I retired on January 1, 2015 after working more than 26 years as a lawyer at Young Anderson, a Vancouver-based municipal law firm. My years of work at the law firm involved representing and advising British Columbia local governments on a broad range of municipal matters, from land development and planning issues to municipal finances and elections.
Between February 2007 and February 2015, I was a guest speaker for a 6-hour portion of the Planning 506 course at SCARP.
During my years as a municipal lawyer, I presented legal seminars at many courses and conferences, including the following:
- annual conferences of GFOA Government Finance Officers Association of BC;
- Local Government Management Association of British Columbia annual conferences;
- Justice Institute of British Columbia courses;
- Capilano College, Local Government Administration Professional Certificate Program courses;
- Continuing Legal Education Society courses;
- International Municipal Lawyers Association conference (2011);
- UBC School of Community and Regional Planning seminars (1995, 2004).
I have participated in numerous City of Vancouver civic activities, including:
- Neighbourhood Advisory Committee on public art installation at Cartier Park, 37th Avenue and Prince Edward Street
- Presentation to City Council re development permit application at 41st Avenue and Main Street
- Citizen Advisory group on Mountainview Cemetery, 1998-2000, with presentation to Council on behalf of the group in 2000
I have many personal interests - I take dance classes, work out in my home gym, lead walking groups, tutor school children, and walk my neighbour's dog. However, my primary interest is animal advocacy. In 2019 I rallied the public to try to persuade Vancouver City Council to rezone the new St. Paul's Hospital such that animal experimentation would not be a permitted land use (www.rezoningforanimals.com) and in 2020 I am working on a number of animal projects, including a blog (www.animalsandactivists.com).
