2023 Bencher Nominees

City of Winnipeg Electoral District

Kathrine Basarab is a Supervising Senior Crown Attorney at the Manitoba Prosecutions Service. As the supervisor of the Training & Development Unit, she is responsible for mentorship and training of new Crown Attorneys, alongside implementation and delivery of a structured Crown Attorney training and educational program. She graduated from Robson Hall in 2008, and with the exception of a recent six- month term at the Crown Law Analysis & Development section of Manitoba Justice, where she conducted research and provided analysis and recommendations to the Ministry on criminal and civil law related policy issues, has worked as a Crown Attorney since her call to the bar in 2009. She has wide-ranging criminal law experience, having prosecuted everything from administration of justice offences to driving offences, financial crimes, serious assaults, robberies, and homicides. Her work was enriched by her completion of a Master of Laws in Criminal Law and Procedure at Osgoode Hall in 2020.

The proud daughter of immigrants of Ukrainian descent, she is a stalwart of the local Ukrainian community. She is a past board member of the Oseredok Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre, and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Manitoba Provincial Council. She has volunteered at Folklorama’s Ukraine-Kyiv pavilion for decades, performed on its stage regularly, and served as the pavilion’s adult ambassador in 2018. She is an alumna of the Rusalka Ukrainian Dance Ensemble and alongside her vocal trio Lyra, a talented interpreter of Ukrainian folk songs and sacred music. She has performed live at multiple Ukrainian festivals across Canada and countless local community events.

Kathrine volunteers regularly with the local legal community’s many projects, including the Law Society’s Lawyers for Literacy program, judging at the 2023 Jessup Moot, and as a member of the executive of the Criminal Law Section of the Manitoba Bar Association. She has written numerous Criminal Decisions articles for the “Headnotes and Footnotes” newsletter, and has appeared in seven Lawyers’ Shows at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, including the forthcoming 2023 production of 9 to 5: the Musical.

Kathrine is married and the proud mom of two primary school-aged children, on whom she dotes shamelessly. She thanks you for your consideration, and hopes she has earned your vote.

I am asking for your support in this By-election.

Presently, I am the Chief Adjudicator for The Manitoba Bylaw Enforcement Act and practice as a sole Practitioner, primarily as a Chartered Arbitrator. Prior to this, I was the Registrar-General of Manitoba overseeing the Manitoba Land Titles System.

Current member of the Manitoba Bar Association and previously have served on the executive as Vice President, Communications Chair and Secretary-Treasurer. Served as a chair and executive member of the CBA National ADR section.

Past director of the Manitoba Law Foundation.
Past member of the Winnipeg Foundation Appointing Board

Extensive activity with the Law Society as both a Bencher and as a non- Bencher

LSM committee appointments from 2011 to present:

  • Discipline Committee 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019
  • Admissions and Education Committee 2020
  • Conveyancing Practices Committee 2017, 2016, 2015, (2014 – Volunteer), 2013, 2012, 2011, (2008 to 2010 – Volunteer)
  • Complaints Investigation Committee 2015, 2013 (Chairperson), 2012 (Vice Chairperson), 2011
  • Equity Committee 2015
  • Professional Liability Claims Fund Committee 2015
  • President’s Special Committee on Representative Capacity 2015
  • Community Legal Education Association 2015
  • President’s Special Committee on Trust Safety (2014 – Volunteer)
  • Practice and Ethics Committee (2014 – Volunteer), 2013, 2012 (Chairperson), 2011
  • Legal Research Institute of Manitoba 2013, 2012

I am most interested in becoming a Bencher for the balance of the 2023-2024 term to enable me to share my experience and expertise with the legal community to personally and professionally contribute to the Law Society of Manitoba in its integral role of providing oversight of the profession and society as a whole. As a partner in the Business Law Group at MLT Aikins LLP, with a background consisting of several years of articling and practicing in the Calgary legal market and 16 years of practice at MLT Aikins which included a term secondment as in-house counsel at a leading Manitoba company, having earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Calgary, and numerous years of community volunteer work, I strongly believe that I have the necessary skills and experience to be an asset to the governing body of the legal profession.

As an Associate and Partner at MLT Aikins for a total of 16 years, combined with over 5 years of Business Law experience in Calgary and my time as in-house counsel, I have developed expertise in all aspects of commercial law in my role as legal advisor on a wide variety of matters. I represent over 20 not-for-profit organizations, including The Manitoba Real Estate Association, which is a 2,000 member organization with many parallels to the Law Society of Manitoba. In particular, I regularly provide governance and regulatory advice to these organizations and strongly believe this experience will enable me to serve the Law Society of Manitoba in a productive manner.

For community contributions, I have served on the Loan Review Committee for the Canadian Youth Business Foundation, been a Learning Group Facilitator for the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education, served as the President and a Director on the Manitoba Chapter of the Risk Management Association, served as Co-Chair of the Business Law section of the Manitoba Bar Association and served as Director for Meals on Wheels, which illustrates my strong interest in using my experience and skills to serve the local community and the legal profession.

