The Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch recognized the achievements of lawyers Hasan Alam, Gurminder Sandhu, KC and barbara findlay, KC on Saturday with the prestigious CBABC Branch Awards.
“Our three award recipients have demonstrated many years of dedication to advance their causes and a willingness to lend a helping hand to those who need it most. We celebrate and honour their leadership and selflessness. Their inspiring work contributes to progress in making both the profession and our legal systems in general more accessible to all,” said CBABC President Lee Nevens.
EQUALITY & DIVERSITY AWARD
This award celebrates CBABC members who have successfully advanced equality in the legal profession or generally in British Columbia.
Hasan Alam (BC General Employees’ Union) chairs the Provincial Committee on Anti-Racism in British Columbia. The former president and past advisory director of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers BC, he led the organization in challenging the upsurge in anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic. He co-founded the Islamophobia Legal Assistance Hotline and successfully helped guide the development of the Anti-Racism Act and Anti-Racism Data Act through his work at the Multicultural Advisory Council of BC.
HARRY RANKIN, QC PRO BONO AWARD
Established in memory of Harry Rankin, QC’s immense support of access to justice, this award recognizes a CBABC member’s outstanding contributions in pro bono service.
Gurminder Sandhu, KC (Hamilton Duncan) has spent nearly three decades in pro bono service, volunteering his time at Access Pro Bono, Amici Curiae Friends of Court, Salvation Army and the UBC Law Students Legal Advice Program. An active CBABC member, he has served on the Provincial Council and volunteers to speak at schools on his experiences in the profession and mentor other lawyers. He is an elected Law Society Bencher for Westminster County and served for a decade on the Federal Judicial Advisory Committee for BC.
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.
barbara findlay, KC is an advocate for the rights of queer and trans people. For over four decades, she has defended 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in landmark cases and worked tirelessly to improve the visibility and safety of 2SLGBTQIA+ people. She is a founding member of the December 9 Coalition and what is now the Canadian Bar Association’s Sexual and Gender Diversity Alliance. Although now retired, she remains actively involved in groundbreaking litigation, advocates against the erosion of rights through the use of the notwithstanding clause, has founded Lawyers Against Transphobia—a coalition committed to combating transphobia through legal action and public education — and is a steadfast mentor to 2SLGBTQIA+ lawyers across the country.
About CBABC:
The Canadian Bar Association is the professional organization representing 40,000 lawyers, judges and law students across Canada with over 8,000 members in British Columbia. CBABC members practice at the forefront of the justice system, providing services to British Columbians in every area of law. CBABC is located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish and Musqueam First Nations.
Media Contact:
Jenina Ibanez, Communications Specialist
604.687.5293 | media@cbabc.org