THE ADVOCATE 227
VOL. 80 PART 2 MARCH 2022
chased tickets in support of the worthy cause and helped to raise over
$1,500. We are especially grateful to the winners for generously donating
their prize money back to Access Pro Bono.
While we aim to resume in-person events, it is important to recognize the
other services the VBA provides. More specifically, we wish to recognize
partners that facilitate some of our longest-running programs.
This summer will mark the 17th year of the VBA softball league. The
league would not be possible without Jamie Gopaulsingh, and we are
incredibly grateful for his work. Since the league’s inception, Jaimie has
secured the fields and insurance, collected waivers, coordinated captains,
drafted schedules and ensured the popular league remains fun and accessible
to everyone in the legal community.
We are also excited to announce that a new sports program is underway.
Last fall, Logan Rogers approached the board to propose a drop-in basketball
league. The VBA embraced this idea, and Logan has worked diligently to
secure a gym, draft waivers, create safety plans, obtain insurance and integrate
with our website. At the time of writing, funding for the first season is
approved, and by the time you read this, the league will be well underway.
The Inns of Court program, founded in 1984 by Chief Justice Allan
McEachern, is our longest-running continuing education program. As anyone
who has participated will agree, it is also the best learning experience
available to ambitious junior litigators. While it has been held in abeyance
since 2020, we are glad to announce its resumption. This is almost entirely
thanks to Michael Libby, who has managed this program for the last 15
years. We are grateful to Michael and Chief Justice Hinkson for all their
work on this program.
The VBA has proudly published the Advocate magazine since 1943. Former
VBA secretary-treasurer Michael Bain, Q.C., served as its assistant editor
from 2008 to 2013, and since then has served as its editor and so much
more. His passion for the Advocate is unmatched, and we are proud to collaborate
with him for the benefit of this important publication. We also
greatly appreciate the opportunity to publish this update to our members
and the broader legal community.
The VBA is fortunate to have these partners, who keep these programs
running for the benefit of the legal community regardless of the current
president or board of directors. In the same way, the VBA is supported by
two people that make everything we do possible. Liene Larson, our business
manager since 2020, runs our books, manages the database, administers the
locker rentals, send the e-blasts and answers your emails. We are grateful
for all her invaluable work.