Bryan Williams KC is a Canadian lawyer and retired judge from Vancouver, British Columbia.
[3] He practised law with the Vancouver firm of Swinton and Company for close to forty years, being made partner in 1961.
[1] He appeared in major cases involving aboriginal land claims, physician billing practices, and lawyer advertising rules.
One of them, Attorney General of Canada v Law Society of British Columbia, is a leading case on the constitutional jurisdiction of provincial superior courts, as well as the interplay between federal competition law, and provincial regulation of the legal profession.
Williams was heavily involved in a number of organizations relating to the legal profession and the justice system.
His intuitive grasp of complex issues combined with a keen appreciation of the practical consequences of law reform measures made him a tower of strength in our deliberations.
"[1] Williams was a long-time supporter of the federal Liberal Party and a personal friend of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.
[4] In the spring of 1995, the provincial government again relied on his services, appointing him a Special Commissioner to review the issue of the public usage of the Cypress Park, which had become controversial over the conflicting interests of conservation and economic development.
[16][17] News reports at the time indicated there may have been dissatisfaction with his leadership style in pushing for reforms to the court system.
Dosanjh said that the Chief Justice was seen as a champion of the underdog, and had pushed hard to implement innovations in the court system, such as alternative dispute resolution and video conferencing.
"[18] A well-known political commentator, Rafe Mair, criticized the lack of transparency about the reasons for the resignation.