17 Facts About Joseph Arvay

Joseph Arvay graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a Bachelor of Laws in 1974.

Joseph Arvay then attained a Master of Laws from Harvard Law School.

Joseph Arvay was appointed Queen's Counsel after only ten years at the bar, shocking many with his youth.

In October 2017, Joseph Arvay left Farris and rejoined former associates Mark Underhill, Catherine Boies Parker, Robin Gage and Alison Latimer in the newly reconstituted Joseph Arvay Finlay LLP.

Joseph Arvay worked with the BC Civil Liberties Association in a successful fight to decriminalize assisted suicide.

Joseph Arvay recently represented the plaintiff in a landmark case granting children of sperm donors the same rights regarding access to information about their birth parents as adopted children.

Joseph Arvay said these consequences include fear of retaliation by police, invasion of privacy and child welfare actions.

Joseph Arvay has defended high-profile cases such as the Little Sisters' Book Store trial, where he argued gay and lesbian rights in the context of freedom of speech.

Joseph Arvay was involved in the APEC inquiry that tested the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the role government has, and does not have, in censoring the public's inherent right to speak out on matters of political importance.

Joseph Arvay was the appellant for the Attorney General of British Columbia.

Joseph Arvay was counsel in the Supreme Court of Canada for Chamberlain v Surrey School District No 36 where he successfully argued that a local school board could not impose its religious values by refusing to permit the use of books in K-1 that sought to promote tolerance of same-sex relationships.

At the British Columbia Supreme Court, Joseph Arvay contended the law removes a person's right to make decisions about their body and restricts physicians' freedom to administer compassionate end-of-life care.

Joseph Arvay has made a exceptional commitment to human rights in this country.

Peter Gzowski puts it as follows: "[Joseph Arvay] has had a remarkable role in shaping how our Constitution is interpreted".

In 2016, Joseph Arvay was awarded with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from York University, Osgoode Hall Law School, and in 2018 was awarded the same honour by the University of Victoria.

Joseph Arvay died on December 7,2020, after a heart attack.

Joseph Arvay was honoured with tributes from the Attorney General of British Columbia, the Chief Justice of Canada, and the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association, among others.