Canadian Lawyer

w w w . C A N A D I A N L a w y e r m a g . c o m M a y 2 0 1 4 13 p rince Rupert, B.C., one of the northern coastal towns set to boom as new liquid natural gas proposals become reality, is drastical- ly short of lawyers and the shortage will only grow when the boom hits. "When I was practising in the 1980s, there were 25 lawyers in Prince Rupert," says lawyer Geoffrey Gould, 62. The 1990s saw the forest industry slump, the town's pulp mill close, and declining fishing stocks, which sapped the town's economic base and population. Today, there are only six full-time lawyers serv- ing a community of 11,000, and only two are under the age of 60. Gould left law to pursue a private business career for 22 years but was encouraged to go back several years ago because of the dire shortage of lawyers. Any lawyer who comes to town would have no problem getting clients almost immediately, he says. Prince Rupert is experiencing a res- urrection, becoming a major northern container shipping terminal and the expected LNG shipments and facilities are projected to create further economic activity. Kitimat, B.C., is another port town with few lawyers and a bright future with LNG proposals plus Rio Tinto's current $2.7-billion investment rebuilding its aluminium smelter. B.C.'s energy sector is expected to cre- ate a major boost to the economy, with a dozen proposed LNG terminals. The Conference Board of Canada published a report in December 2012 that estimated $181 billion in investment in natural gas would occur in B.C. between 2012-35. Don Silversides, 66, a partner in Silversides Merrick & McLean, which has roots back to 1908 in Prince Rupert, is actively seeking lawyers to join his firm. Silversides is not interested in articling students who simply want to "come and go" but individuals looking to build a career in a smaller town. "I think they can earn some pretty good money," he says. "Most lawyers don't stay late and don't work weekends. You can walk home for lunch and if you like outdoors stuff, you are very close to it. You can be out on the water in a craft and fishing in 20 minutes." Rural practices ramp up experience fast. "When I was young and starting out, I handled several murders and also a piracy case. You get to do things sooner than you would normally do in a larger firm. You are exposed to much more significant work," says Silversides. There is no doubt in his mind LNG developments will further rekindle the town — and others along B.C.'s north coast. Prince Rupert's newly elected board of directors for its chamber of commerce already lists one-third of the directors as having some links to pro- posed LNG projects. Martin Griffith-Zahner, 53, is the only full-time litigator in Prince Rupert and 90 per cent of his cases are family law. He admits the barristers' room at the courthouse is a pretty lonely place. "There is a prolific shortage of lawyers here," he says, and it creates problems. If he represents a husband in a family law case, it means the wife must bring in a lawyer from another town. "That can become expensive." Griffith-Zahner is Calgary-raised, edu- cated at Osgoode Hall Law School, and worked in Vancouver for a short time before going to Prince Rupert as a legal aid staffer. He stayed. "I do not make the same amount as I would in Vancouver with a large firm, but exponentially the quality of life is so much higher," he says, plus hous- ing costs are lower. The area offers natural beauty and a small-town community atmosphere, plus the opportunity to have a work-life bal- ance. "There is the best steelhead fishing in the world. And, for someone like me who enjoys the outdoors and who is fam- ily oriented, it has been really good to me." Griffith-Zahner sees the ideal candi- date to settle into a law practice in Prince Rupert as a younger lawyer with a family who want to enjoy time with each other, having earnings to pay down student loans or debt, and enjoys the outdoors rural environment. And, if there's a bottom line, it is Prince Rupert has produced a large contingency of provincial, county, and Supreme Court judges. Silversides can count 11 during his career with "six of them" from his firm. — JEAN soRENsEN jean_sorensen@telus.net lng boom ports looking for lawyers destination british Columbia

• Cover