James M. Bond
President
James is a Partner in the Vancouver office of Lang Michener LLP, where he also serves as Chair of the firm’s Student Recruiting Committee. James’ practice is concentrated in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, franchise and distribution, privacy, technology, and intellectual property law. He holds a BV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, has been ranked for four years as a “Leading Lawyer” in Canada by the legal publication, LEXPERT, and has been named one of “Canada’s Best Lawyers” in each of the last three years.

James is an active volunteer, and is a former member of the Executive Committee of the Vancouver Bar Association, a former Legal Advisor and a current member of the Canadian Franchise Association Pacific Region Council, and a member of the Canadian Franchise Association Franchise Service Supplier Council.

James regularly writes and lectures in primary practice areas, and has published several articles, taught courses, and presented papers at a number of conferences. He holds a BA from the University of Calgary, where he was a Queen Elizabeth II Scholar, and an LLB from the University of Alberta. He was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1996.

Stephen G. McPhee
Vice President
Stephen began his legal career in South Africa and was called there in 1997. His law degree was earned at the University of Stellenbosch, situated in the heart of the South African winelands, which makes his successful academic performance there even more impressive. He immigrated to Canada in 1997, obtained his Canadian legal accreditation in 2000, and was called to the Bar in B.C. in 2002.

Stephen is a partner with Ramsay Lampman Rhodes in Nanaimo and practises general commercial and civil litigation, personal injury and family law. He has a special interest in ADR.

Stephen is an elected member of Provincial Council for Nanaimo County. He has been the Nanaimo ADR Section Chair, and served on the Executive of the Nanaimo Family Section since 2003.

He has served on the CBA B.C. Branch Executive Committee since 2005.

Miriam A. Maisonville
Past President
Miriam A. Maisonville was called to the Bar in British Columbia in 1986 and the Bar in Alberta in 1991. A graduate of the University of British Columbia law school in 1985, Miriam practises with the Ministry of the Attorney General, Appeals and Special Prosecutions, conducting fraud prosecutions and appeals. A member of the Bilingual Prosecutors group, she also conducts French language prosecutions.

Miriam practised civil litigation and conducted criminal defence work prior to joining the Ministry of Attorney General in 1994. She is a past Chair of the Vancouver Criminal Section from 2003-2004 and was elected to Provincial Council in 2004. In 2006-2007 she served as Secretary-Treasurer to the CBA B.C. Branch and in 2007-2008 as the Branch Vice President. She is member of the CBA National Council and is the past Chair of the CBA National Conference of French Speaking Common law members. She is the past President of the Association des Juristes d’Expression Française de la Colombie-Britannique. She is a member of the Judicial Council for British Columbia and is a past member of the CBABC Advisory Committee to the Judicial Council for British Columbia.

Miriam has been a guest lecturer and presenter at numerous conferences and seminars on both legal and practice issues and issues within the profession, including mentoring. She is a past contributor of the Continuing Legal Education Society’s Annual Review of Law and Practice, in the area of Criminal Law, and she recently authored chapters for Introducing Evidence at Trial. Her other community involvement in the past has included serving for the Canadian Red Cross, on the Board of Governors of the Developmental Disabilities Association Foundation and volunteer competitive swim coaching.

Sharon Matthews
Secretary-Treasurer
Sharon Matthews combines a practice focussing on aviation cases, product liability cases and class actions with service to the legal community.

Sharon is a partner with Camp Fiorante Matthews and acts for plaintiffs in aviation and product liability cases and on class actions. In the course of this practice, Sharon has acted as counsel at trials and on appeals in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and at the Supreme Court of Canada.

In addition to her practice, Sharon volunteers in the legal community. She sits on B.C. Provincial Council and the CBA National Council, and has served on a multitude of CBABC committees, including the 2003-2004 Executive Committee. She also volunteers as a roster lawyer for Pro Bono B.C., and is a member of the Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia. She is a former member and Past President of The Advocates’ Club. She is a frequent speaker at continuing legal education events including B.C. Continuing Legal Education and Osgoode Professional Development.

Sharon’s efforts and productivity in these endeavours were recognized with the 2002-2003 CBABC President’s Medal and in 2006 with the UBC Law Alumni Association Outstanding Young Alumna Award.

