Sad news arrived recently with word that Richard Sugden, Q.C. died on January 5, 2009, four years after illness forced his premature retirement from the profession he loved. Although I didn’t know him as well as I would have liked, Rick was always unfailingly polite and generous with his time whenever I encountered him in the precincts of the Law Courts. He was a rarity; a terrific lawyer who thrived in the cutthroat world of civil litigation, yet one who retained high levels of civility and courtesy that all of us should try to emulate. He will be sorely missed.

There will be a special memorial ceremony on Friday afternoon, January 16, 2009 at the Great Hall of the Vancouver Law Courts.