B.C lawyer Karen Tse has been given a King's Counsel designation, for exceptional work and achievement in the legal field.
Tse is a rural family lawyer and family law mediator practicing in Fernie, B.C, who has distinguished herself through hard work and avid volunteerism. She is the first woman partner at Rockies Law LLP and the first Asian woman to serve as vice-president and president-elect of the Kootenay Bar Association.
At age 38, she is one of the youngest female lawyers in B.C to be appointed Kings Counsel.
"It's a huge honour to receive the appointment at age 38 and only at 12 years call. I think a lot of that was with the help and support of many senior lawyers that have come before me," she said.
"I wouldn't have been able to do what I do now, without having had that mentorship and the support from all those around me, including my husband. No person is an island," she added.
Tse is drawn to the human side of law, where she can connect with people and help them navigate difficult situations. She works with families, guiding them in matters related to divorce and separation, child protection, spousal support and property division.
"The aspects of law that really spoke to me was all the human connections and the relationships and working with clients," she remarked.
"I do remember most fondly the cases where people are able to amicably move forward with their lives, even though they're no longer together. Those have been the most rewarding," she added.
She describes her job as a calling that has helped her learn a lot about the world, simply by way of interacting with diverse groups of people. Her clients have had all manner of occupations, from train conducting and mining, to farming and ranching, to medicine and optometry.
"It's been quite eye opening just to hear about what people do for a living and how that impacts their family and their family lives," she said.
One of the most memorable cases was a lengthy Supreme Court trial seven years ago, involving a civil file for a loan dispute over hunting guide territory. Tse was six months pregnant at the time, but she persevered and won her case.
"It felt very special to be able to continue practicing while trying to start a family and being a mom," she said.
Tse emigrated from Hong Kong when she was 10 years old and grew up in Burnaby. She was initially drawn to law through an interest in policing, and majored in Criminology and English at Simon Fraser University. She later attended law school at the University of Victoria, where she met her husband Graeme Nunn. She articled on the Lower Mainland at Peck and Company and Surrey Crown Counsel offices.
She and Nunn were taken with Fernie when they visited in 2013, and they decided to make the community their permanent home. The couple now practice law together at Rockies Law LLP.
Tse was delightfully surprised when Attorney General of B.C Niki Sharma called her unexpectedly to tell her the news about her King's Counsel designation. Sharma actually grew up in only 30km east of Fernie in Sparwood, although she and Tse did not know one another.
Tse will be attending a ceremony and reception at the Government House in Victoria in June to formally recognize her designation, hosted by Lieutenant Governor of B.C Wendy Cocchia.
The King's Counsel designation is a high honour in the legal profession, but only as many as seven per cent of practicing B.C lawyers receive it. Candidates must be member of the B.C bar for at least five years and be nominated by peers. Nominations are reviewed by an advisory committee with involvement from the Deputy Attorney General, and justices and representatives from the Law Society of B.C and the Canadian Bar Association's B.C chapter.
Only 29 B.C lawyers are getting the designation for work in 2024.
One of the qualities that distinguishes a King's Counsel recipient is a strong record of volunteerism, and Tse is no stranger to lending a helping hand.
Locally, she has been involved with the Fernie Child Care Society, Fernie Pets Society, Fernie & District Historical Society and Wapiti Music Festival. She is a director at the Fernie Women's Resource Centre, where she hosts an annual movie fundraiser. Her favourite annual volunteer event is the Baby Griz Crawl, part of Fernie's iconic Griz Days winter festival, which Rockies Law has sponsored for a decade.
She and her husband were both named Volunteers of the Year by the Fernie Chamber of Commerce in 2016.
Prior to her move to Fernie, she volunteered in prisons through the Elizabeth Fry Society and was involved with Sea Cadets.
She's also part of the Canadian Bar Association Rural Education and Access to Lawyers Initiative, that lends support to students who wish to practice law in rural communities to address ongoing challenges in sourcing and retaining lawyers outside of major cities.
"I think many students who have gone through the program, ultimately have become rural practitioners," she said. "We certainly need more of those types of initiatives ... The hope is always that they'll fall in love with the beauty of the small towns and stay."
"It all starts from having good strong mentors who show you the path of practicing with diligence, practicing with integrity; serving the clients and presenting well and thinking critically about situations," she said.
