Alana Hughes
Alana Hughes, called to the bar in 2008, is a seasoned legal professional with a focus on civil litigation, including civil sexual assault, elder abuse, and injury claims. Originally advocating for residential school Survivors under the Independent Assessment Process, she has developed strong skills in alternative dispute resolution and administrative law. She conducts detailed investigations into harassment and sexual violence claims, crafting decisions under workplace policies. Alana is pursuing a Master’s in Dispute Resolution at Osgoode Law School and is a Qualified Arbitrator through ADRBC. As the managing partner of a firm with a focus on Indigenous law, she is committed to accessible justice and innovative legal solutions.
Benedict Parkin
Ben Parkin practiced civil litigation in British Columbia for over 35 years. He specialized in administrative law and appeared in numerous cases in the British Columbia Supreme Court, over twenty appeals in the British Columbia Court of Appeal and as lead counsel in two cases in the Supreme Court of Canada. He appeared in high profile cases including the Occupy Vancouver injunction case, the Stanley Cup Riot inquiry and a number of significant police liability cases. He was also lead counsel in a number of significant administrative law decisions in the BC Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Canada.
Ben also has experience as an administrative decision maker, having worked as a chair in mental health review panel hearings with the Mental Health Review Board between 2003 and 2011, and as a member of the Health Professions Review Board since 2024.
Ben worked in leadership roles of increasing responsibility leading a team of litigation lawyers at the City of Vancouver Law Department and at the Legal Services Division of WorkSafeBC, retiring as General Counsel in 2025.
Ben has also enjoyed community service, including his time as a soccer coach with the Richmond Girls’ Soccer Association and as a director with DARE BC.
Charlotte Ensminger
Charlotte Ensminger completed her law degree at the University of British Columbia, and clerked with the BC Supreme Court. As a senior policy lawyer with the Law Society of British Columbia for more than 19 years, she provided legal and policy analysis to the Law Society’s Board of Governors (Benchers), and to various departments, committees and task forces on a diverse range of issues such as the rule of law, the administration of justice, the regulation of the legal profession, continuing professional development, access to justice, and practice advice. Ms. Ensminger played a key role in the visioning, development and implementation of new collaborative access to justice projects such as The Unbundling Legal Services Task Force and the Joint Initiative on Pro Bono, helping to found Pro Bono Law of BC in 2002 (now Access Pro Bono), and serving as its first Executive Director and as an inaugural member of the Canadian Bar Association’s National Pro Bono Committee. Prior to her position with the Law Society of BC, she was an associate lawyer with the law firm Mandell Pinder, where her practice focused on Indigenous rights cases, including Aboriginal title and specific claims files. She also served as staff lawyer with the West Coast Domestic Workers Association (now the Migrant Workers Centre). Ms. Ensminger has been active in the not-for-profit sector over many years, having served on the boards of ArtStarts in Schools, Battered Women’s Support Services’ Pro Bono Pilot Project, The Women’s Addiction Foundation, The Aurora Society, The Aurora Advisory Council to the Women’s Health Centre at BC Women’s Hospital, and New Forms Festival Society. She has a particular interest in board governance and strategic planning.
Corrie Campbell
Corrie Campbell began her career in the Ontario Public Service in 1990, holding various research and policy positions. In 1993, she moved to the BC Public Service, taking progressively more senior policy, intergovernmental relations, corporate policy and planning and legislative development posts, until her retirement after 27 years. She worked for several years at the Ministry of Health in various roles, including Acting Executive Director, Legislation and Professional Regulation. She also supported the Public Health/Police Services Joint Task Force on Overdose Response. Over the years she contributed to the development of a wide variety of statutes and regulations, including the Pill Press and Related Equipment Control Act, a key tool needed by the police to fight the opioid crisis.
Ms. Campbell is currently an active member of Saanich Recreation, an avid cyclist and enjoys learning languages. Her volunteer work included supporting community sports groups, those of the LGBTQ community, as well as many events at her son’s school. She continues to enjoy playing the piano and daily walks with her partner and dog.
