History Of The Firm
1920-1960
Cyril Francis Davie commenced practicing law in Duncan in 1920, occupying a small upstairs office in the old wooden Whittome Building, where Outlooks Menswear is now located, at 53 Station Street. He was appointed King’s Counsel while Speaker of the Conservative Government of Simon Fraser Tolmie.
In 1946 Mr. Davie’s son, John Chapman Davie (“Jack”), articled to him as a Law Society Student and in 1948 the office moved to premises consisting of three rooms with a walk-in-vault in the then recently constructed Garner Building which was built adjacent to the now demolished British Columbia Government Office and Court House at the west end of Station Street.
David Ricardo Williams and Robert James Harvey commenced practice in Duncan in 1949, in the Henderson-Peake Building on Station Street, having completed their articles with Robert J. Harvey, K.C. in Victoria, BC In 1950, following the death of Cyril F. Davie, K.C., they moved to his Garner Building premises where the two practices were amalgamated.
In 1952, Mr. J.C. Davie, having also completed articles with Mr. R. J. Harvey, K.C., joined the firm and for several years the practice carried on under the name of Williams, Harvey & Davie, the three partners initially having only one secretary, Miss Carol Auchinachie. The firm’s practice expanded over the next several years and Edna Marchant and Kitty Johnston joined the firm. Mr. Harvey left the partnership in 1957 and moved to Victoria to practice with the late Judge Gregory’s firm.
1960-1970
In 1964 a major change occurred when Messrs. Williams & Davie acquired, redesigned and rebuilt the premises at 170 Craig Street (across from the present City Hall), the building having lain vacant for several years following the BC Telephone Company’s move to its present location on Ingram Street. At first the firm occupied about half the floor space in the building, renting the balance to such tenants as Miss Ruth Williams (accountant), Doman’s Forestry Engineers, Cowichan Pictorial, Brouwer & Company Insurance Adjusters, Robert James Photo Studio and others.
The firm expanded and over the years took over occupancy of the entire building. Major renovation changes being the construction of the library and staff room in 1974 and the reconstruction of the conveyancing department in 1976. Over the years the firm built up a strong conveyancing practice, largely due to the efforts of the late Kitty Johnston.
In 1969 Mr. Williams, having prosecuted numerous Supreme Court Assizes in Nanaimo, was appointed Queen’s Counsel. Mr. Williams retired from the practice of law in December 1985 and died on January 29, 1999.
1970-1980
Donald Robert Frederick Orchard, having practiced in Manitoba, joined the firm as a partner in 1973. Don left the firm in November, 1987 to start his own practice with Robert Nelford.
Thimersingh Mohar Singh, having practiced in South Africa and Manitoba, joined the firm as a partner in 1974. Thimersingh Mohar Singh left the firm in January 1987 when he was called to the Bench and became Judge Singh of the County Court of New Westminster, now the Supreme Court of British Columbia with the amalgamation of the two upper courts in 1990. He retired as a Judge many years ago.
James Parker MacCarthy joined the firm as an associate in 1976 after completing his articles with the Vancouver firm of Alexander, Guest & Company and became a partner in 1979. He served as President of the Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch from 1993 to 1994 and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in January 1997. He left the firm on December 31, 1998 to become an associate counsel with Ramsay Thompson Lampman in Nanaimo. Parker was appointed a Provincial Court Judge on October 18, 2010 sitting in Nanaimo, BC originally and then sat in Duncan, B.C. before his retirement in 2024.
Brian Robert McCutcheon joined the firm in September, 1980 after completing his articles with Williams, Davie & Company. Brian became a junior partner in 1983; a partner in April 1987 and subsequently left the firm in May 1991 to start his own practice with Boyd F. Hiltz.
Laura Violet Nield joined the firm in September 1981 after completing her articles with Williams, Davie & Company. Laura became a junior partner in April 1984 and subsequently left the firm in April 1986 and moved to New York with her husband.
Garfield Glen Ridgway and Peter James Lawson joined the firm February 14, 1987. Glen became a full partner in April 1987 and Peter became a full partner in April 1988. Peter Lawson left the firm in November 1991 to start his own practice. Glen was appointed a Queen’s Counsel on December 24, 1987 and effective January 1, 2010, was no longer a Partner of the firm but then used the designation of “Counsel” on the firm letterhead. Glen officially retired on December 31, 2019 but was reinstated in April 2022 to assist with a personal injury matter started before he retired, which was expected to go to trial. It was settled without a trial and he officially retired again in June 2022 but continues to do pro bono work.
John Chapman Davie (“Jack”) retired from the practice of law in December 1988 and passed away April 16, 2008.
William Ross Younie articled with the firm in 1983-1984. Bill practiced law in the Rossland – Trail area until June 1986 when he returned to practice with the firm. Bill subsequently became a partner in November 1991. Bill was appointed a Queen’s Counsel on December 10, 2012. Bill retired on December 31, 2023
Alix Laurel Reid articled with MacCarthy Ridgway – August 1986 then joined the firm as an associate in June 1987 and became a Partner in January 2010.
1990-2020
Colleen Marie Johel joined the firm as an associate in May 1990 after completing some of her articles with MacCarthy Ridgway and most of them with the Ministry of the Attorney General in Victoria. She became a Partner and the Managing Partner in July 1997.
