Back To Law Matters | Summer 2015

Branch President 2015-16

Wayne A. Barkauskas

CBA Alberta President: 2015 - 2016

I am honoured to have been asked to introduce Wayne A. Barkauskas as the new President of the Canadian Bar Association, Alberta Branch.  You will all quickly realize (if you don’t already) that Wayne is one of the most intelligent, stubborn, tenacious, creative, insightful, hardworking lawyers in Alberta.  Wayne gives to others without question and without being asked. His representation of clients in difficult family matters is second to none.

I have known Wayne since he articled with the law firm of Uniacke Yanko and Wise in 1991. Wayne and I have been partners at the law firm of Wise Scheible Barkauskas for 20 years.   During this time Wayne has practiced exclusively in the area of family law, focusing on matrimonial property and support issues.  Wayne is an arbitrator, mediator and parenting coordinator.

Wayne has shown incredible dedication to the Canadian Bar Association. Wayne co-chaired the Alberta Law Conference, Wayne was Chair of the Membership Committee for 4 years, Wayne has been a part of the Calgary Law Day Committee for 4 years, and was the Alberta Law Day Chair for 4 years.  Wayne is the Vice-Chair of the National Family Law Section.

Wayne has sat on the Alberta Justice Provincial Court Nominating and Review Committee, the Alberta Justice Queen’s Bench Interviewing and Selection Committee, and the Alberta Justice Family Law Advisory Committee for Practice Note 7.

In addition, Wayne has shown his involvement and dedication to the legal profession, not only in practice, but as an instructor and an evaluator for the Bar Admission course (CPLED). Wayne sat on the Alberta Justice Family Law Advisory Committee while the new Alberta Rules of Court were focusing on the new Alberta Rules of Court project for four years.

Wayne has contributed not only to the legal profession, but to our community.  He has chaired the Board of Peer Support for Abused Women for over ten years, he has sat on the Board of Directors for the Alberta Action Committee for Housing and Homelessness and he currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Calgary Homeless Foundation.

Wayne has three beautiful children; daughter Jayde, and twin sons Josh and Bryce. Wayne’s first focus is his children. Wayne’s dedication to his children is exemplified by his most recent outing.  He wanted his 11-year-old twins to experience the midnight sun of the Yukon and Northwest Territories, so they travelled by car, camping along the way to Yellowknife where they experienced the outdoors and the midnight sun.  He shares parenting with his children’s mother, and no matter how busy he is, he tries never to miss a hockey or lacrosse game.

Wayne is the ultimate adventurer, spending time in Uganda and Rwanda with gorillas, swimming with great white sharks in the Pacific, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, and travelling down the Amazon, to name just a few adventures.  These experiences have allowed Wayne to apply his considerable talent as a photographer.  Wayne’s passion for photography, as usual, is beyond the norm.  His favourite subjects are jungle wildlife and this has taken him to the wilds of Central America, the Amazon in South America (more than once), Borneo, the Congo and other uncomfortable places, most people will never see.  He is modest about his photographs; however, will show you if he is asked.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the members of the Canadian Bar Association for selecting Wayne A. Barkauskas as a member of the Alberta Branch Executive as I believe selecting Wayne could not have been a better selection for leadership.  Wayne is the best person that I know.