W. Laurence Scott has been practising law for almost 27 years. He is accredited by the Law Society of British Columbia as a Family Law Mediator, a Family Law Arbitrator and a Parenting Coordinator. He received the designation of Queen’s Counsel in 2016. Mr. Scott is currently the President of the New Westminster Bar Association and a Governor of the Law Foundation of British Columbia.
BIOGRAPHY
After graduating from high school, Mr. Scott attended the University of Toronto. He majored in both history and political science and received his Bachelor of Arts degree with Honours in 1983.
He was employed as a Lifeguard and Swimming Instructor with the Parks and Recreation department of the City of Toronto from 1977 to 1982. From 1982 to 1985, he served as Special Assistant for the Canadian Robert F. Kennedy Memorial.
Mr. Scott received his Master of Arts degree in 1985. He graduated with his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1988.
Mr. Scott was called to the Bar in the Province of Ontario in November 1990. Subsequently, he was called to the Bar in the Province of Nova Scotia in October 1991.
In 1989 Mr. Scott accepted a position as Special Assistant to the Honourable Lloyd Axworthy, P.C., M.P., then the Opposition Critic for Foreign Affairs in the House of Commons. The following year, Mr. Scott was appointed Special Counsel to the Honourable David C. Dingwall, P.C., M.P., then the Opposition House Leader in the House of Commons.
In 1992, Mr. Scott relocated to the West Coast, and was called to the Bar of the Province of British Columbia in August 1993.
Up to December 1999, Mr. Scott resided in Kamloops, British Columbia and practised primarily divorce and family law at the law firm of Nixon & Company. He also handled some criminal files, some personal injury files as well as wills and estate matters.
In January 2000, Mr. Scott opened his own law firm, Scott & Company, in Kamloops focusing on divorce and family law. He also opened a branch office in Merritt, British Columbia which primarily served First Nations Families.
In September 2004, Mr. Scott relocated his law practise from Kamloops to Quay Law Centre in New Westminster, British Columbia and the Quay Law Centre, the largest group of divorce and family lawyers in British Columbia.
Mr. Scott has an active and busy law practise and has attended on matters before the Provincial Court of British Columbia, the Supreme Court of British Columbia and the British Columbia Court of Appeal.
Mr. Scott has been actively involved in advancing the interests of the legal profession and working for greater access to justice. For three years, ending in 2007, Mr. Scott served as Chair of the Legal Aid Committee of the Canadian Bar Association (British Columbia).
In 2005, he was elected a Member of the Provincial Council of the Canadian Bar Association (British Columbia) for a three year term representing Westminster County. Most recently he was a member of the Court Services Committee of the Canadian Bar Association (British Columbia).
In 2014, he served as President of the New Westminster Bar Association, the oldest and most active local bar association in the province. Mr. Scott agreed to a request to serve a second term as President of the New Westminster Bar Association for 2017.
He has also lectured on divorce and family law at the Professional Legal Training Course. Mr. Scott is qualified by the Law Society of British Columbia as a Family Law Arbitrator, a Family Law Mediator and a Parenting Coordinator.
In December 2016, Mr. Scott was awarded the designation of Queen’s Counsel by the Attorney General of British Columbia. Most recently, Mr. Scott has been appointed a Governor of the Law Foundation of British Columbia.
Mr. Scott has been involved with the Navy League of Canada, the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Program in Canada for many years.
He has also been involved with the Robert F. Kennedy Centre for Justice and Human Rights, the Vancouver International Writers Festival as well as several other local charities and community groups.