Diane Turner, a Victoria-based lawyer, is among five Greater Victoria lawyers and 28 lawyers in B.C. who were honoured with a prestigious and highly coveted Queen's Counsel designation Thursday.
"It's certainly very significant to me to think that there's a certain element of the legal world that has confidence in the contribution that I've made, because I really have tried to contribute," said Turner, a North Saanich resident and partner at Kelliher and Turner law firm in Victoria.
The former Crown prosecutor, who was called to the bar in 1984, is an associate faculty member at Royal Roads University in Colwood and teaches law at The Hague University in the Netherlands.
There was a lengthy selection process involved leading up to the Dec. 22 announcement by Attorney General Shirley Bond. Candidates must be recommended before their appointments can made by the provincial cabinet through an order-in-council.
The honour recognizes exceptional merit, contribution, professional integrity and good character.
Eric (Jack) Woodward is a leading expert in aboriginal law, an instructor and adjunct professor in aboriginal law at the University of Victoria. He founded the Woodward & Company law firm in Victoria in 1988.
Diane Raven made history when she was appointed associate dean of UVic's faculty of law in 2009, making her the first aboriginal person to become a senior administrator in a Canadian common law faculty.
Mary Mouat is founding partner of the Quadra Legal Centre and is considered a leading family law practitioner, and Craig Jones is supervising counsel of the constitutional and administrative law group at the Ministry of Attorney General in Victoria.