Q.C. Stands for Quietly Competent Lawyer

The Queen's Counsel designation is a royal patent with a long and distinguished history, and nine new Queen's Counsel were inducted last week.  Among these lawyers is my younger brother Michael Crosbie, Q.C.  Should the present Queen pass away and be replaced as monarch by her son Charles, this designation will become K.C. for King's Counsel. 

I have commented in an earlier piece that the honour would be strengthened by a set of written criteria for the grant of it.  But I was present at Government House last Thursday, and present in Court Room 1 on Friday with Chief Justice Orsborn presiding, and no one who listened to his review of the inductees' qualifications, and indeed no one who knows the recipients themselves, could have any doubt but that they are indeed leaders of the Inner Bar and learned in the law. 

The honorees are Pittman, Q.C., Lake, Q.C., Wells, Q.C., Rowe, Q.C., Crosbie, Q.C., Aylward, Q.C., Byrne, Q.C., Jewer-Mills, Q.C., and Maher, Q.C.

As the Chief Justice stated, the receipt by counsel of letters patent from the Queen's representative reflects the Sovereign's judgment that the counsel in question has the necessary experience, seniority, and professional skill to advise and to represent the Sovereign.  Because of this recognition of eminence, he formally invited each Queen's Counsel to sit at and plead their cases from the Inner Bar, entitling them to sit on the front bench seating open only to Queen's Counsel.

Chief Justice Orsborn's comments about my learned and feisty brother are well rounded and true, as they were with all the other recipients.  I proudly reprint them here:

 

Crosbie, Q.C. is a partner in the St. John's office of the Atlantic Canadian law firm of McInnes Cooper.  He was admitted to the Bar in 1983.  Since then he has been a bar admission course instructor in Civil Procedure - I believe for over 15 years - and he has been a frequent presenter at Canadian Property Tax Association conferences.  He is a past president and honorary life member of Personal Credit Counselling Service.

Crosbie, Q.C. was probably preordained for a career in the law.  The Crosbie name is synonymous with the law in this province and in this city.  His Honour told us yesterday that the Crosbie family has now "degenerated to the point" (his words) where there are now eleven lawyers or lawyers-to-be in the family.

But preordination won't do it for you.  Crosbie, Q.C. stands here this morning based on his own reputation as a person and as an excellent counsel.

This is what his partners and friends say of him as a man - "He is a man of integrity, high professionalism, tenacity, loyalty to his clients and colleagues, and humour.  He is a wonderful family man, a gentleman and a very good friend."  We can only hope that the same could be said for all of us.

Within the legal profession, Crosbie, Q.C. is viewed as being like a "dog with a bone".  He is a passionate believer in fairness and equity and will leave no stone unturned in this pursuit of achieving what he feels is a just result for his client.

But despite his passionate beliefs, Crosbie, Q.C. also possesses that quality which is a hallmark of every good counsel.  He is objective.  I have had the opportunity to hear a number of matters in which Crosbie, Q.C. was counsel.  Some he won - some he lost.  But I remember clearly one occasion in particular when he rose to begin his argument.  He said - "You'll see from my brief that I have four points in my argument."  He paused for a moment and went on.  "The first point is not very good so I won't say anything more about that."

That objectivity and honesty was refreshing and much appreciated.  Indeed, as a matter of advocacy, it helped to reinforce the strength of his remaining argument.

I look forward to your future appearances, Crosbie, Q.C., but now from the front bench.  Welcome to the Inner Bar.

Queen's Counsel appointments in this province could benefit from elaboration of written standards for selection, of that there is no doubt.  However this year's selection of appointees, my brother among them, meets the highest standard that anyone could impose.  All are a credit to their profession and wonderfully contributing members to their community:  Quietly Competent lawyers.  Congratulations all!