial Lawyers Association of BC for several decades and is a Fellow of the International Institute of Arbitrators.

He is author of many legal, ADR and other publications in the Advocate, BarTalk and Canadian Arbitration & Mediation Journal, including the Advocate wine column. He is presenter at many professional development events by organizations such as the CBABC, CLEBC, TLABC and Law Seminars International. He is a busy and experienced mediator and arbitrator, holding the designations C. Med., FCIArb, Q. Arb. and C.Fam.Arb.

Michael was a commercial grape-grower for over a decade and was twice President of the BC Grape Growers’ Association. He has been a BC VQA wine judge since 2003. He is a Past President of two Rotary Clubs.

Kevin B. Westell was called to the bar in 2009 and is currently a founding partner at Pender Litigation, where he practises criminal, regulatory and administrative law. In addition to his work in criminal defence, Westell acts as ad hoc Crown counsel, amicus curiae, and as counsel for vulnerable witnesses.

Elected a Bencher for 2021, Kevin is a member of the Ethics Committee and Access to Justice Advisory Committee

He has served as president of the Advocates’ Club, chair of the Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch Vancouver Criminal Section, and the Trial Lawyers Association of BC’s Criminal Defence Committee, and he has been Vancouver’s regional representative for the Criminal Defence Advocacy Society.

Kevin has served the community as a volunteer on the boards of the Strathcona Community Centre and the Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of BC.

Called to the Bar in 2005, Chelsea Dawn Wilson practises at Ramsay Lampman Rhodes in Nanaimo in the areas of estate planning, estate administration, estate litigation and civil litigation. Following a clerkship with the BC Court of Appeal, she articled and practised in the litigation department of a large firm in Vancouver. She moved to a boutique firm in Vancouver a few years later to focus exclusively on areas of estates, wills, trusts and tax and later moved to Vancouver Island in 2010.

First elected a Bencher for 2020, Chelsea is currently a member of the Complainants' Review Committee and Practice Standards Committee. Prior to being a Bencher, she was a member of the Practice Standards Committee.

Chelsea served as president of the Nanaimo County Bar Association for four years and has been a director of the Nanaimo Foundation for the past three years. She lectures for Continuing Legal Education of British Columbia and the Canadian Bar Association on topics related to estates and trusts.

Heidi Zetzsche is a sole practitioner in 100 Mile House concentrating on legal aid family law. She started her legal career as an articled student and associate at Kingsmill Ross McBride in Hamilton, Ontario. She moved to BC in 1990 and re-articled with Jensen Mitchell in Kamloops. She worked for FMEP, Fulton and Co & Oien Church in Kamloops until 1997, when she moved to 100 Mile House, where she worked for a time as associate counsel with Messner Kenney, now Heartland Law LLP.

First elected a Bencher for 2018, Heidi is currently Chair of the Complainants' Review Committee, and a member of the Practice Standards Committee and Unauthorized Practice Committee.

Heidi has been active with the Canadian Bar Association as chair of family and young lawyer sections, elected representative for the Cariboo South and President of the Cariboo Bar Association, and as a member of the REAL Committee. Since 2015, she has been a board member of Continuing Legal Education of BC.