906 THE ADVOCATE
VOL. 79 PART 6 NOVEMBER 2021
rights lawyers and LRC staff. She also became an honorary godmother to
one of their daughters, who became one of the most important people in
Liz’s life.
After graduating from law school, Liz clerked for the Supreme Court of
British Columbia. She developed longstanding friendships with two of the
justices she clerked for, one of whom officiated at the wedding ceremony
for Liz and her spouse Karen. After clerking, Liz articled and practised at
Harper Grey Easton, working with, among others, now Chief Justice Hinkson
and Terry Robertson, Q.C. After her passing, Chief Justice Hinkson
shared that the first time Liz wore her gowns after she was called to the bar
was in the Supreme Court of Canada, appearing with him on a file that she
had worked on as an articled student (Smith v. Jones). It speaks volumes
about her skills that she would be asked to junior in the Supreme Court of
Canada as a new call.
Liz joined the Criminal Justice Branch (as it was then called) in Region 2
(Vancouver) in July 1999. She worked as a trial prosecutor and bail Crown
in the high-volume environment at 222 Main Street and later in the
Supreme Court office at 865 Hornby. Liz joined Criminal Appeals and Special
Prosecutions’ Commercial Crime Section in March 2006.
Liz prosecuted with fairness, kindness and compassion. She was
extremely patient and always had an open door, which was so important to
the many new Crown counsel she mentored. Defence counsel also trusted
her implicitly. For example, she was once invited by defence counsel to
interview their client in cells in order to confirm the client’s version of
events, following which she stayed the charge.
As a trial Crown, Liz prosecuted countless significant cases in the B.C.
Provincial Court and Supreme Court. She was co-counsel with Hank Reiner,
Q.C., on both the trial and appeal in R. v. Bonisteel, a first degree murder
prosecution for the deaths of two 14-year-old girls. She was also co-counsel
with Trevor Shaw on R. v. Singleton, the $500,000 theft and fraud prosecution
of a former lawyer. The Singleton trial took place in Nelson over a period of
six months. While Trevor would return to his family in Vancouver most
weekends, Liz stayed to work. She eventually gained the sympathy of hotel
staff, who gradually upgraded her to her final domain: the Egyptian-themed
honeymoon suite, with fake hieroglyph wallpaper and a pyramid canopy
over the bed. Thankfully, this surreal décor had no effect on her alwaysfocused
submissions.
Liz transitioned into Criminal Appeals in 2008, which was a perfect fit for
someone with her exceptional analytical, writing and oral advocacy skills.
Before cancer treatment forced her to take a leave, she had conduct of