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Local lawyer receives King’s Counsel designation
A local lawyer is among 29 province-wide to receiving the King’s Counsel (KC) designation for 2024 for making exceptional contributions to the legal profession in British Columbia.
To be considered for the King’s Counsel designation, potential candidates must be members of the B.C. bar for a minimum of five years and be nominated by their peers. Nominations are reviewed by an advisory committee that includes the deputy attorney general and justices, as well as representatives from the Law Society of B.C. and the Canadian Bar Association’s B.C. chapter.
The committee makes recommendations to the attorney general. The appointments are made by cabinet via orders-in-council, a Ministry of Attorney General media release explained.
Local appointee Karen Tse (2012) is a rural family lawyer, family law mediator, Legal Aid BC duty counsel and civil litigator. As the first female and IBPOC partner at Rockies Law LLP and first Asian female to serve as vice-president and president-elect of the Kootenay Bar Association, she is dedicated to promoting access to justice in rural communities and providing mentorship to the Kootenay bar.
Tse was named volunteer of the year by the Fernie Chamber of Commerce. Her work with the Fernie Women’s Resource Centre and Fernie Child Care Society continues to support rural families accessing child care and women and children in crisis.
“I am very honoured to be one of the 29 recent appointees, and one of the youngest women (having been called to the bar in 2012 and at age 38 in 2024) ever to be appointed in B.C.,” Tse told e-KNOW.
The King’s Counsel designation allows appointees to add the letters KC after their names, showing the public that they have been recognized by their peers for their work. At any time, no more than seven per cent of practising B.C. lawyers can have this designation. Awardees demonstrated expertise and a significant contribution to the judicial system.
This year’s appointees include lawyers in private practice, government and academia who have distinguished themselves by their counsel, teaching contributions, publications, advocacy and volunteerism.
e-KNOW