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2007 Long Service Awards - Humble Roots Give Rise to 50 Years of Lawyering
Humble roots give rise to 50 years of lawyering
Excerpt of speech given by Jim Peacock, QC, President, Law Society of Alberta at the Long Service Awards in Calgary, October 24, 2007.
In 1957, the Honourable Ernest C. Manning was the Alberta premier, the population of Calgary was almost 200,000, and the Law Society of Alberta had a cumulative membership of 1844, 791 of whom were active in 1957.
But also in 1957, the Honourable Mr. Justice D.B. Mason, Henry Beaumont, W. Gordon Brown, Bill Code and Paul Havelock were called to the Alberta bar.
The Honourable Mr. Justice David Blair Mason was born in Montreal, received his bachelor and law degrees from the University of Alberta in 1955 and 1956 respectively. He articled under MacDonald Millard, QC, and began his career with the firm Mason, MacLeod and Company. He has served as an agent for the provincial attorney general’s office and sat on the Alberta Board of Industrial Relations and the Public Service Employee Relations Board of Alberta. He was called to the Court of Queen’s Bench on August 22, 1985, and was appointed a supernumerary judge in 2001.
Mr. Henry Beaumont, QC, born in Lethbridge, received his arts degree from Queen’s University in 1953, and his law degree from the University of Alberta in 1956. He articled under William M. MacKay and Robert Nesbitt in Calgary, and began his career by forming Beaumont Proctor. In 1989, his firm changed to Beaumont Church.
Born in Claresholm, Alberta, Mr. William Gordon Brown, QC, received his arts degree in 1952 from the University of Toronto and four years later his law degree from the University of Alberta. He articled under Mr. Robert Black and joined Bennett Jones.
During his 46 year career with the company, he played significant roles in the structuring of major transactions. His practice has included complex joint ventures for the exploration and development of conventional and heavy oil, tar sands, offshore oil and gas ventures, coal and uranium. In addition to his practice, Mr. Brown was a member of the Alberta round table on the environment and the economy and also served as a director of many energy corporations, the Canadian Institute of Resources Law and the Calgary Philharmonic Society.
Mr. Bill Code, QC was born in Gadsby, Alberta, and earned his arts and law degrees from the University of Alberta in 1953 and 1956 respectively. He articled with Mr. William A. McGillivray of Calgary, and began his law career by forming a partnership. He has stayed with his firm, Code Hunter, for more than four decades.
In January 1974, he was elected a Bencher of the Law Society of Alberta and became vice-president in 1980-81 and president the following year.
Mr. Code has an extensive general litigation practice. He was the court-appointed inspector into the business and affairs of the Principal Group of Companies from 1987 to 1989. He has been a NAFTA panelist since 1993 and currently is a member of the NAFTA panel in the Softwood Lumber Appeal, held in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Paul Havelock, born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, received his bachelor degree from the University of Manitoba and his law degree from the University of Alberta in 1955. He articled with the firm Lindsay, Emery and Massie in Edmonton, and that year, he began what was to become a 32-year career with Dome Petroleum. He now practices with InteQuest Corporation.
Mr. Havelock has been involved in the Naval Officers Association of Canada, the Canadian Petroleum Law Foundation, Masonic Order, Central Law Committee, Canadian Petroleum Association, Calgary Exhibition and Stampede, and Calgary Olympic Games in 1988.
The Honourable Mr. Justice J.A. Agrios was born in Edmonton, served in the airforce in 1954 where he was stationed in Germany. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alberta in 1955 and his Bachelor of Law from the same university in 1956. In his first and third year of law school, he received the Carswell prize in family law.
He was called to the bar in June 1957, and during his 24-year law career with Emery Jamieson, he served as the Alberta member of the special national committee for the Canadian Constitution created by the Canadian Bar Association in 1978. As well, he contributed significantly to the work of the Law Society of Alberta, the bar admission course and the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta. In 1979, he was made an honourary lifetime member of the Alberta branch of the Canadian Bar Association.
On July 25, 1980, he was sworn in as a justice for the Court of Queen’s Bench, on the same day that Princess Margaret visited Edmonton. Mr. Justice Agrios was appointed supernumerary judge in 1998.
Mr. Syd Bercov received his Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta in 1953 and his law degree from the same university in 1956. He articled under his father Abraham Bercov and William George Morrow in October 1956, and was admitted to the bar on July 12th 1957 in Edmonton.
He joined the firm of Emery Jamieson LLP on the same day he was admitted to the bar, where he began his 50-year career in the areas of business, financial services, real estate, wills and estate planning.
He has appeared at all levels of Alberta courts and before various administrative tribunals. He has authored a number of papers including a paper on legal opinions in commercial transactions published by the Law Society of Alberta. He has lectured in the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta on professional responsibility and is the co-author of the Code of Professional Responsibility of the Law Society of Alberta.
He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1982. He holds an “AV” rating in the prestigious Martindale-Hubbell legal directory. Mr. Bercov was the first recipient of the Distinguished Service Award for exceptional contribution and achievement presented by the Edmonton Bar Association, and received a Certificate of Merit from the Law Society of Alberta for service and dedication to the profession.
The Honourable Judge J.R. Bradley received his law degree from the University of Alberta in 1956. He was called to the Alberta Bar on June 24, 1957.
He spent his entire law career working in the Edmonton area working at the firm of Liden, Ackroyd and Company. He was named Queen’s Counsel in 1978, and in 1983 he was appointed to the provincial bench.
In September 1999, he was named assistant chief judge, responsible for courts in 29 communities and 14 judges around Edmonton, as well as courts in Cold Lake, Wainwright, Lloydminster, Jasper, Hinton and Grande Cache.
