CDAS co-founder and long-time Vice-President, MarkGervin, has decided to step down from the Board of Directors. Forever an altruist, Mark explained that his goal was always to see CDAS establish itself as a successful organization, before stepping aside to allow others the opportunity to evolve the Society. He believes that time has arrived.
Co-founder and current Director, Tamara Levy, K.C. offered the following parting sentiment to Mark, which is shared by all members of the Board:
Mark and I first met to discuss the idea that became CDAS in 2014. We shared a joint vision for an organization whose focus was solely the work and well-being of criminal defence lawyers and their clients. We were particularly concerned with supporting lawyers entering criminal defence practice and the retention of women in the criminal defence bar.
In his work on the front lines of defence practice, Mark recognized the need for support in these areas and has been instrumental in many CDAS initiatives including the first (and incredibly successful) CDAS Bootcamp, the Report on Criminal Law Articles, the Pizza and Judges' Night (hosted with the CBA), and many important criminal law webinars with the BC Courthouse Libraries Society. Mark has also represented CDAS on numerous committees, assisting the courts by ensuring the defence perspective was included on matters dealing with criminal law process.
CDAS Board meetings will not be the same without seeing what awesome T-shirt (or, every now and again, three-piece suit!) Mark has donned for the occasion. We will also miss his late-night email musings which always put forward one idea or another to support the criminal bar.
Mark is endlessly dedicated to helping students or juniors find jobs or opportunities to further their development and has a special skill for bringing great people together. No doubt he will continue to do the latter whenever he can fit it in between his two other full-time jobs!
CDAS and the Board owe a great debt to Mark; we thank him for his years of dedication to supporting the criminal defence bar.
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