7689

 

7689 Roderick Keith Reed

 

Lives in: Victoria, British Columbia

History Post-Military

I took my release in September 1973 and entered Osgoode Hall Law School at York University in Toronto. Candy had finished her diploma in Special Education at McGill and I had finished my MA at the night school program at Concordia University (then Sir George Williams University).

Candy taught for the North York School Board during the three years of law school.

I spent the summer between second and third year with the Crown Attorney in Haltom County west of Toronto.

Candy and I moved to Vancouver in May 1976 where I articled. My principal was Lt. Col Cecil Merritt, VC, (1866 Class of 1929). In 1977 after being called to the bar in British Columbia we, to our surprise, moved to Victoria. Since when I have been a practicing lawyer firstly helping to establish a general practice law firm and then later for many years as a sole practitioner. In 2007 I was involved as a founder of REED POPE Business Lawyers. I continue to practice with that firm as Senior Associate Counsel.

For a short two-year period beginning in 1981, I worked in house and directed the western efforts of a national real estate development company. Not my wisest decision given the unfolding major economic recession which brought business activity to a halt across Canada. What that experience taught me is that I am a lawyer, I see the world through the eyes of a lawyer and I solve problems as a lawyer. I learned good hard lessons (lots of scar tissue) which gave me insights into the needs of my clients. I returned to private practice in 1983 as a sole practitioner.

My practice since then has focused on supporting business and not-for-profit communities. Based in Victoria I have helped clients in Vancouver and the rest of British Columbia, across Canada and the US, east and south East Asia and into Western Europe and the UK. Since 2010 I have supported major litigation in the High Courts of Justice in London, England.

Candy and I travelled extensively in Canada, the US, Great Britain and Western Europe. In 2009 we discovered cruising.

Candy and I were together from our last term at RMC until she died from cancer in January 2016 -- within short weeks of being diagnosed. Our daughter, Jenny Rebecca, was the centre of our lives. She practiced law in Toronto, Vancouver and now with my firm in Victoria. We had two very special grandchildren, Lily and Dominic.

In May 2016 our friend and my classmate, Nick Lundhild (8148) died of cancer in Atlanta, Georgia, shortly after being diagnosed. His wife and our friend, Judy, and I supported each other and fell in love. We are now partners who share happy memories of Candy and Nick.

 

The Four of Us, 2014 Reunion (Photo by Bill Gard)

As a lawyer I have special interests in corporate financing transactions; business organizations and their development (including acquisitions, divestitures and reorganizations); real estate development, finance and transactions; commercial finance including exempt market securities transactions; assisting start-up and emerging companies; technology transfer; commercializing intellectual property; and international business transactions. I have also assisted First Nations, in business and enterprise formation, organization, development and transformations. I have advised my clients on and assisted in negotiating, structuring and documenting business contracts and relationships, including related cross-border support.

I have served on the boards of software developers, application service providers, construction materials manufacturers and other start-up companies. I have also served as the chief executive or chief operating officer of real estate development, tourism development, and construction material supply companies.

I am a former director of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, Software Industry Development Association (Victoria Branch) and Vancouver Innovation, Advanced Technology & Entrepreneurship Council (VIATEC). I participated in the founding of and have served as the General Counsel of VIATEC since its founding. I am a former executive member of the Victoria Bar Association and hold current membership in the Canadian Bar Association, American Bar Association, Canadian Tax Foundation and the Institute of Corporate Directors.

I assisted the Canadian Bar Association and the Law Society of British Columbia n negotiations with the Province of British Columbia to protect the interests of lawyers during the introduction of the Real Estate Services Act.

I have also participated as a mentor for business students at the University of Victoria interested in legal careers, and have ongoing connections and advisory involvement with the Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria.

Business and Professional Organizations

Canadian Bar Association, American Bar Association, Canadian Tax Foundation, Estate Planning Council of Victoria (Past President), Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce (Former Director), Institute of Corporate Directors, Law Society of British Columbia – licensed lawyer since 1977, Licensing Executive Society – past member, Urban Development Institute (Victoria), Victoria Bar Association (Former Executive Member), Western Exempt Market Association – past Member, Software Industry Development Association (Victoria Branch) – Past Director.

Bar Admission Program (precursor to PLTC) – former lecturer

Law Society of British Columbia’s Professional Legal Training Course – former lecturer

Peoples Law School – former lecturer

CBA BC Branch – past Chair of the Solicitors’ Issues Committee

My community interests include

1989-1995 – The Maritime Museum of British Columbia Society (Board of Trustees,

President 1989-1995)

1990-2000 – Queen Alexandra Foundation for Children (Board of Trustees, Chair 1998-2000)

1995-2010 – University of Victoria, Faculty of Business (Board of Advisors & Dean’s Council)

2003-– Advisory Board Vancouver Island, BC Cancer Foundation.

2008-2011 – Capital Campaign Council Vancouver Island, BC Cancer Foundation

City of Victoria Downtown Advisory Committee (Past Member)

Current – Commissionaires Victoria, the Islands and Yukon (CIVY) – Board of Governors

Education and Qualifications

·                     Called to the British Columbia Bar (1977)

·                     JD – Osgoode Hall Law School (1976)

·                     MA – Sir George William University (1973)

·                     BA – Royal Military College (1969)

In addition to the completed degree programs listed above I have been a student at the University of British Columbia and the University of Victoria and have participated in many professional development programs in person and online since 1977 concerning developing legal issues.

Clubs

Life Member Royal Military College of Canada Alumni Association

Union Club of British Columbia (past member of the General Committee)

Member of Royal Canadian Military Institute since 2019

Interests

One of the very special recent experiences was laying a wreath in 2017 with our classmate Al Hurd (7965) at a Canadian cemetery in Normandy.

 

My lifelong interests focus on family and include travel, reading (mysteries, history, law, politics and business), sculpting, dabbling at painting, ship modelling and miniatures.

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