THREE members of British Columbia’s legal community were recognized by the Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch (CBABC) on May 9 for their dedication to the profession and to supporting others.

Chief Judge Melissa Gillespie, Kathryn McGoldrick and Arun Mohan received awards recognizing their exceptional contributions to the legal community and the administration of justice in British Columbia.

“Each of these honourees has shaped the legal community in lasting ways, demonstrating our shared commitment to making justice accessible to all British Columbians, confronting discrimination and supporting the innovation and responsiveness of our courts to help us serve the public effectively,” said CBABC President Patricia Blair. “Their leadership has strengthened not only our profession, but also public confidence in the justice system.”

Harry Rankin, QC Pro Bono Award:

Established in memory of Harry Rankin, QC’s incredible support of access to justice, this award recognizes a CBABC member’s outstanding contributions in pro bono service.

Kathryn McGoldrick of Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP is recognized for her service with the Access Pro Bono Court of Appeal Program. Since 2021, she has volunteered as Referral Counsel, assisting self represented litigants by reviewing appeal materials, explaining complex appellate procedures and attending to practical barriers faced by clients. She has also offered full pro bono representation in bringing and defending appeals. Widely regarded as a reliable and selfless leader, she also serves as Co Chair of the CBABC Appellate Advocacy Section.

Community Supporter Award:

This award recognizes CBABC members who demonstrate outstanding dedication to supporting their community by contributing to critical behind-the-scenes work for community building and events.

Arun Mohan is the Director of Human Rights at the University of British Columbia, where he provides leadership on addressing discrimination and advancing equity, diversity and inclusion across the university community. He has supported professional colleagues and contributed to his local Vancouver community through volunteer service in various organizations, from Access Pro Bono and the Lawyers Assistance Program of BC to Langara YMCA and numerous CBA and CBABC committees. One of the few non-practicing lawyers elected as Bencher of the Law Society of British Columbia, he has also served on UBC advisory groups addressing trauma-informed practice in the workplace, the duty to accommodate and the work of the university Ombudsperson.

President’s Medal

Awarded by the CBABC President, the President’s Medal recognizes an individual for their significant contribution to the profession, legal academic proficiency or outstanding works of legal scholarship.

Chief Judge Melissa Gillespie was appointed to the Provincial Court of British Columbia in 2012 and became Chief Judge in 2018. She spent two decades as Crown Counsel in the Fraser region, later becoming the second woman to become Regional Crown Counsel and oversee more than 200 Crown counsel and support staff. Over the course of her judicial career, she has led the Court’s commitment to innovation and change. By establishing the requirement to include pronouns in participant introductions, rapidly adapting the Court in the face of COVID-19 and fostering the virtual bail program and early resolution process for families, she helped advance a more responsive, accessible and inclusive Provincial Court.