A message from Janine Benedet, Dean pro tem and Professor
I am writing with the sad news that our Emeritus colleague Don Egleston passed away on December 11, 2020. After graduating from the University of Saskatchewan and practicing law in Regina, Don joined the UBC Faculty of Law in 1975 as a Senior Instructor in the newly founded UBC Legal Clinic. Many of us remember the Clinic, which was housed in a trailer behind the law school where the Tallwood building now stands. Don remained in that role until the Clinic program was restructured in 1994 and moved off-campus.
He then joined the regular faculty, teaching courses in Criminal Law and Procedure, directing the mooting program, and coaching the Burns and Western Canada moot competitions, until his retirement from the Faculty in 2003. Don was much loved by his students, and he enjoyed traveling with them to mooting competitions and court appearances. His colleagues remember him as a gifted storyteller with a wonderful sense of humour.
Nancy Wiggs, who worked with Don in the Clinic for many years, recalls that at the end of the year every student was treated to a limerick, joke or prediction about their future, and what she will remember about Don is the joy he brought to others. He gave generously of his time while in the Faculty – Don was the inaugural recipient of the Faculty Scholar award for service to the law school in 1999. Expressions of sympathy to Don’s wife Pat can be sent to egleston@telus.net.
