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anna proved herself to be a capable student and soon pursued university
studies in animal science. During her undergraduate studies, Lorianna
asked me what I thought about her becoming a legal assistant. My advice to
her was that she should take advantage of her youth and abilities to pursue
law school instead. I (correctly) stated that she had the personality and ability
to become a successful lawyer.
Lorianna soon approached a crossroads in her career path upon receiving
acceptance to the University of Alberta law school and being offered a full
scholarship for a master’s of science degree at UBC. With more than a little
prompting from her brother, she decided to pursue a career in law. Lorianna
returned to Kamloops each summer as an articled student, and upon her
graduation in 1997, she articled with her brother’s firm, Paul & Company.
Over the years, her practice evolved away from a solicitor’s practice toward
family law and personal injury litigation, eventually leading to partnership
in the firm.
As Lorianna was building a career, she and her husband Sean were raising
their growing family of three wonderful children. As if a law career were
not enough to keep her busy, Lorianna was actively engaged in a wide range
of outside ventures and adventures with her family. These included significant
involvement in various sporting events, including rodeo with her family,
as well as raising cattle. Somehow, she even became a competent barrel
racer.
Lorianna served ten years as a panel chair on the BC Employment and
Assistance Appeal Tribunal as well as 13 years (up to her appointment to
the bench) as a panel chair and board member of the BC Health Professions
Review Board. In addition, she served as a director with the Provincial
Health Services Authority (“PHSA”) and BC Emergency Health Services
(“BCEHS”). Her appointment to PHSA held a particularly special meaning
for Lorianna. When her daughter was 17 months old, with no advance warning,
she had to be flown to BC Children’s Hospital, where she received lifesaving
treatments over the next three weeks. As any parent would do,
Lorianna left her law practice on a moment’s notice and hopped into the
helijet with only her personal items at hand (and her disposable single-use
contacts). She used the countless hours of hospital time that followed to
catch up on her decision writing for the Health Professions Review Board
(after she had her eyeglasses and files shipped down to her). Eventually,
when her daughter was given a hall pass and was allowed short day trips out
of the ward, Lorianna walked her up and down the multitude of hospital
hallways. She used this time to reflect on how grateful she was for the care
that her daughter had received and was determined to find a way to give