OUR HISTORY
The law firm of McQuarrie Hunter LLP goes back to 1936 when Colin D. McQuarrie was called to the Bar in British Columbia and opened a practice in New Westminster. In 1967, his law firm, McQuarrie and Company, joined three other long-established New Westminster law firms: Hunter and Pettenuzzo (established in 1960), Fisher and Gates (established in 1958) and MacKinnon and Pearce (established in 1954 in New Westminster and Surrey). The firm was originally known as McQuarrie Hunter Fisher MacKinnon Gates Pettenuzzo and Pearce, but shortened its name to McQuarrie Hunter in 1978.
All seven of the founding partners were appointed Queen’s Counsel during their respective careers. Both Colin D. McQuarrie and Thomas K. Fisher served as Treasurer of the Law Society of British Columbia. Thomas K. Fisher was appointed to the County Court of British Columbia in 1977 and Gordon MacKinnon to the Supreme Court of British Columbia in 1978. Watson Hunter died in 1972. Colin D. McQuarrie retired in 1986 after practicing law for fifty years. Glenn Gates and Jerry Pettenuzzo retired in 1992 and Ted Pearce in 1993. Since 1993, the firm has continued without the founding partners but with their tradition of excellence and dedication to our clients and communities.
Since its inception in 1967, McQuarrie Hunter LLP has grown and has for many years numbered between twenty-five and twenty-nine lawyers. The firm is proud of more recent judicial appointments from among its partners: David J. Brine was appointed Master of the Supreme Court in 2001 and Justice in 2004; Robert Crawford was appointed Justice of the Supreme Court in 2001. Marlene Scott, now retired, served as president of the BC Branch of the Canadian Bar Association.
Almost from the beginning, McQuarrie Hunter LLP has had offices in both New Westminster and Surrey. In 2003, McQuarrie Hunter merged with the neighbouring law firm of Worthington, David & Company, adding a second Surrey office.
In December 2010, the firm consolidated its three branches into one new location, a state-of-the-art office in the modern Central City Tower in Surrey.
WELCOME TO MCQUARRIE
We are a Surrey-based, multi-practice law firm optimally sized to serve the needs of businesses, individuals and institutions in the Lower Mainland and throughout British Columbia.
Community Commitment
We are committed to caring for and supporting our communities, as we have done for the past 45 years. Our current focus is healthcare, an area where we believe our resources can be most beneficial to you.
Our community commitment also includes taking an active role in many local foundations, associations and institutions. These include:
- Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation: Jacy Wingson is past president and a member of the Board of Directors. This year McQuarrie Hunter announced a commitment to donate $50,000.
- Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation: David Worthington is on the Board of Directors and Wade Winkler was previously co-chair of the Gala Committee. Our firm makes annual donations to the Foundation and sponsors various Foundation activities.
- Hyack Festival Association: Former partner Rick Molstad has been closely involved for many years, and we continue to support the Hyack Festival.
- Royal City Rotary Club: We sponsor the McQuarrie Hunter Pot of Gold Charity Golf Tournament every September.
- Kinsmen Surrey Place Lodge, which has served our seniors since 1975: Our donation this year went to the purchase of medical bed lifts.
- Simon Fraser University: In 2010 we made a donation toward helping fund the Diwali Celebration.
- Surrey School District #36 and New Westminster Secondary School: We give scholarships of $500 each to select graduating secondary school students.
We enjoy being part of our community, and you’ll find that our lawyers are personally engaged in many worthy causes. We also encourage and support our staff in participating in worthwhile organizations and activities.
Our lawyers give back to the profession, too. Whether it’s the Law Foundation, Law Society, Canadian Bar Association, New Westminster Bar Association, Courthouse Libraries BC, Continuing Legal Education Society of BC, Canadian Association of Black Lawyers, Mediate BC or the BC Human Resources Management Association, we endeavour to make a positive contribution to each of these organizations.