Legal Milestones, Decades of Hard Won Legal Experience.

Community – Law

  • 2017-2000
  • Law
    2017

    Continued law practice through Donald J. Sorochan Law Corporation.

  • Law
    2016

    Retired from Miller Thomson LLP

  • Community
    2015

    Recipient Commemorative Silver Quaich from Scotland in recognition of contributions to international criminal justice.

  • Community
    2014

    Honoured by the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy by the establishment of a Scholarship Fund in recognition of contributions to the Centre and international criminal justice.

  • Community
    2013

    Recipient, CBABC Harry Rankin QC Pro Bono Award

  • Community
    2013

    Recipient, CBABC George A Goyer QC Memorial Award for Distinguished Service

  • Community
    2012

    Recipient, Lexpert Zenith Award honouring “Leadership through Change”

  • Law
    2012 - present

    Scott v. The Attorney General of Canada: lead counsel in pro bono action by six Canadian veterans of the Afghan War on behalf of a class of all veterans raising constitutional challenges to the government removal
    of disability benefits. The action continues.

  • Law
    2007 - 2009

    Represented a Canadian Financial Institution and an institutional holder of commercial paper in legal and regulatory aspects of the restructuring process of Third Party Asset Backed Commercial Paper in Canada. As a result of this process, the negative effects in Canada from the world-wide ABCP market failure was relatively inconsequential.

  • Law
    2004 - 2008

    Appeared as counsel to a party (one of David Milgaardʼs former counsel) on the Inquiry into the Wrongful Conviction of David Milgaard, who spent 23 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit

  • Law
    2004 - 2005

    Independent Counsel to the Government of Yukon on the Forensic Audit of the City of Dawson, responsible for legal aspects of the preparation of the report of the Forensic Auditor, the response processes and the tabling of the report in the Yukon Legislative Assembly.

  • Law
    2001 - 2006

    Successfully represented the directors of a Vancouver-based investment dealer in the longest hearing of the British Columbia Securities Commission (124 days between early 2002 and late 2004): Re. Pacific International Securities Inc., et. al. 2001 BCSECCOM 720

  • Community
    2000

    Author of chapter in the book “Pepper in Our Eyes: The Apec Affair” which examined the role of police in dealing with protesters at the 1997 APEC Vancouver summit

  • Community
    2000

    Presentation to Nelson Mandela of a commemorative Canadian First Nations Talking Stick on behalf of the International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law at the Societyʼs conference in Sandton, South Africa.

  • Community
    July 2000

    Umpired: Canadian Championship Tournament Little League Canada Senior League Baseball.

  • 1999-1980
  • Community
    1999

    Recipient, Gold Medal of the International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law, in St. Julians, Malta.

  • Law
    1998 - 2002

    Acted as counsel to a financial institution in criminal, regulatory and civil aspects of litigation related to YBM Magnex International. Participated as counsel in the pre-trial conference resulting in the settlement of all class actions in Canada and the United States.

  • Law
    1998 – 2000

    Appointed as Special Prosecutor to conduct all prosecutions and related proceedings resulting from the police investigation of the Nanaimo Commonwealth Holding Society and former cabinet minister, David Stupich.

  • Law
    1990 - 1995

    Served as independent Counsel for the R.C.M.P. Public Complaints Commission. Conducted several heartings of the Commission

  • Law
    1990

    Appointed Queenʼs Counsel, British Columbia

  • Law
    1990

    Called to the Bar of Yukon

  • Law
    1989

    Appointed Special Prosecutor of police officer charged with assault of prisoner. Conducted trial and appeals after conviction.

  • Law
    1989

    Represented accused in appeal to Supreme Court of Canada re application of Charter s. 11 (b) to pre-charge delay:” R. v. Kalanj and Pion, [1989] 1 S.C.R. 1594

  • Community
    1987 – present

    Founding Member of International Society for the Reform of the Criminal Law. has served for many years, and continues to serve, as the Treasurer of the Society and a member of the Society’s Board of Directors.

  • Law
    1987

    Counsel representing a major heavy construction and metal fabrication contractor in litigation relating to the construction of facilities for Expo 86. This litigation settled prior to trial.

  • Community
    1986

    British Columbia International Commercial Arbitration Centre Task Force: member of Task Force appointed by the Attorney General of British Columbia to draft legislation relating to international commercial arbitration and to establish the B.C. International Commercial Arbitration Centre.

  • Law
    1986 - 1988

    Commission Counsel, Inquiry into Social Housing in British Columbia.

  • Law
    1985 - 1994

    Counsel representing contractor in construction contract dispute related to the construction of hydro transmission line: BG Checo International Ltd. v. British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority, at trial, 1994 CanLII 441 (BC SC), on appeal to the BCCA, 1990 CanLII 819 and the Supreme Court of Canada, [1993] 1 SCR 12.