Michael R. Dunn
Officer
Michael R. Dunn received a BA (Hons.) in Economics from UBC in 1988, and LLB from UBC in 1992, and was called to the Bar of B.C. in 1993. He is an active volunteer, and has volunteered his time to a number of organizations including the South Grandview Residents Association, and the Young Associates of the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Michael R. Dunn founded the Vancouver Law Firm of Dunn & Company in 1993. He has practised at every court level in British Columbia. He has acted as Counsel in serious criminal matters, and before many of the administrative tribunals in B.C., including the Environmental Appeal Board of B.C., and the Investment Dealers Association. He specializes in the area of complex civil litigation. He has been a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada since February 2005, and is representing Class Action litigants nationally in several product liability actions.

From 2002 until 2006, Michael R. Dunn was the Chair of Membership, member of the National Membership Committee of the CBA, member of the CBABC Legislation and Law Reform Committee, and member of the CBABC Law Week Committee. He is a member of the Ontario Bar Association, a member of National Council, and an Officer of the Executive Committee of the CBA B.C. Branch.

Martin Russell
Officer
Martin received his BA from the University of Western Ontario in 1987 and graduated from Queen’s University with an LLB in 1997. He was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1998. Martin’s private practice consists of wills and estates, conveyancing, and business law. He has been the Co-Chair of the Wills and Trusts-Okanagan Section since 2006. Martin moved to Kelowna in 2002 and enjoys the lifestyle that the Okanagan has to offer.

 

Clinton Sadlemyer
Officer
Clint graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 1991 and was called to the Bar in British Columbia in 1993. He practises exclusively in the field of Criminal Defence at King Sutton Sadlemyer in Nanaimo. He is currently in his second term as President of the Nanaimo County Bar Association and is a member of Provincial Council for Nanaimo. Clint is a member of the Legal Services Society Criminal Tariff Committee and the Law Day Committee for Nanaimo. Clint plays guitar and was the driving force behind Nanaimo’s First Annual Battle of the Lawyers’ Bar Bands in October of 2008, and is planning the next one. Clint also volunteers with the Lawyer’s Assistance Program. Clint is married to his life partner of 31 years, Michelle, and has three children and one grandchild.

 

Kerry L. Simmons
Young Lawyers’ Representative
Kerry practises at Cook Roberts LLP where she assists clients with family law and civil litigation disputes. Called to the Bar in 2000, Kerry has been a member of Provincial Council as a Section Chair from 2001-2007 and as an elected member for Victoria County since 2007. This is her second year serving as Young Lawyers’ Representative. Kerry is also a Sessional Instructor at the Faculty of Law, University of Victoria teaching Civil Procedure and Drafting. Among her professional and community contributions, she is the Chair of the Inquiry Committee of the College of Dental Hygienists of British Columbia.

 

Jennifer Spencer
Equality Representative
Jennifer Spencer is an associate at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, having summered and articled at the firm after earning her law degree from the University of Victoria (2002). She practises corporate-commercial litigation acting on a broad range of commercial matters, including contract disputes, corporate governance matters and torts claims, especially product liability. Jennifer also works extensively in aboriginal law, including consultation processes, strength of claim analysis, governance issues, and natural resource use for both aboriginal governments and industry. Her practice sees her in all levels of court in British Columbia, the Federal Court, and various administrative tribunals, including the Coroner’s Court, from time to time.

Jennifer’s background focuses on social justice and she has a masters degree in law and politics. Access to justice and pro bono initiatives are important to Jennifer: she serves on both the Blakes national pro bono committee and with Pro Bono Law B.C.’s civil chambers duty counsel project. Jennifer also advises several charitable organizations on corporate governance and risk management issues.

Each spring, Jennifer is found coaching the UBC Law Faculty’s moot team at the national Kawaskimhon Moot in aboriginal law. Throughout the year, she can be found at The Advocates’ Club and chairing the CBA’s Aboriginal Law (Vancouver) Section.

As the Equality and Diversity Representative, Jennifer’s focus for the coming year is on the retention of women and minorities in the legal profession. She is also passionate about the Aboriginal Law Students Scholarship Trust!