The Government of British Columbia has appointed two new Supreme Court of B.C. masters to support the judiciary with the resources needed to continue providing access to justice.

The appointment of Kimberley A. Robertson, who takes her seat in New Westminster, is effective Dec. 21, 2020. Robertson received a bachelor of laws from the University of British Columbia. In 2008, Robertson joined Lawson Lundell LLP, in the insolvency and restructuring, and litigation and dispute resolution practice groups. Prior to that, she was an associate at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP and at Campney & Murphy LLP. Her work in private practice has included extensive experience in bankruptcy, foreclosure, creditors’ remedies, estate administration and family law matters. Robertson is a member of the Canadian delegation to the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law Insolvency sub-group. Robertson also donates time and resources to various pro bono initiatives in B.C.

The appointment of John Walter Bilawich, who takes his seat in Vancouver, is effective Dec. 21, 2020. Bilawich received a bachelor of laws from the University of Alberta. He was an associate at Dinning Crawford Hunter Vallance, and Clay & Company before joining Holmes & King (now Holmes Bilawich & Stewart) in 2000, where he later became a principal of the firm. Bilawich is experienced in estate, commercial and civil litigation, and bankruptcy, insolvency and family law. He has been a member of the Attorney General’s B.C. Supreme Court Rules Committee since 2017 and was on the Board of Governors of Trial Lawyers Association of B.C. and chair of its Rules Committee.

Quick Facts:

• A total of 15 Supreme Court masters sits at Supreme Court locations throughout the province and are resident in Vancouver, Victoria, New Westminster, Kamloops, Kelowna and Nanaimo.
• Presiding in civil chambers and registrar hearings, a master makes decisions about pre-trial motions and procedural orders.
• How a master is appointed:
  • Lawyers submit applications, which are reviewed by an ad hoc committee made up of B.C.’s deputy attorney general, a justice of the Supreme Court of B.C., a representative of the Law Society of British Columbia and a representative of the Canadian Bar Association’s B.C. branch.
  • Following consultation with the chief justice, the attorney general makes a recommendation to cabinet, which makes appointments through an order-in-council.

Learn More:

Read more about the B.C. Supreme Court: www.courts.gov.bc.ca/supreme_court/