Commissioner Leonard Doust, QC

Leonard T. Doust, QC is a senior member of the legal profession in British Columbia who has been identified in numerous publications as one of the best lawyers in Canada. Mr. Doust brings to the Public Commission on Legal Aid a wealth of experience gained through over 40 years of practice in the areas of criminal law and commercial litigation where he has appeared before various courts across the country including the Supreme Court of Canada. Mr. Doust was appointed Queens Counsel in 1984 and is currently Associate Counsel with the firm of McCarthy Tétrault LLP.

Throughout his career, Leonard Doust, QC has displayed a commitment to legal aid in British Columbia and has served on the Board of Directors for the Legal Services Society from 1983 to 1987 and from 1988 to 1989 where he served as Chairman of the Board for a period of time.

Mr. Doust has served as counsel to a number of Royal Commissions, including the Commission of Inquiry of Mr. Justice Drost into the Riots at the Oakalla Prison Farm, the Commission of Inquiry of Mr. Justice MacFarlane into compensation of the improperly convicted Mr. Fox and the Gove Commission of Inquiry into the death of Matthew Vaudreuil.

He has also served as counsel to the Auditor General of British Columbia in the Inquiry into the Estimates and Budget process for the budgets of 1995 and 1996 and the Fast Ferry Inquiry, advisor to H.A.D. Oliver in the Conflict of Interest Inquiry in regards to former Premier Glen Clark and advisor to the Honourable E.N. (Ted) Hughes, QC in regards to the APEC Inquiry.

Mr. Doust has been the recipient of many awards including most recently the Peter S. Hyndman Mentorship Award and the UBC Law School Alumni Award of Distinction.