Scott Warner Sheets joined the firm as an associate in May 1991 after completing his articles with MacCarthy Ridgway. He left the firm to practice with MacIsaac and Company in late 1993.
David Bernard Pope joined the firm as an associate in December 1993, leaving the firm of MacIsaac and Company. David had practiced in the East Kootenays and Kamloops for 13 years before moving to the Cowichan Valley where he had practiced for 7 years before joining MacCarthy Ridgway. David became a Partner in July 1997 and left the firm January 31, 2003.
Susan Michele Rupertus joined the firm as an associate in May 1996 after completing her articles with MacCarthy Ridgway and left the firm in November 1998 to practice on her own and do contract work with the Crown Counsel Office in Nanaimo.
Shari Jeannette Doucette Leahy joined the firm as an associate in July 1999 after articling with Hope Hienrich in Prince George, B.C. Shari left the firm in April 2003 to move with her husband to Vancouver, where he had been transferred.
Gregory J. G. Mawson joined the firm as an associate in June 2003 after articling in Prince George. Greg was laid off in October 2004 when the firm’s contract with the Attorney General was lost to a lower bidding firm in Victoria and he returned to Prince George to become a solicitor.
Bettina Ruhstein joined the firm as an articled student in August 2007. She was called to the bar on May 14, 2008, and became an associate of the firm. Bettina Ruhstein left the firm in the fall of 2010 to focus on the construction of her home on Gabriola Island.
Eric J. Wagner joined the firm as an associate in November 2010. He was called to the bar of British Columbia in 1994 and the Alberta bar prior to that. He left the firm in May 2014 to join ICBC in Victoria, where he resides.
Elizabeth Robinow articled and was called to the Bar in Manitoba in June 2014. She joined the firm in September 2014 and after requalifying in BC, was called to the Bar October 1, 2014 with her formal call ceremony held in Duncan in December 2014. Elizabeth became a Partner in January 2022.
Brian McDaniel joined the firm as an Associate Counsel on January 1, 2018 after practising in his own firm in Duncan for many years.
Jeffrey Adam Drozdiak joined the firm as an articled student in September 2018 and became an associate in September 2019. His formal call to the bar ceremony was in November 2019 in Victoria. Jeff left the firm in May 2024 to take a position as a Member of the BC Civil Resolutions Tribunal.
2020-Present
Sarah Handel joined the firm as an Articled Student in July 2022 and completed her articles with us but decided not to practice as a lawyer. Her formal call to the bar ceremony was in October 2023 in Nanaimo and then she moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia to work for a government agency.
Elliot P. Rowe joined the firm as an associate in January of 2024. He was called to the bar in 2022 after articling in Victoria and became of Partner in January 2026.
Allison A. Read joined the firm as an Associate in January 2026 after practising in Prince George, BC for many years. She was called to the Bar in 1998.
More…
Several law students and associate lawyers came and went, including Fred Green (who became a local Provincial Court Judge who retired in late 1994), Barney Morahan (former Registrar of Supreme Court), Donald Young (who went to Legal Services in Campbell River), Ed Rogers, David Bolton, Robert J. Salmond and Joy Illington (who all went to practice in Victoria), Kenneth Newcomb, Thomas Lathrop and John Martin (all now retired after practicing in Duncan) and Brian McDaniel (who practised in Duncan in partnership with Dorward Tillie before returning to the firm as an Associate Counsel in 2018). Other mentionable articled students are Gisela Reubsaat, Robert Howay and David O’Connor (who is now practicing in Ladysmith). For a short time, Richard B. Bird, Q.C. was a partner of the firm.
The firm has been known by several names:
- Williams, Davie & Bird
- Williams & Davie
- Williams, Davie & Company
- Williams, Davie, Orchard, Singh & MacCarthy
- Williams, Davie, Singh & MacCarthy
- Williams, Davie & Company
- MacCarthy, Ridgway, McCutcheon & Lawson
- MacCarthy Ridgway
- Ridgway & Company
On December 1, 1988 the firm changed its name to MacCarthy, Ridgway, McCutcheon & Lawson; and on July 1, 1991 the firm changed its name to MacCARTHY RIDGWAY; and on January 1, 1999 the firm changed its name to the present name of RIDGWAY & COMPANY.
During the fall of 1988 and the spring of 1989, the firm did a major face lift of the premises at 170 Craig Street. This face lift included new carpeting (grey tones, instead of green), paint and wallpaper. Glen Ridgway’s secretary’s office was restored to its original beauty; the staff room was redesigned; a coat closet was built beside the washrooms; a separate room for the photocopier was built downstairs and the front desk and postage meter area were rebuilt. The old faded pink and green couch in the reception area was finally retired.
In February 1995 it was decided that the premises at 170 Craig Street could no longer serve us well and the decision was made to build new premises and the location at 44 Queens Road was purchased. After much discussion and thought the design of the building was finally determined and the excavation for the new building began in April 1996. We finally packed up our desks and open files on Friday, November 22, 1996 and moved that weekend, re-opening on Monday, November 25, 1996 at our new location at 200 – 44 Queens Road.