444 THE ADVOCATE
VOL. 79 PART 3 MAY 2021
Litigation for Simon was a bit like sports. Competitive, serious and hardfought,
but in the end all about the people. He made friendships with those
opposite on files. It was not unusual to organize an end of trial or hearing
dinner with opposing counsel (sometimes even inviting the clients!). While
a strong advocate, he tried not to make it personal or negative.
He became the gold standard to which his colleagues aspired. He championed
our trademark Waypoint Strategic Plan for early case assessment of
files: digging deep to understand the client’s problem, then finding the right
solution to achieve the client’s goals. He was selfless with his time, lending
an ear and advice with legal and social struggles. At the time of his appointment
to the bench on December 21, 2020, he was president of the British
Columbia Access Pro Bono Society, chair of The Advocates’ Society Regional
Advisory Committee and a member of the B.C. Rugby Union Discipline
Committee. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel, inducted into the American
College of Trial Lawyers and International Society of Barristers, and in
2020 received the Canadian Bar Association’s Harry Rankin, Q.C. Pro Bono
Award.
Drawn to the art of direct examination, for many years he taught this section
of the UBC Advanced Trial Advocacy course. One memorable direct
was in a high-stakes, high-pressure case requiring delicate questioning of a
third-party witness on whom the case might turn. It went well. At the afternoon
break, his co-counsel and friend, overcome by the moment, hugged
him. And this was no cool, friendly back pat, but a full, lingering embrace.
Fully gowned. In the middle of the Great Hall. To this day, the third member
of their team cannot believe she failed to record the moment on video.
“The family is one of nature’s masterpieces.”
—George Santayana
Jenny and Simon have two children, Maggie (21) and Louis (15), sources
of pride, love and stories.
Lou is an enthusiastic chef and builder, often found in his workshop
teaching himself how to “mod” Nerf guns or in the kitchen grilling to perfection
a bone-in ribeye with pink Himalayan sea salt or buttermilk
cayenne chicken. Maggie is finishing her B.A. in psychology (honours) at
UBC, occasionally accompanying her dad on the golf course and, more than
occasionally, debating ideas or writing styles with him as others drift out of
the room.
They are happy and proud but also clear that nothing changes around the
house!