Staff CCEL Staff | Previous Research Assistants | |
Executive Director
| Jim Emmerton
| Rob Allan |
604.822.0145 | Jim Emmerton Executive Director Jim Emmerton is the Executive Director of the British Columbia Law Institute. He received his LL.B. from the University of Western Ontario in 1973 and was called to the Bar in 1975. Since then he has served in various legal and senior executive capacities with John Labatt and Methanex Corp. Jim has a broad spectrum of knowledge in the fields of law, finance and corporate development. |
604.827.5337 | Gregory G. Blue, Q.C. Gregory Blue completed his B.A. (Hons) from the University of Saskatchewan, then graduated from the University of Victoria Law School. He was called to the Bar in 1981 in Saskatchewan and subsequently called the BC Bar in 1986. Greg holds his LL.M. from the University of Toronto. Greg was a Legal Research Officer to Law Reform Commission of British Columbia from 1989-1997. Greg Blue articled and practised law with MacPherson, Leslie & Tyerman in Regina, Sask. 1980-82. He served in the Constitutional Law Branch, Saskatchewan Ministry of Justice and as departmental solicitor to the Department of Energy and Mines (Sask.) 1982-87. Greg also practised law with Halyk Brent Dovell in Saskatoon, Sask. from 1987-89. He then practised maritime law with McEwen, Schmitt & Co. 1997-2003. Greg was the staff lawyer responsible for the such projects as the Succession Law Reform Project and the Privacy Act report. He served as reporter to the Trustee Act Modernization Committee. Greg was the Chair of the CBA Legislation and Law Reform Committee from 1997 to 1999. Greg is the author of the Annotated British Columbia Mineral Tenure Act (Vancouver; Western Legal Publications, 1998-). |
604.827.5336 | Kevin Zakreski grew up in Saskatoon and moved to Vancouver to attend law school. He graduated from UBC Law School and was called to the BC Bar in 2001. He articled and practised with Chow and Company in downtown Vancouver in the area of corporate / commercial law. He then joined the BC Law Institute in 2003 as a staff lawyer. Kevin has worked on a number of law reform projects, including revision of the Builders Lien Act, Civil Enforcement of Judgments, Unfair Contract Terms and, drafted the Canadian Centre for Elder Law Studies' Consultation Paper on Reverse Mortgages and the recent review of s.90 of the BC Family Relations Act regarding issues of filial obligation. He is currently responsible for the ongoing work on the BC Society Act. Kevin sits on the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws working group on unincorporated associations. He is an avid marathon runner. |
604.822.0564 | Krista James Krista James graduated from UBC Law School in 1997 and articled with Legal Services Society. She was called to the BC Bar in 1998. She has worked as an advocate and has taught legal advocacy skills, legal rights and other workshops through a number of not-for-profit and anti-poverty organizations. In 2000-2003 Krista practised labour law at Victory Square Law Office. From 2005-2007, she taught critical writing through the Emily Carr Institute Writing Centre, where she also studied film and video. Krista has written on various topics such as elder law, abuse and neglect of older adults, adult guardianship, mental capacity, family caregiving and human rights. A current focus of Krista’s practice is developing educational materials on issues of concern to older adults and the practitioners and volunteers who work with communities of older adults, including topics such as elder abuse, financial abuse, financial literacy, consumer rights, and substitute decision-making instruments like powers of attorney. Krista’s work includes international comparative legal research, policy analysis and public legal education, and involves working collaboratively with diverse stakeholders from sectors such as health care, law, labour and justice. Krista is a maker of art and lifelong student of yoga, and, most importantly, a mother who spends most of her non-work time joyously building forts, singing off-key and colouring pictures. |
604.822.0633 | Emma J. Butt obtained her Bachelor of Science from McGill University in 1998, and her LL.B. from Dalhousie University in 2005. Emma was called to the BC Bar in 2010. While attending Dalhousie, Emma spent a semester working at the Dalhouse Legal Aid Service and volunteered with Pro Bono Students Canada. After graduating from law school Emma completed a law internship with the Parliamentary Information and Research Service in Ottawa, where she carried out legal and public policy research and analysis, assisted the House and Senate Aboriginal Affairs Committees, and prepared publications on legal and public policies relevant to federal parliamentarians. Emma articled with the BC Law Institute and Boughton Law Corporation before joining Boughton as an associate lawyer. She has practice and legal research experience in a number of areas, including Aboriginal law, elder law, elder abuse and neglect, environmental law, human rights, civil litigation and family law. Emma has international legal and policy research experience, and has worked with Indigenous peoples throughout Africa on Indigenous rights issues. In her non-work time Emma is enjoys climbing, hiking, cycling, swimming and generally playing outside as much as possible. Emma is a member of the Board of Directors for the BC Centre for Elder Advocacy and Support. |
604.822.0142 |
