VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - August 19, 2014) - Alex Shorten of Vancouver becomes President of the Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch (CBABC) today as Dean Crawford of Vancouver becomes Past President marking the close of the annual Canadian Legal Conference held this year in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.
As a sole practitioner, Alex is a senior legal and business advisor with experience working with major North American forest products, construction and parking management companies. In his new role as President, Mr. Shorten stated his goals of increasing membership of the CBABC: improve professional development programs for members in both larger centres and rural communities; work with others on the implementation of an Access to Justice Commission in BC and on Access to Justice generally, and continue to pursue and improve diversity in Judicial appointments and improve volunteer support and experience.
The new BC Branch President said that "I look forward to working with the 2014/15 Executive Committee; all the hundreds of volunteers and the staff in continuing the important work CBABC does for its members and the public."
Raised in Regina, Saskatchewan, Mr. Shorten has 24 years of experience working in senior legal and management positions for corporations combined with 17 years in private practice. Alex has also been a managing partner of a mid-sized Vancouver law firm. He obtained his BA in 1967 and his JD in 1972 from the University of Saskatchewan and was called to the Bar in British Columbia in 1973. His practice includes business law, mergers and acquisitions, competition law, forestry and construction law.
Alex has spoken at numerous conferences in Canada and the United States, presented papers and participated in seminars on construction law, mergers and acquisitions, trade law (Softwood Lumber Dispute), and ethics and professionalism.
He has been an active volunteer for many years including work with CBABC and the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association (CCCA). Alex continues to mentor law students and provides advice to recently called lawyers. An avid sports fan, Alex enjoys spending time walking on the beach with his wife Catherine and their dog.
The Canadian Bar Association is the professional organization representing more than 38,000 lawyers, judges and law students in Canada, including 6,800 members in British Columbia.
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Contact Information:
Maureen Cameron
The Canadian Bar Association
BC Branch
604.646.7850
mcameron@cbabc.org
media@cbabc.org
