For Immediate Release
Aug. 11, 2006
ST. JOHN’S, NFLD. – David Frayer, Q.C., General Counsel with the Department of Justice Canada’s Winnipeg office, has been chosen as the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) 2006 John Tait Award of Excellence winner as an outstanding Canadian public sector lawyer.
“David’s contributions to Canadian law, especially as it relates to public sector lawyers, have been stellar,” said CBA President Brian A. Tabor, Q.C. “More than that, though, he’s also served as a shining example and inspiration as to what a lawyer serving the public interest should be like.”
Frayer has been a public servant for 37 years, including three years as a Crown attorney with the Province of Manitoba, and 34 with the Department of Justice Canada, where he served as regional director for 20 years. During his time with Justice, he has devoted himself to ensuring that Canadians receive the highest standard of legal service from the federal government. Frayer has won numerous accolades for his work mentoring other lawyers within the public service and for his honesty and integrity.
Frayer was recently appointed as counsel for the Minister of Justice in the inquiry into the wrongful conviction of David Milgaard.
As a member of the Canadian Forces Reserves, Frayer attained the rank of commander with the Judge Advocate-General Branch. He has served as both prosecuting and defending officer in military courts-martial, and sat as a military trial judge in Canada and Europe. As a director of the Community Legal Education Association in Winnipeg, Frayer has also devoted countless hours to educating the public about the law.
As well, Frayer has a long list of decorations recognizing his contributions, including the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation medal, the Queen’s Jubilee Commemorative Medal, the Canadian Forces Decoration for long service, and a Long Service Medal from the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires. He is also a life bencher of the Law Society of Manitoba. Frayer is one of a small number of Canadians honoured with the Queen’s Counsel designation from both the provincial and federal governments.
Frayer received his bachelor of arts and bachelor of law degrees from the University of Manitoba, and was called to the Manitoba bar in 1968, the Northwest Territories bar in 1980, and the Yukon bar in 1982.
The John Tait Award of Excellence is presented by the CBA’s Public Sector Lawyers Forum during the Canadian Legal Conference in St. John’s, Nfld., as part of the John Tait Reception, on Monday Aug. 14 in Salon G at the Delta St. John’s Hotel and Convention Centre. The award was established in 1998 to honour, recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of public sector lawyers in Canada. The award honours the memory of John Tait, an outstanding lawyer, public servant and friend of the CBA who passed away in the summer of 1999. The reception is open to accredited journalists who have registered with the CBA Media Centre.
The Canadian Bar Association is dedicated to improvement in the law and the administration of justice. Some 36,000 lawyers, notaries, law teachers, and law students from across Canada are members.
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CONTACT: Hannah Bernstein, Canadian Bar Association, Aug. 11-15, Delta St. John’s Hotel and Convention Centre, St. Mary’s Room, (709) 726-7594; E-mail: hannahb@cba.org.