My experience has ranged from working in a two-person law firm to a national firm and included a time as in-house role, and worked with numerous in-house counsel as clients, which has enabled me to appreciate many different legal perspectives and I would welcome the opportunity to serve as a Bencher. Moreover, I have developed a passion for health and fitness and will work tirelessly to ensure the physical and mental health and well-being of all of our members is promoted wherever possible. Last, I strongly believe my business acumen will complement the valuable work that has been completed to date and continues to be undertaken by our Benchers and welcome the opportunity to work collaboratively with fellow colleagues within the profession in that regard.

Raised by a single, immigrant mom in Winnipeg, I was the first in my family to graduate from university. With a bachelor’s degree from the U of W, I went back to Korea in 1997.  There, I taught ESL/EFL to various students, including K-12 and college, the military, diplomats, celebrities, business people, and homemakers.  I even started my own school, the John Ham English Institute. As well, during my tenure as executive secretary at POSTECH and AEARU (Association of East Asian Research Universities), I was able to travel all over Asia, meeting with global leaders of industry and academia. Weekends were spent in Itaewon, jamming with some of the best musicians in the country.

After finding love and making our own humans, I came back to Canada with my new family in 2007.  I attended the U of M Law School and graduated with my Juris Doctor from Robson Hall in 2011.  I articled with Legal Aid Manitoba in The Pas then joined the Thompson Crown’s office in 2012. My experience in Northern Manitoba was profound, and I gained a deeper appreciation of the various legal, practical, and socio-economic issues facing indigenous communities and the entire northern community at large. I am in awe of my wife who followed me to northern Manitoba, learned a foreign language, and became a registered nurse during that time, all the while raising two kids and a husband. After her graduation, I transferred to the Winnipeg Crown’s office in September of 2019.  Since then, my family and I have been adjusting to work and life in Winnipeg, getting reacquainted with friends and family, becoming more active in the Korean community, and, of course, surviving COVID-19.

Thank you for considering me as Bencher.  Wherever I am, whomever I address, I try to treat everyone equally and as respectfully as I would like to be treated.

I practice criminal defence law. Called to the Bar in 1999, I have worked exclusively in private practice, and since 2007 at the firm of Campbell Gunn Inness Seib Jones, where I am a partner. During law school I worked at Legal Aid Manitoba where I gained experience acting as duty counsel, doing circuit work, including travel to Indigenous communities, practicing youth law and learning trial work. I also had the opportunity to work with the articling students and lawyers at the Public Interest Law Centre while working as a summer student.

I am proud of my contribution to the legal community and the community at large through participating in education sessions as a panelist for the Manitoba Bar Association (MBA), Law Society of Manitoba (LSM), Community Legal Education Association, high schools, and other community groups. I am a past member of the MBA council, and past co-chair of the criminal law and gay/lesbian (now SOGIC) sections of the MBA. I continue to take legal education and other courses to improve my knowledge and skills, including become aware of the importance of trauma-informed approaches to lawyering.

I am a sessional lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba where I have taught Criminal Law and Procedure and Introduction to Advocacy courses. I am a faculty member of the LSM Advocacy program that is co-organized with the Criminal Defence Lawyers Association of Manitoba. In 2022, I was a member of the faculty of the National Criminal Law Program, and will be so again in July, 2023. I have worked with the LSM as a practice reviewer, fee arbitrator, and offered advice in cases where there is an allegation of ineffective assistance of counsel. I am a member of the Discipline Committee of the LSM, which has afforded me the experience to sit on panels with other lawyers and publicly appointed benchers to hear cases of alleged misconduct by other lawyers. Through this work I have gained increased understanding and perspective on the importance of self-regulation and accountability to the public, to maintain public safety and respect for the legal profession. It has solidified my belief that the practice of law is not an entitlement, but a privilege that is to be constantly earned.

Self-regulation and the public’s confidence in its effective operation requires a diverse and broad range of perspectives among Benchers. I believe that my experiences as a person and lawyer would be beneficial in that role. I would consider it an honour if afforded the opportunity to serve the community as a bencher.

Jeffrey King is a litigation and dispute resolution lawyer with PKF Lawyers in downtown Winnipeg and holds public office as a Councillor of the Province of Manitoba’s Arts Council, duly appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council pursuant to The Arts Council Act, CCSM c A140.

Jeffrey hopes to bring a new voice as a Bencher through his experience in advocacy and his record of public service to help protect and preserve the ideals and standards of the legal profession.

A former Judicial Law Clerk to the Honourable Chief Justice Charbonneau of the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories, Jeffrey has always had a passion for advocacy. Since receiving his call to the Manitoba Bar in 2019, Jeffrey has appeared as sole/lead counsel in the Manitoba Provincial Court, the Manitoba Court of King’s Bench, and the Manitoba Court of Appeal.