Ms. Campbell completed a BSc in Psychology at McGill University in 1985, an MA in Psychology at the University of Toronto in 1986 and an MA in Political Science at McMaster University in 1990. She also holds an Associate of the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto, Diploma in Piano Performance.
Dr. David Blair
After obtaining degrees in Pharmacy and Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan, and post graduate training at the Vancouver General Hospital, David Blair practiced Family Medicine in Campbell River for 17 years. During the 1980’s he was also extensively involved in the BC Medical Association. He then worked in administrative healthcare in Vancouver during the 1990’s at Burnaby General Hospital and the Workers Compensation Board of BC; and obtained a Master of Health Administration at UBC. He returned to clinical Family Practice in Victoria in 2000 and involved himself in Palliative Care in addition to an office and hospital practice. In 2011 he retired from the office practice but continued with part time clinic work, Palliative Care in the Victoria Hospice and casual shifts in the Pain and Symptom Clinic at the Victoria Cancer Agency. He retired from all medical practice in early 2014.
David Hobbs
David Hobbs has practiced law since graduating from UBC Law School in 1982. A founding partner of two law firms in Vancouver, he continues to practice law in BC and is called to the bar in the Yukon. David is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Arbitrators, and has had past affiliations as Chair, Director and Member of organizations such as the North Vancouver Recreation Commission and North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce. He has been a member of the Health Professions Review Board since it was established in 2009, and was appointed Chair in 2018.
David Newell
David Newell is Senior Vice-chair and Tribunal Counsel of the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Tribunal (WCAT). Before being appointed as a vice-chair of WCAT, Mr. Newell was the corporate secretary of the Law Society of BC, and a staff lawyer in the Law Society’s professional conduct and policy departments. Mr. Newell was called to the Bar of British Columbia in 1987. He holds a Bachelor of Science (zoology) degree (1982) and a Bachelor of Laws degree (1986), both from the University of British Coumbia. Mr. Newell practised law as a general practitioner in North Vancouver until 1991 before joining the staff of the Law Society of BC. Mr. Newell is a past Chair and Treasurer of the Board of Trustees of Presentation House Cultural Society, and has done volunteer work for the Air Cadet League of Canada, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Allard School of Law moot court program, and the Canadian Bar Association.
Denese Espeut-Post
Denese Espeut-Post obtained a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Alberta and a Master of Laws with a specialization in health law from Osgoode Hall Law School. She is a member of the Mental Health Review Board and the Health Professions Review Board. She sits on the BC Provincial Committee on Anti-Racism. Previously she worked as a prosecutor for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. She has served as an appointed member of the BC College of Social Workers (BCCSW) Board of Directors where she engaged in several leadership roles including Board Chair and Finance Committee Chair. Ms. Espeut-Post volunteered as a guest instructor for the Professional Legal Training Course (PLTC), contributed to the PLTC course materials, and sat as a committee member with both the Canadian Bar Association BC Branch and the Law Society of BC. Ms. Espeut-Post was called to the Alberta Bar in July 2001, the British Columbia Bar in June 2009, and she holds a Professional Manager (P. Mgr. with Canadian Institute of Management) designation.
Douglas S. Cochran
Douglas Cochran is a lawyer with 30 years of experience primarily in the areas of Family, Personal Injury and Criminal Law as well as a former College Instructor. In the past he has served a six year Federal Governor in Council (G.I.C.) appointment to the Immigration and Refugee Appeal Board and a three year G.I.C. appointment as a Provincial Criminal Records Adjudicator with the introduction of the Criminal Records Review Act. Active in his community, Mr. Cochran currently serves as a Member of the Mental Health Review Board and the P.L.E.A. Community Services Association of British Columbia, and formerly as Chair of the Pacific Peace Umbrella Society. Previously, he was the Coach for the University of British Columbia’s moot team for 21 years. Mr. Cochran holds his Bachelor of Laws from the University of British Columbia and his Master of Arts and Teaching Degree from Simon Fraser University.
