About (archived)

---

A Career in Immigration Law
Catherine opened her own firm in 1990 and operated as a sole practitioner until joining Miller Thomson as a partner in 2010. Catherine has been instrumental in building the firm’s national immigration practice.

As an immigration lawyer, Catherine provides a full range of immigration services and is recognized as a leading immigration practitioner by Lexpert, Who’s Who Legal and Best Lawyers in Canada. Catherine was voted Vancouver’s Best Immigration Lawyer for the third consecutive year in 2014.

Catherine is a member of the American Bar Association, Trial Lawyers of British Columbia, American Immigration Lawyers Association, and International Bar Association. She is also registered as a Foreign Legal Consultant with the State Bar of California enabling her to better serve her American clientele in the film and television and high tech industries.

Catherine has been part of Team Canada and Team British Columbia trade missions to countries such as Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, China, Hong Kong, and the United States, and has participated in continuing legal education seminars, appeared in parliamentary committees on immigration issues and spoken at international conferences and symposiums.

Born in Edmonton, AB, Catherine lived in Spirit River, Alberta until moving to Abbotsford, BC when she was six. While pursuing her education, Catherine has lived in Victoria, Montreal, Cultus Lake, BC and Vancouver. In 1989 Catherine spent a year teaching English in Nagoya, Japan. She now practices law in Vancouver, but resides in Parksville, BC on Vancouver Island with her husband Paul and sons Louis and William.

---

• 1985
• Started Law School in September

• 1985
• Joined CBA right in first few days of Law School

• 1988
• Appointed to CBA Membership Committee (BC Branch)

• Graduated UBC Law

• 1989
• Planning Committee – CBA Annual General Meeting (1988-1989)

  National

• 1992
• CBA Representative – Legal Aid Tariff Committee (1992-1995)

  Provincial

• Elected Member of Provincial Council (1992-1997)

  Provincial

• 1993
• Co-Vice-Chair – CBA National Immigration Subsection

  National

• 1994
• Director, Association of Legal Aid Lawyers (1992-1995)

  Other Professional Organization

• Member, Resolution, Constitution and By-Laws Committee (1994-1999)

• 1995
• Chair – National Immigration Law section

  National

• 1997-98
• Chair – Immigration Law Section, BC Branch

  Provincial

• 1999
• Elected Member of Provincial Council (1999 -2002)

  Provincial

• 2001
• Benevolent Fund Society – Fundraiser Organizer (2000-2003)

  Provincial

• 2006
• Appointed Queen’s Council

• Chair Work Life Balance Section (2006-2010)

  Provincial

• 2009
• Member, Resolution, Constitution and By-Laws Committee (2009 – 2012)

• 2010
• Elected Bencher, Law Society of BC (2010-2013)

• 2012
• Chair of National Resolutions Committee (2012-2014)

  National

• 2015
• 30th anniversary of CBA membership

  National

---

---