In-house honours

Western Canada’s leading law firms and highly distinguished businesses were front-and-centre at the 2015 Western Canada General Counsel Awards, presented by ZSA Legal recruitment and the National Post.

The WCGCA is Canada’s only program to exclusively recognize excellence in Western Canada’s in-house counsel community.

This year, the National Post and ZSA Legal recruitment are celebrating the 4th anniversary of the WCGCAs. This special evening, held at the Four Seasons vancouver, honoured the best counsel and brought together the senior members of the Canadian private bar and the leading in-house counsel in a celebration of the accomplishments of the Canadian legal profession over the past year.

Top nods went to the following recipients; Lifetime Achievement to Anne Giardini, Simon Fraser university; Western Canada General Counsel of the year to Charlene Ripley of Goldcorp; business Achievement to Robert Rooney, Talisman energy Inc.; deal making to Curt Bernardi, Silver Wheaton Corp.; Litigation management to Peter J. Forrester of Kinder morgan Canada Inc.; and Tomorrow’s Leader to Chris Hoeschen of urtheCast Corp.

Other bright lights attending the festivities were Drew Hasselback, Legal Post editor, Financial Post; Christopher Sweeney, CeO and co-founder, ZSA Legal recruitment; Howard Mickelson, Q.C., Gudmundseth mickelson, who played the role of master of ceremonies; Suzanne Anton, b.C. Attorney General and minister of Justice; Warren Bongard, ZSA Legal recruitment; Bruce Wright, partner, mLT; Joan Young, partner, mcmillan; Jennifer Traub, partner, Cassels, brock & blackwell; William Westeringh, managing partner, Fasken martineau dumoulin; Graham Walker, partner, borden Ladner Gervais; and Ivor Luk, deloitte.

“ZSA is immensely proud to have created the Western Canada General Counsel Awards and have such a strong partner in the National Post,” Sweeney said. “Together we have developed one of the most dynamic and elegant professional award programs in Canada. The event this week in vancouver was a grand success and we congratulate all of the finalists and winners.”

Sponsors included mLT, mcmillan, Cassells brock & blackwell, Fasken martineau, dumoulin, borden Ladner Gervais, and deloitte.

Peter Forrester, left, of Kinder Morgan Canada Inc., accepts the Litigation Management award.

Robert Rooney, left, of Talisman Energy Inc., accepts the Business Achievement award.

Curt Bernardi, right, of Silver Wheaton Corp., accepts the Deal Making award.

Anne Giardini, right, of Simon Fraser University, accepts the 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Charlene Ripley, right, of Goldcorp Inc., and Dan Malamet of ZSA Recruitment during the Western Canada General Counsel Awards in Vancouver.

From left, Drew Hasselback, Legal Post editor, Financial Post; Anne Giardini, Q.C., chancellor, Simon Fraser University, 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient; Suzanne Anton, B.C. Attorney General and Minister of Justice; and Christopher Sweeney,...