Gregory Cran
Gregory Cran, who recently retired as university administrator, has been both a practitioner and an academic throughout his career. As a practitioner, he spent 25 plus years working for the province on complex issues that ranged from hunger fasts, bombing and burnings among the Russian Doukhobors to treaty negotiations, policing, and justice with First Nations. In his academic role, he was a consultant with the World Bank Institute on conflict-related issues and consultant and facilitator with the United Nations Development Programme in Uzbekistan on evidence-based policy options. During this time he also served as Dean of Business, Fine Arts and Social Sciences at North Island College, and Associate Professor and Director of Business Development at Royal Roads University. Greg received his PhD from the University of Victoria and his MA in Leadership from Royal Roads University.
Helen Roberts
Helen Roberts is a retired lawyer with 30 years’ experience in civil litigation and before administrative tribunals. She was a litigation team leader at the Department of Justice Canada, and before that worked for several private law firms. Ms. Roberts was a qualified mediator on the Mediate BC civil roster and has extensive mediation experience as counsel. More recently, Ms. Roberts was the head of the Applied Business Department at Vancouver Community College where she also taught legal assistants. Previously Ms. Roberts taught the Professional Legal Training Course for the Law Society of British Columbia and assisted with administrative reviews and marking assessments. She has also taught business law to accounting students. Ms. Roberts currently serves as a member of a strata council and previously served on several day care boards. She does volunteer work in the arts community.
John O’Fee
John O’Fee is an Associate Teaching Professor at Thompson Rivers University. His experience includes serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the Tk’emlups te Secwepmc (Kamloops Indian Band) and a 23-year private sector legal practice. In addition to his legal career, John has served as a director of the BC Provincial Health Services Authority, director and chairperson of the Interior Health authority as well as a four term City Councillor in Kamloops during which he served as a Director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, Chair on the Thompson Regional Hospital District, President of the Kamloops Airport Society, Chair of the Local Court of Revisions/Parcel Tax Review Committee, and the Chair of the City Audit Committee. In addition to the HPRB, John currently serves as a member of the BC Judicial Appointments Committee and a Kamloops-Thompson School Trustee. In 1995, Mr. O’Fee was the first ever Thompson Rivers University Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient for Public Service Contribution, in 2011, he was the recipient of the Province of BC Community Achievement Award, and in December 2015 he was designated Queen’s Counsel. Mr. O’Fee holds his Bachelor of Commerce and his Juris Doctor from the University of British Columbia.
John M. Orr, K.C.
John M. Orr, K.C. is a practicing lawyer in Victoria. John graduated in Law from the University of British Columbia and has a post graduate degree in International Law from the University of Cambridge. He was called to the Bar in B.C. in 1978. John served as an associate professor of Law at the University of Victoria from 1984 to 1992 and during this time he worked as part of a team designing and delivering an education program for judges across Canada on Aboriginal and Women’s issues in the justice system. He was a two time elected school trustee in Vernon and after moving to Victoria was on the Executive Committee for Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific for seven years. He was a member of the National Parole Board from 1996 to 2006 During this period was also a member of the BC Employment Standards Appeal Tribunal focusing on appellate decision making for non-union employees. He has acted as Inquest Counsel for the B.C. Coroners Service for over 30 years. He runs a private practice in Victoria specializing in Labour Law as an Arbitrator and Mediator. He is currently a Senior Adjudicator, appointed on behalf of supervising Canadian High Courts, for the Independent Assessment Process which hears claims and makes awards for abuses at Indian Residential Schools. John also serves as a member of the Environmental Appeal Board, the Forest Appeals Commission and the Gas Appeal Tribunal.
Jonathan Chaplan
Jonathan Chaplan is a retired lawyer who was called to the Bar in Ontario and British Columbia. For over 40 years, he has had a varied career as a lawyer, mediator, facilitator, restorative justice practitioner, trainer and manager. For the first 15 years of his career the focus of Mr. Chaplan’s practice was criminal law. Following this, he went on to work with victims and offenders in a restorative justice program.
From 2001 to 2022 Mr. Chaplan had a variety of roles with the Federal Government as a dispute resolution practitioner, a lawyer and a manager. From 2018 to 2022 he was responsible for the British Columbia Regional Office of the Federal Department of Justice as Regional Director General.