After completing undergraduate studies at the University of Manitoba, Jeffrey attended the University of Windsor (Ontario), obtaining his Juris Doctorate. At the U of W, he was a Teaching/Research Assistant for the Legal Research & Writing Course, and academically ranked 2nd in his class of 154 students.

A committed Winnipegger, Jeffrey hopes to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, Daniel Abraham “Abe” Yanofsky, O.C., K.C., a Winnipeg lawyer, politician, and chess player, as an active member of the legal profession and the community. Jeffrey has held a variety of governmental and non-governmental positions, including as a Youth Mentor with Manitoba Justice, as a Program Coordinator with both the Rady Jewish Community Centre and Mennonite Central Committee, and presently as a Councillor of the Manitoba Arts Council with Manitoba Sport, Culture, and Heritage.

As a Bencher, Jeffrey would utilize this background of advocacy and public service to further the mission, role, and values of The Law Society of Manitoba in helping to ensure the public is well-served by a competent, honourable, and independent legal profession, presently and into the future.

My name is Alison McCullough-Butchart. I am Senior Legal Counsel with IG Wealth Management. Prior to moving to an in-house counsel position I was in private practice and sat as a Deputy Chief Commissioner with the Residential Tenancies Commission for five years.

I am interested in becoming a bencher because I have unique skills to offer. As the legal profession continues to experience change I believe it is valuable to have input from lawyers outside of private practice. I am also an immigrant and I feel it is important to have diversity at the table. I have lived in Canada since 2000 after moving to Winnipeg from Northern Ireland. I hold a B.A. (Hon) and LL.M from the Queen’s University of Belfast and an LL.B from the University of Manitoba. I am interested in access to justice and how we educate and train articling students.

I am an active volunteer in the community. I currently hold the position of Vice-chair on the Board of Directors at Food Matters Manitoba. I volunteer with this organization because I am interested in learning more about food security and sustainability in First Nation communities in Manitoba. I am the former Chair of the Winnipeg Public Library Board and former Co-chair at Fort Garry Women’s Resource Centre. I have served on many committees related to the Boards I have sat on.

I also volunteer in the legal community. I am a mentor in the Manitoba Bar Association Mentorship Program. I volunteer at Law Day by coaching high school students in mock trial preparation and as a judge of debates. I was involved in the Manitoba Bar Association Civil Litigation section for over ten years. I have volunteered at the Legal Help Centre as both a volunteer lawyer and a workshop presenter. I am a former member of The Law Society of Manitoba Practice and Ethics Committee.

I would appreciate your support, thank you.

Maria has a B.A. (Advanced) and LL.B. from the University of Manitoba and a Master of Industrial Relations from Queen’s University.

She was called to the Bar of Manitoba in 2009 and joined the Office of Legal Counsel at the University of Manitoba in 2011, where she continues to practise today.

Maria has been an active member of the Manitoba Bar Association and currently holds appointed positions on the University of Manitoba pension committees.  She also sits on the Governance and Nominating Committee of the Winnipeg Art Gallery.

After receiving my Juris Doctor from Robson Hall, Faculty of Law at the University of Manitoba in 2018, I articled and practiced law at Smith Neufeld Jodoin LLP in Steinbach, MB. I received my call to the bar in 2019 and remained at Smith Neufeld Jodoin LLP for two years. Prior to becoming a lawyer, I obtained a Bachelor of Science (Agribusiness) in 2013 from the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and worked for a national not-for-profit advocacy organization, the Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers. Presently, I act as corporate legal counsel for Manitoba Public Insurance practicing primarily in the areas of contract, procurement, and privacy and access law.

Throughout my work and volunteer experience, I have developed a keen interest in professional and career development and continuing education. At Robson Hall, I was a member of the Professional Development Committee during the early development of the PDC wine and cheese event for small to medium-sized firms and in-house counsel, which I have enjoyed watching continue to flourish and grow, with an additional associated event being created for students during the academic year. Now I have the pleasure of attending these events as a practicing lawyer, as well as acting as a Mentor with the Manitoba Bar Association Mentorship Program.

A highlight for me during my initial undergraduate degree was volunteering for Agriculture in the Classroom – Manitoba and being a Student Ambassador for the faculty presenting at schools and trades shows throughout the province teaching students the vast and various career opportunities one could have within the agriculture industry. I thoroughly enjoy meeting with students early on in their careers (legal or otherwise) and discussing the diverse opportunities available to them.

In addition to my interest in student development, I have extensive board experience. Most recently I sat as a board member for the Steinbach Chamber of Commerce where I was co-chair of the Business Excellence Awards and the Membership Services Committee Board Representative. While pursuing my law degree, I was the Senate Representative of the Manitoba Law Student Association and acted as President for the Business Law Group. Prior to law school, I held executive positions within the Faculty of Agriculture Students’ Organization and Agribusiness Student’s Association.

Having been raised on a family farm northwest of the City of Winnipeg and now working in Winnipeg for a Crown corporation, I hope to bring my unique mix of rural and in-house practice experience, as well as my passion for student development and career discovery, to the Law Society of Manitoba as a bencher.