The Rt. Hon Chief Justice Beverly McLachlin

Chief Justice of Canada

Supreme Court of Canada

Member of the Council of the Society

Chief Justice McLachlin, B.A., M.A. (philosophy) was educated at University of Alberta, M.A., 1968; LL.B., 1968. 

She has been granted degrees by the University of British Columbia, LL.D. (Hon.), 1990; University of Alberta, LL.D. (Hon.), 1991; University of Toronto, LL.D. (Hon.), 1995; York University, LL.D. (Hon.), 1999. Law Society of Upper Canada, LL.D. (Hon.) 2000; University of Ottawa, LL.D. (Hon.) 2000; University of Calgary, LL.D. (Hon.) 2000; Brock University, LL.D. (Hon.) 2000; Simon Fraser University, LL.D. (Hon.) 2000; University of Victoria, LL.D. (Hon.) 2000.

She was called to the Bar of Alberta, 1969, and to the Bar of British Columbia, 1971.

Chief Justice McLachlin practised law with Wood, Moir, Hyde and Ross, Edmonton, 1969-71, with Thomas, Herdy, Mitchell & Co., Fort St. John, B.C., 1971-72, and with Bull, Housser and Tupper, Vancouver, 1972-75.

She was Lecturer, Associate Professor and Professor with tenure at the University of British Columbia, 1974 - 81.

She was appointed to the County Court of Vancouver, April 9, 1981, to the Supreme Court of British Columbia, September 8, 1981 and to the Court of Appeal of British Columbia, December 5, 1985.  Appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia, September 7, 1988.  Appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada, March 30, 1989. Appointed Chief Justice of Canada January 7, 2000. Chairperson, Canadian Judicial Council. Chairman, Advisory Council of the Order of Canada. Chair of the Board of Governors of the National Judicial Institute. Member of the Privy Council of Canada.

Numerous publications.