Robert H. McKercher
{{Short description|Canadian lawyer (1930–2024)}}
{{More citations needed|biography|date=December 2024}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=June 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox Officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Robert Hamilton McKercher
| honorific-suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=CAN|KC|size=100%}}
| image =
| imagesize =
| office1 = 55th President of the Canadian Bar Association
| predecessor1 = L. Yves Fortier
| successor1 = Claude R. Thomson
| term_start1 = 1983
| term_end1 = 1984
| office2 = President of the Law Society of Saskatchewan
| predecessor2 = Grant Harold Martin Armstrong
| successor2 = Thomas Clarkson Wakeling
| term_start2 = 1978
| term_end2 = 1978
| office3 = 23rd President of the Saskatchewan Branch of the Canadian Bar Association
| predecessor3 = W. M. Elliott
| successor3 = A. M. Nicol
| term_start3 = 1966
| term_end3 = 1968
| birth_date = {{birth date|1930|05|06}}
| birth_place = Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|12|15|1930|05|06}}
| death_place =
| spouse = Peggy McKercher
| party =
| relations =
| children =
| residence =
| alma_mater = {{ubl|University of Saskatchewan (BA, LL.B)|Harvard Law School (LL.M)}}
| occupation =
| profession = Lawyer
}}
Robert Hamilton McKercher, {{Post-nominals|country=CAN|KC}} (May 6, 1930 – December 15, 2024) was a Canadian lawyer from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He served as the national president of the Canadian Bar Association from 1983 to 1984, as well as president of the Law Society of Saskatchewan in 1978.
Early life and education
McKercher was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on May 6, 1930, the son of Stewart and Etta Marie McKercher. He attended the University of Saskatchewan, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1950, and then a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1952.{{cite magazine |url=https://law.usask.ca/documents/alumni/ofNote_Winter2013.pdf |title=Two law alumni honoured with 2012 Alumni Achievement Award |date=Winter 2013 |author= |magazine=of Note |publisher=University of Saskatchewan College of Law |location=Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada |page=16 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241222093904/https://law.usask.ca/documents/alumni/ofNote_Winter2013.pdf |archive-date=December 22, 2024 |access-date=December 22, 2024}} He did post-graduate legal studies at the University of Toronto under Bora Laskin (later Chief Justice of Canada), and then attended Harvard Law School, earning a Master of Laws degree.{{cite web| url=http://www.mckercher.ca/lawyers/robert-h-mckercher-qc |title= Robert H. McKercher, KC |work=McKercher LLP |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240210055659/http://www.mckercher.ca/lawyers/robert-h-mckercher-qc |archive-date=February 10, 2024 |access-date=December 22, 2024}}
Legal career
Returning to Saskatchewan from Harvard, McKercher entered the practice of law with his brother Donald. The firm continues to operate today as McKercher LLP. He carried on an active practice, including acting as counsel to two different government inquiries. He also acted as counsel for the Saskatchewan Provincial Court Judges Association in a dispute with the government of Saskatchewan over judicial compensation. He eventually appeared in the Supreme Court of Canada on behalf of the Saskatchewan Provincial Court judges in Reference re Remuneration of Judges of the Provincial Court (P.E.I.), the case which established that the constitutional principle of judicial independence requires that issues of judicial compensation must be reviewed by independent commissions.
{{cite Canadian Court |litigants=Reference re Remuneration of Judges of the Provincial Court (P.E.I.) |decisionyear=1997 |reporteryear=1997 |vol=3 |reporter=SCR |series=3 |page= |court= |url=https://decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/1541/index.do |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241222092932/https://decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/1541/index.do |archive-date=December 22, 2024 |access-date=December 22, 2024}}
After McKercher was no longer actively involved in the practice of law, he provided legal services on a pro bono basis to community organizations. He was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1966.
Service to the legal profession
McKercher served two terms as president of the Saskatchewan Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, from 1966 to 1968.{{cite web |url=http://www.cbasask.org/CBAMediaLibrary/cba_sk/PDFs/Who-We-Are/Governance/Counci/Council-Directory-Final-2016-2017.pdf |title=Council Directory |work=Canadian Bar Association Saskatchewan Branch |page=9 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241222092040/https://www.cbasask.org/CBAMediaLibrary/cba_sk/PDFs/Who-We-Are/Governance/Counci/Council-Directory-Final-2016-2017.pdf |archive-date=December 22, 2024 |access-date=December 22, 2024}} He also was elected national president of the Canadian Bar Association, serving from 1983 to 1984.{{cite web |url=http://www.cba.org/Who-We-Are/Governance/President-Executive/Past-CBA-Presidents |title=Past CBA Presidents |work=Canadian Bar Association |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241222091710/https://www.cba.org/Who-We-Are/Governance/Board-of-Directors/Past-CBA-Presidents |archive-date=December 22, 2024 |access-date=December 22, 2024}} He also served as president of the Law Society of Saskatchewan in 1978, the provincial regulatory body for lawyers.{{Cite web |url=https://www.lawsociety.sk.ca/law-society-of-saskatchewan/past-presidents-of-the-law-society-of-saskatchewan/ |title=Past Presidents of the Law Society of Saskatchewan |date=March 31, 2017 |last=Laycock |first=Kelly |work=Law Society of Saskatchewan |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241222091511/https://www.lawsociety.sk.ca/law-society-of-saskatchewan/past-presidents-of-the-law-society-of-saskatchewan/ |archive-date=December 22, 2024 |access-date=December 22, 2024}}
Personal life and death
McKercher was married to Peggy McKercher. She has been extremely active in Saskatoon community organizations, including serving a term as Chancellor of the University of Saskatchewan.
References
{{Reflist}}
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Category:University of Saskatchewan alumni
Category:Harvard Law School alumni
Category:Lawyers in Saskatchewan
Category:Canadian King's Counsel
Category:Canadian Bar Association presidents