MONTREAL РKerry Simmons, Q.C., of Victoria, BC, will take over as president of the Canadian Bar Association on August 17 when the chain of office is transferred from outgoing president Ren̩ Basque of Moncton, N.B., at the CBA Annual Meeting.
The new president says her priorities in the year ahead are to focus on building membership and completing the association’s governance and operational transformation. She will continue her long-standing commitment to members of the legal profession to ensure the CBA supports its members and works with them to promote effective law reform, equality in the profession, and fair justice systems.
Kerry Simmons is a partner at Cook Roberts LLP in Victoria where her practice focuses on estate litigation, employment law and professional regulation and liability. In 2013, she was named Queen’s Counsel by the Attorney General of BC, and received the President’s Medal from the BC Branch of the CBA for outstanding service to the legal profession.
Quote
"I’ve been a proud member since law school. Throughout my career, the CBA has given me opportunities to develop my skills and become a better lawyer. My message is that the CBA is not just an association, it is a tool. If you use it you will become a better lawyer too. I urge members to use the CBA to become better lawyers and to spread the word about it to others."
- CBA President Kerry Simmons, Q.C.
Quick facts
- Kerry Simmons received her LL.B from University of Calgary in 1999, and was called to the Bar in 2000.
- In 2012-13 she served as President of the BC Branch of CBA, where she was an outspoken advocate for access to justice and access to legal services in rural and small communities throughout the province.
- She has been a member of the CBA since law school.
For more information about Kerry Simmons, or to schedule an interview, please contact Katya Hodge.
Links
Kerry Simmons bio
CBA 2017 resolutions
The Canadian Bar Association
About the CBA
The CBA is dedicated to support for the rule of law, and improvement in the law and the administration of justice. Some 36,000 lawyers, notaries in Quebec, law teachers, and law students from across Canada are members.