Judge Donald Ingram was born in Edmonton, and earned his bachelor of arts and law degrees from the University of Alberta in 1956. He articled under Garth Fryett and Douglas Matheson, and was admitted to the bar on May 29, 1957 in Calgary.
His career as a civil litigation lawyer began with the firm of Matheson and Company in Edmonton. He rose quickly to become a senior partner with expertise in the practice areas of criminal, corporate and administrative law.
He was appointed to the Edmonton civil claims division of the Alberta provincial court in January 2000.
The Honourable Mr. Justice Erik S. Lefsrud received his Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Alberta in May 1955, and his Bachelor of Law degree from the same university in 1956. He articled under Laurance Yeomans Cairns in Edmonton June 25, 1956.
The Honourable Mr. Justice Lefsrud was admitted to the bar on June 28, 1957, and formed a partnership called Lefsrud, Cunningham immediately after. For 30 years, he practiced in this partnership until it changed to Lefsrud, Cunningham & Roddick in July 1987, and then Lefsrud, Coulter & Kerby in October 1988.
He was a chartered arbitrator and has lectured for business and professional organizations and the University of Alberta on issues of mediation and dispute resolution. He was a member of the Edmonton and Canadian Bar Associations. He was appointed to the Court of Queen’s Bench in October 2002.
The Honourable Justice Wilson was born in Edmonton, received his arts degree from the University of Alberta in 1955 and his law degree in 1956. He articled Mr. Laurence Yeomans Cairns, QC in Edmonton before being accepted into the Law Society of Alberta on September 30, 1957. He was admitted to the bar on October 1st, 1957.
He began his 50-year service to the legal profession joining the law firm of Bryan Andrekson. For 36 years he practiced with that firm. In 1985, the firm changed its name to Bryan and Wilson.
He served as the Chairman of the Institute of Law Research and Reform in the province of Alberta from 1979 to 1986. From 1970 to 1981, he represented the Law Society of Alberta as a Commissioner of the Conference on Uniformity of Legislation in Canada. He has served as a Bencher of the Law Society and as a member of many Law Society committees. As well, he has played an active role in the United Way in Edmonton for many years.
In March 1991, he was appointed to the Court of Queen’s Bench, replacing Madam Justice Catherine A. Fraser who was elevated to the Court of Appeal.
The Honourable Judge Wood received his bachelor of arts degree from the University of Alberta in 1953, and his law degree in 1956. He articled under Sydney Wood, QC at the same time he was a member of the Royal Canadian Airforce, auxillary squadron in Edmonton. He was admitted to the Law Society of Alberta in Edmonton on July 31, 1957, and admitted to the bar on August 2, 1957.
He practiced at the firm of Wood, Moir, Hyde and Ross, where he became a partner. His firm underwent a name change during his practice, to that of Wood, Caffaro & Company. In 1988, he joined the firm of McCuaig Desrochers LLP where he served as a partner.
During his long law career, he also served as aide-de-camp to the Governor General of Canada and to the lieutenant governor of Alberta. In February 1993, he was appointed to the Alberta provincial court as a judge presiding in the Edmonton family and youth court.
Ten years later, in June 2003, he was appointed supernumerary judge in the Edmonton provincial court for a two year term. In 2005, he was re-appointed for another two year term.
Mr. Paul Halijan was born at Zliechov, in a small town in Czechoslovakia. After moving to Pilsen, he finished high school and junior college before earning a law degree (doctor juris) in 1945 from the University of Bratislava, Czechoslaovakia. He was the deputy of the Slovak legislature who had to flee his homeland when the Communists took over.
After emigrating to Canada in 1949, he enrolled at the University of Alberta and earned a Master of Arts degree in 1954.
In 1953, the Canadian Tax Foundation awarded him the M.L. Gordon Fellowship to assist in his research on the history of income tax in Canada. While awaiting his citizenship papers, he obtained a temporary job with the law firm of Milner & Steer where he conducted tax research for firm members. Mr. Justice R. Martland, then a senior member of the firm, persuaded him to join the legal profession instead. In 1956, the General Faculty Council of the University of Alberta recognized his legal education, thus enabling him to join the Law Society as a student-at-law.
He articled under the then Ronald Martland, QC before becoming a member of the Law Society of Alberta on February 21st, 1957. He was admitted to the bar on March 20, 1957 in Edmonton before Mr. Justice Greaschuk in Supreme Court. In his swearing-in, Justice Greaschuk noted that Mr. Haljan had come from a country where “personal freedom is unheard of. “ In his remarks, he told Mr. Haljan; “You have personal freedom in this country, and something more important, proof of which lies in your admission to the bar, you have opportunity.”
He began his practice in the firm Lazerte & Haljan, however his legal practice has been, for the most part, a separate practice for 50 years in Edmonton, with a presence in Westlock, Alberta.
An associate of Mr. Paul Halijan in his early career was Mr. Jim Redmond, QC who began his law career with the firm Milner & Steer in 1957. This soon became a 50-year career with the same firm, even through many name changes to its current name of Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP.
Mr. Redmond was born in Grand Prairie, received his arts degree and his law degree from the University of Alberta in 1953 and 1954 respectively. He articled under Arnold F. Moir while working part-time in the evenings as a news editor and radio announcer for CKUA. He was admitted to the Law Society on August 14, 1957 and became a member of the bar on August 15, 1957 in Edmonton.
During the early years of his law career, he worked briefly as a foreign service officer with the federal External Affairs department in Ottawa. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1971. After a 46 year career with Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP, he set up his own private practice, James E. Redmond Professional Corporation.
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