About Arthur Q.c.

Art Vertlieb, Q.C., is a former President of the Law Society of British Columbia.

Mr. Vertlieb was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1973. He is a trial lawyer who has appeared in criminal and civil matters in all levels of court, both provincial and federal, up to and including the Supreme Court of Canada. From 2010 to 2012, he served as Commission Counsel to the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry, which looked into the mass murder of vulnerable women from the downtown eastside of Vancouver (the Pickton victims). As well, from 2007 to 2010, he served as Commission Counsel to the Braidwood Inquiry, which examined the safety of conducted energy weapons (tasers) and the death of Robert Dziekanski. 

Mr. Vertlieb is General Counsel to The Canadian Football League (CFL) Players Association.

Mr. Vertlieb is a former President and founding Vice-President of the Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia, a former Chair and founding member of the Lawyers Assistance Program of British Columbia, a former member of the editorial advisory board for CIVJI (Civil Jury Instructions), published by the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia, and a former governor of the American Association for Justice. His professional service includes acting as a director of the Continuing Legal Education Society and the British Columbia Courthouse Library Society. Mr. Vertlieb served for five years as a member of the Judicial Council of British Columbia. He is an elected fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and a member of the Law Society of Yukon Discipline Committee.

In 2009, Mr. Vertlieb received the prestigious Georges A. Goyer, QC Memorial Award from the Canadian Bar Association (BC Branch) for his contributions to the legal profession, particularly his founding role with the Lawyers Assistance Program (LAP) and the Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia. He has also received the LAP Lawyer Helping Lawyer Award (2001), the Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia Outstanding Achievement Award (1993), the Alumni Gold Key Award from Osgoode Hall Law School (2002) and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012).

He serves on the board of the Arts Club Foundation. He has served on the boards of the Canadian Memorial Community Centre, the Vancouver Academy of Music and as a coach and President of Arbutus Shaughnessy Little League Baseball.