John Rogers, KC
Associate Counsel
John Rogers, KC is Associate Counsel with the firm. John was a founding partner of VSLO as well as partner with the firm’s predecessor, Baigent, Jackson, Blair. He has represented unions, their members, and individual workers since 1980.
His practice includes representing clients at arbitration, before the Labour Relations Board, and in proceedings before all levels of court.
In his 41 years of practice, he has consistently represented both private and public sector unions. In addition, he is regularly retained to represent the British Columbia Federation of Labour as intervenor in both Labour Relations Board and court proceedings. While he aggressively pursues his clients’ interests during proceedings, he is equally concerned about obtaining a fair settlement if it can be negotiated, and advising his clients when a matter should not proceed.
He is regularly invited to participate in various Continuing Legal Education matters and has published a number of papers on issues of concern to trade unions.
John is a member of the Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers and a member of the Canadian Bar Association. He was appointed as King’s Counsel on January 23, 2008.
John grew up in Kamloops where, at 14, he started to date Brenda, who surprisingly (he says) is still with him 58 years later. John’s pre-law experiencing includes working as a labourer from aged 15 until 27 in both union and non-union jobs. As a result, he knows the value that unions bring to the lives of working people. After dropping out of university to embark on a 4 year backpacking journey around the world with Brenda John applied to UBC Law School in 1976, graduating in 1979.
From 1979-80 John worked or the Union of BC Indian Chiefs representing UBCIC at the BC Royal Commission of Inquiry Health and Environment Protection Uranium Mining which was set up to inquire as to whether uranium mining should be permitted in BC (it wasn’t). He then articled with pre-eminent BC union-side labour firm Baigent Jackson, and stayed on as associate and subsequently a partner. In 2000 he was an original partner along with David Blair, Catherine Wedge and John Hodgins in the new firm of Victory Square Law Office.
In addition to John’s unstinting support of the labour movement in BC, he has continued to travel extensively, with his children and more recently without.
Recognition and Awards
- Appointed King’s Counsel, January 23, 2008
- Recognized in Chambers and Partners (2021) as a well-established, highly distinguished union-side practitioner who possesses a formidable track record before labour board tribunals and all levels of the courts.
Community
- Member, Board of Directors of Partners in the Horn of Africa
Presentations / Seminars / Articles
John is a regular speaker on labour law subjects for the Continuing Legal Education Society of BC.
Results (Arbitration / Tribunal / Court)
John has a significant track record both before tribunals and the courts. He is proud of the decades long, ultimately successful, struggle to make labour law an area where workers rights are judged on contract law principles without special rules for employers. His career highlights include:
- Acting as counsel for the BC Teachers Federation (BCTF) during the 14 year battle to reverse the unconstitutional stripping of teacher collective agreements and elimination of bargaining rights. This matter was finally concluded with a decisive victory in the Supreme Court of Canada in British Columbia Teacher’s Federation v. British Columbia, 2016 SCC 49. John and Steven Rogers joined Diane MacDonald (as she then was) and Michael Sobkin as counsel for the appellant BCTF. Watch the webcast here.
- Representing the USWA in the coroner’s inquest into the tragic and preventable sawmill explosion that occurred in Prince George.
- He has, at one time or another, represented unions from all BC sectors, with a high degree of success.
Education
- LL.B. Peter A. Allard School of Law, University of British Columbia, 1979
Associations
- Member, Law Society of British Columbia, 1980 – present
- Member, Canadian Bar Association
- Member, Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers (CALL)
Bar Admissions
Practice Areas
- Civil Litigation
- Constitutional Law
- Labour Law
Bio
John Rogers, KC is Associate Counsel with the firm. John was a founding partner of VSLO as well as partner with the firm’s predecessor, Baigent, Jackson, Blair. He has represented unions, their members, and individual workers since 1980.
His practice includes representing clients at arbitration, before the Labour Relations Board, and in proceedings before all levels of court.
In his 41 years of practice, he has consistently represented both private and public sector unions. In addition, he is regularly retained to represent the British Columbia Federation of Labour as intervenor in both Labour Relations Board and court proceedings. While he aggressively pursues his clients’ interests during proceedings, he is equally concerned about obtaining a fair settlement if it can be negotiated, and advising his clients when a matter should not proceed.
He is regularly invited to participate in various Continuing Legal Education matters and has published a number of papers on issues of concern to trade unions.
John is a member of the Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers and a member of the Canadian Bar Association. He was appointed as King’s Counsel on January 23, 2008.
John grew up in Kamloops where, at 14, he started to date Brenda, who surprisingly (he says) is still with him 58 years later. John’s pre-law experiencing includes working as a labourer from aged 15 until 27 in both union and non-union jobs. As a result, he knows the value that unions bring to the lives of working people. After dropping out of university to embark on a 4 year backpacking journey around the world with Brenda John applied to UBC Law School in 1976, graduating in 1979.
From 1979-80 John worked or the Union of BC Indian Chiefs representing UBCIC at the BC Royal Commission of Inquiry Health and Environment Protection Uranium Mining which was set up to inquire as to whether uranium mining should be permitted in BC (it wasn’t). He then articled with pre-eminent BC union-side labour firm Baigent Jackson, and stayed on as associate and subsequently a partner. In 2000 he was an original partner along with David Blair, Catherine Wedge and John Hodgins in the new firm of Victory Square Law Office.
In addition to John’s unstinting support of the labour movement in BC, he has continued to travel extensively, with his children and more recently without.
Recognition and Awards
- Appointed King’s Counsel, January 23, 2008
- Recognized in Chambers and Partners (2021) as a well-established, highly distinguished union-side practitioner who possesses a formidable track record before labour board tribunals and all levels of the courts.
Community
- Member, Board of Directors of Partners in the Horn of Africa
Presentations / Seminars / Articles
John is a regular speaker on labour law subjects for the Continuing Legal Education Society of BC.
Results (Arbitration / Tribunal / Court)
John has a significant track record both before tribunals and the courts. He is proud of the decades long, ultimately successful, struggle to make labour law an area where workers rights are judged on contract law principles without special rules for employers. His career highlights include:
- Acting as counsel for the BC Teachers Federation (BCTF) during the 14 year battle to reverse the unconstitutional stripping of teacher collective agreements and elimination of bargaining rights. This matter was finally concluded with a decisive victory in the Supreme Court of Canada in British Columbia Teacher’s Federation v. British Columbia, 2016 SCC 49. John and Steven Rogers joined Diane MacDonald (as she then was) and Michael Sobkin as counsel for the appellant BCTF. Watch the webcast here.
- Representing the USWA in the coroner’s inquest into the tragic and preventable sawmill explosion that occurred in Prince George.
- He has, at one time or another, represented unions from all BC sectors, with a high degree of success.
Education
- LL.B. Peter A. Allard School of Law, University of British Columbia, 1979
Associations
- Member, Law Society of British Columbia, 1980 – present
- Member, Canadian Bar Association
- Member, Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers (CALL)