Mr. Chaplan holds an LL.B. from the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law, and an LL.M. in Dispute Resolution from Osgoode Hall Law School.
Katherine Wellburn
Katherine Wellburn has been a member of the Health Professions Review Board since 2019 and was a member of the Employment and Assistance Appeal Tribunal from 2018 to 2025. She retired from her civil litigation practice with the firm of Murray Jamieson in 2018 and was a District Registrar for Vancouver and then the Registrar of the Supreme Court of British Columbia from 1993 to 2001. She has been a regular speaker at continuing legal education seminars and an author and editor of legal publications.
Dr. Kim Polowek
Dr. Kim Polowek is a Criminologist and Associate Professor with the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of the Fraser Valley. Dr. Polowek is also a Board Member in the Appeal Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board,a Board Member with the British Columbia Review Board and an Independent Chairperson for the Correctional Service of Canada. Previously she was a Board member of the Parole Board of Canada, a Director of Research and a Probation Officer with the Ministry of Attorney General. Active in her community, Dr. Polowek is a Board Member with Police Judo, a Research Director with Odd Squad Productions Society and an Ethics Board Member with the Justice Institute of British Columbia. Previously she was a Board Member of the Port Moody Police Board and Keys Housing and Health Solutions. Dr. Polowek holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Criminology, a Master of Arts in Criminology and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Psychology from Simon Fraser University.
Mimi Chang
Mimi Chang is a general practice lawyer. Prior to relocating to Canada, Man Lin was a government counsel of the Hong Kong Department of Justice. Active in her community, Man Lin serves as a member of the Employment and Assistance Appeal Tribunal and volunteers with Access Pro Bono providing free legal advice to low and modest-income individuals. Ms. Chang holds a Bachelor of Laws from Manchester Metropolitan University, a Postgraduate Certificate in Laws from City University of Hong Kong, and a Master of Music from McGill University.
Prab Dhaliwal
Prab earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Simon Fraser University. She previously worked as an Employment Standards Officer investigating contraventions of the Employment Standards Act in British Columbia’s farm labour industry. She also spent 5 years working in the area of cancer research in the pharmaceutical industry and in public health. In November 2007 Prab joined the Workers’ Advisers Office where she provided advice, assistance and representation to injured workers at all levels of the workers’ compensation appeal system in British Columbia. Prab joined the Review Division at WorkSafeBC in July 2018 where he is an adjudicator in the first level of appeal of the Workers’ Compensation Act. Since that time Prab has been a deciding complex reviews of various compensation matters.
Shannon Bentley
Shannon Bentley is a lawyer specializing in Aboriginal Law, Indigenous Law and alternative dispute resolution – a practice that straddles the Canada/US border. Her current focus is on interest-based collective bargaining and dispute resolution systems outside the mainstream court system. She has practiced in both Canada and the U.S., working for Tribes in Washington State and for First Nations in B.C. She has contributed to multiple international publications with articles published in Canada, the U.S.A. and Australia. Shannon Bentley holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of Washington School of Law in Seattle, a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Arts from Western Washington University
Shelley Ball
Shelley is a lawyer with 19 years of combined legal and investigation experience, in government and oversight, post-secondary, regulation, litigation, and union environments. Her legal practice, Shelsu Pacific Law, provides contract counsel, investigation, and legal advisory services. She is currently appointed under a provincial collective agreement as the investigator for sexual harassment complaints and is cross appointed to the Patient Care Quality Review Board.
She previously held roles in litigation, as senior in-house regulatory counsel, and as the director of investigations for a large university, where she led the office mandated to investigate sexual misconduct and discrimination. She also investigated complex cases of critically injured and deceased children and youth, as well as unidentified human remains, for BC’s Representative for Children and Youth, and the Coroners Service.
Shelley’s pro bono work includes being a subject matter professional and advisory committee member with the Canadian Network of Agencies for Regulation, and advisor for Forensic Guardians International, a global organization specializing in human remains management and identification.