Curriculum Vitae - Literary

Education

• University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario - L.L.B. (J.D.) in 1983.

• Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut - Bachelor of Arts in English (Honours) in 1980.

• St. Albert High School, St. Albert, Alberta - Matriculation in 1976.

Legal career and scholastic highlights and select credits related to writing

• Appointed Queen’s Counsel, March 2016 (now King’s Counsel).

• Chief Editor, Canadian Intellectual Property Journal, Intellectual Property Institute of Canada, 2011 - 2013, and 2014 – 2015. Editorial Committee member, Canadian Intellectual Property Journal, Intellectual Property Institute of Canada, 2003 – 2016.

• Secretary, Plain Language Section, Canadian Bar Association (Alberta Branch), 1994 - 1995.

• Copyright law advocate for literary artists, 2011 - present, with pro bono speaking engagements and publication of numerous articles (see below).
• Instructor, Writing and Drafting Component, Legal Education Society of Alberta Bar Admission course, 1994 to 1995, and Legal Writing Component.
• Called as a member of the Law Society of Alberta August 9, 1985.

• Counsel, assisting with research and writing, Alberta Law Reform Institute, 1983 - 1984.
• Research assistant, Alberta Institute of Law Research and Reform Research Paper No. 16, March 1986, and the 1984 Supplement to Creditor-Debtor Law in Canada, by C.R.B. Dunlop.

• Assistant editor of the University of Toronto Faculty of Law Review (1980) and former reporter for the Canadian Bar Association National publication (1980 - 1983).
• Senior editor and reporter for the Yale Daily News, 1978 through 1980.

Select professional, literary and community associations and memberships, board experience, and public presentations related to writing

• President, Canadian Authors Association - Alberta Branch , 2009 – 2012; advisory Past President 2012 – present; Vice-President 2007-2009; Chair of Advocacy Committee, 2016 – present; professional member 2005 – present, Regional Director (Alberta and NWT Region), Canadian Authors Association (National), 2012 - 2016.

• Frequent presenter on intellectual property law and plain legal writing, 1987 – present, most recently as advocate for literary artists in context of copyright law reform, including:
• Panelist, Shifting Creative Gears, June 2022 “Copyright – What Writers Need to Know”, online (forthcoming)
• Speaker, Words in 3D Writers’ Conference, May 2013 “Copyright and Contracts: Reading the Fine Print”, Grant MacEwan University
• Speaker, Forum for Information Professionals, January 2012, “Copyright”, University of Alberta

• Member, Writers’ Guild of Alberta, 2002 - present.
• Member, The Writers’ Union of Canada, 2011 - present.
• Delegate, Access Copyright Collective Annual General Meetings and Summit, 2012 - 2016.

• Presenter, Creative Non-fiction course for Grades 4-6, Bennett Centre, April 2007.
• Presenting author, Canadian Authors Association Writers in Schools Program, 2007 to 2010.
• Presenting author, numerous sailing, teaching, and club organizations, January 2006 to present.

Select publications

Books

• Co-author, Our Neighbour’s Keeper: The Life of Fr. Bill Irwin, published by Catholic Social Services (forthcoming).
• Senior editor, Truth Be Told: An Anthology of Inspirational Stories by Women in the Law, published by Alberta Civil Trial Lawyers Association, 2019.
• Author, Sign of Hope! 25 Years, 25 Stories (Catholic Social Services, 2008).
• Award-winning author, Greetings from Cool Breezes/A Family’s Year Aboard (Borealis Press, 2005). Winner of the Canadian Authors Association, Alberta Branch Exporting Alberta Award 2005.

Anthologies

• Author, “The View Over Kowloon Bay,” a short story within the anthology Truth Be Told: An Anthology of Inspirational Stories by Women in the Law, published by Alberta Civil Trial Lawyers Association, 2019.
• Author, “Sundowners in the Cockpit,” appearing in Outside of Ordinary (women’s travel anthology) (Second Story Press, 2005).
• Author, “Through Rose-Coloured Goggles”, poem published in anthology Writing the Land (House of Blue Skies/Red Pill Press, 2007).

Periodicals

• Columnist, “Write/Right” appearing in WestWord magazine published by Writers Guild of Alberta – 2017 to present.
• Author, “Copyright: What you Need to Know Now”, Write magazine, The Writers’ Union of Canada (Winter 2013).
• Author, “Common Misconceptions about Copyright”, WestWord magazine, Writers’ Guild of Alberta (November-December 2012).
• Author, “What about Bill? An Update on Copyright Law Developments in Summer 2012”, WestWord magazine, Writers’ Guild of Alberta (September – October 2012).
• Contributor, “Three Lawyers Answer Questions (For Free!)”, WestWord magazine, Writers’ Guild of Alberta (July- August 2012).
• Author, “Fair or Unfair Dealing?”, WestWord magazine, Writers’ Guild of Alberta (May-June 2012).
• Co-author, “Protection of Trademarks and the .XXX gTLD Launch”, appearing in Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC) Bulletin, Volume 308, July/August 2011.
• Messages from the Editor, Canadian Intellectual Property Review, Vols. 26-29, published by Intellectual Property Institute of Canada.
• “Trademarks Update”, 2011 Intellectual Property Law Update, Legal Education Society of Alberta course materials.
• Author, “Hope Notes” articles in the The Billboard, Catholic Charities/Catholic Social Services Newsletter, 2011.
• Author, numerous articles appearing in FeisAmerica magazine, devoted to Irish dancing and culture, 2008 to 2016.

• Author, “Little Black Bikini,” Pacific Yachting magazine, January 2007.
• Author, “At a Loss for New Words,” WestWord, Fall 2003 (on copyright and plagiarism).
• Author, “A Year’s Perspective,” CBA Newsletter, Fall 2003, on the subject of a family sabbatical.
• Short-listed author, CBC Literary Awards 2002 (travel writing).
• Author, “Trademark Registration Protects Goodwill,” BizEdmonton, Vol. 22, 2002.

• Author, “St. Christopher’s Boat School,” Living Aboard magazine, Summer 2001.

• Author, “Feeding Six (and a Dog) on a Cat,” Living Aboard magazine, Fall 2001.

• Author, “The Right Lawyer for You,” Alberta Craft Council Magazine, Summer 1995.

• Author, “A Gentleman’s Word,” University of Alberta Faculty of Extension Law Now, Vol. 14, No. 3, November 1989.

• Author, “Professional Athletes’ Contracts,” University of Alberta Faculty of Extension Resource News, Vol. 11, No. 5, January 1987.

• Co-author, “Business Corporations Act, Section 42: Ripe for Reform,” 1985 Canadian Bar Association, Alberta Branch, Mid-Winter Meeting Papers.

• Research assistant, Alberta Institute of Law Research and Reform Research Paper No. 16, March 1986, and the 1984 Supplement to Creditor-Debtor Law in Canada, by C.R.B. Dunlop.

• Senior editor and reporter for the Yale Daily News, 1978 through 1980.