  • Law
    1983 - 1986

    Counsel representing contractor in construction contract dispute related to the construction of a railway tunnel. Scarmar Constructions Ltd. v. British Columbia Railway Co. After lengthy pre-trial process and interlocutory appeals, this litigation settled on the eve of trial through the use of mediation/settlement procedures.

  • Law
    1983 - 1984

    Commission Counsel to federal Inquiry into Habitual Criminals in Canada.
    Stuart M Leggatt; Canada. Inquiry into Habitual Criminals in Canada.

  • Community
    1980 - 1989

    Adjunct Professor (Trial Advocacy), Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia.

  • Community
    1980 - 1987

    Law Reform Commission of Canada Criminal Code Project. Served as one of six lawyers from across Canada representing the Canadian Bar Association in consultations on Commission Reports and Working Papers and preparing a model Criminal Code for Canada.

  • Community
    1980 - 1986

    Served as a Regional Community Board Member on the National Parole Board of Canada.

  • 1979-1970
  • Law
    1979 - 1983

    Counsel representing contractor in construction contract dispute related to the construction of a major transmission line. Peter Kiewit Sons Company of Canada Ltd. v. British Columbia Hydro & Power Authority, Settled case.

  • Community
    1978 - 1982

    Member of the founding Board of Directors of the Justice Institute of British Columbia, which was created under the British Columbia Colleges and Institutes Act and is responsible for the training of police officers, prison guards, probation officers, court staff, fire and ambulance personnel and others involved in the justice system.

  • Law
    1977 - 1978

    Counsel to inmates on Royal Commission on the Incarceration of Female Offenders.

  • Community
    1976

    Served as a member of a Citizens Advisory Committee established for the British Columbia Penitentiary in response to the judgment in McCann v. The Queen and to respond to continuing tensions in the prison. Negotiator during riot and hostage taking of prison staff in September 1976, including the successful negotiation for the release of a medically stricken hostage and participating in the negotiation of a nine point agreement on October 2, 1976 peacefully ending the riot and hostage taking and participating in the agreed upon subsequent monitoring of prison conditions after the riot.

  • Community
    June 1975

    Acted, at the request of inmates and the prison authorities, as a member of the negotiation team during a hostage-taking of fifteen corrections workers by three inmates at the British Columbia Penitentiary.

  • Law
    1975 - 1998

    Acted as Independent Counsel to the British Columbia Police Commission throughout its existence.

  • Community
    1974 - 1975

    Counsel on McCann et al. v. The Queen and Dragan Cernetic. (1976) 29 C.C.C. (2d) 377. Regarded as a touchstone for Canadian human rights, the case raised a Bill of Rights challenge to the use of solitary confinement for the administrative segregation of inmates in the Canadian federal penitentiary system. The seven plaintiffs named in the statement of claim had spent a total of 111⁄2 years in solitary confinement. After a lengthy trial, the Federal Court of Canada granted a declaration that the Plaintiffs had been subjected to cruel and unusual punishment, contrary to the Bill of Rights.

  • Law
    1974 - 1975

    Appeared as counsel in Federal Court of Canada Trial Division, Walter Cabott Construction Ltd. v. The Queen, (1974), 44 D.L.R. (3d) 82. and Court of Appeal, (1975) 21 BLR 42 on “implied terms” precedent establishing construction case.

  • Law
    1973 - 1975

    Appeared as counsel on pioneering Bill of Rights challenge in the BC Court of Appeal, (1973) 22 CCC (ns) 271 and the Supreme Court of Canada: R. v. Burnshine, [1975] 1 S.C.R. 693
    Resulted in repeal of sections of federal Prisons and Reformatories Act prejudicial to young offenders. https://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/5397/ index.do

  • Law
    1973

    Appeared as counsel in the BC Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada: Assessor for Port Alberni v. MacMillan Bloedel et al., [1974] S.C.R. 83
    https://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/5169/ index.do

  • Law
    1972 – 1975

    Counsel to the UBC Alma Mater Society and UBC advancing claim related to defective laminated beams in the Thunderbird Winter Sports Centre.

  • Law
    1972

    Called to the Bar of British Columbia. Associate at Swinton & Company, Vancouver.

  • Law
    1971 - 1972

    Articled Student Swinton & Company, Vancouver.

  • 1969-1950
  • Community
    1968 - 1971

    Employed CP Air, Edmonton Airport, Attended Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia.

  • Law
    1968 - 1971

    Graduated, Faculty of Law University of British Columbia – LLB.

  • Community
    1966 - 1968

    Employed CP Air, Edmonton Airport, CFRN and CKUA broadcasting (part-time).

  • Community
    1966

    Graduated, BA, University of Alberta.