For more than 25 years, local lawyer Glen Ewan has served the people of Golden in many different ways.
Ewan & McKenzie has been a great partnership between Ewan and Bruce McKenzie, who have worked hard to help local people. Ewan started working in Golden in 1978 to help out the only lawyer here.
“After three weeks, we realized this was the place to be. People were friendly, warm, and helpful, and we have made it our home ever since,” Ewan said.
When the lawyer he worked with decided to leave the town, Ewan met with candidates who might come to Golden.
“I remember telling McKenzie, the best candidate, to come to Golden and see if he would like it. He came up and loved it. On his way to the golf course, he got a flat tire,” he said. “After being eaten by the mosquitoes, I thought he would never stay, but he said he loved it and never left.”
Making a difference in Golden is an important part of life for Ewan and others in the firm.
“I wanted to be where I thought I could make a difference in the community. Growing up, I never knew any lawyers, but I read To Kill a Mockingbird in high school. I said I wanted to be like Atticus Finch. You can’t stay in Vancouver to do that,” he said.
Ewan continues to spread the word on the many great opportunities in small towns.
“This March, I am going to the University of British Columbia to speak to the law students about small-town life. I do not call it small-town law practice because it is about making your life in a small town,” he said.
One area where the lawyers try to help out in the area is through their legal aid work.
“We have always done a lot of legal aid work which means you don’t get paid or you don’t get paid very much. Everyone in this law firm believes that it is their duty as lawyers to do that. I have been paid with chickens, eggs, car repairs and whatever they can do if they want to pay us,” he said. “We do whatever we have to do to help people out.”
Ewan also said that the high respect people have shown him has been truly amazing.
“People have been very good to us. As a businessperson, I am astounded by how small our accounts receivables are. People pay us when they are charged by us. Most lawyers write off five to 10 percent of the bills they send yearly. If we write off one percent, that’s a bad year for us,” he said. “People are very loyal to us here. They appreciate that we try to help and do our best for them.”
The firm also has a new lawyer to work with them. Ewan said working and watching Keven Schecter work on cases is interesting.
“You throw your heart and mind and everything into it, and it doesn’t go your way. You can walk away heartbroken,” he said. For a day afterwards, you think, ‘What could I have done differently?’ What could I have said, and you second-guess your skills? But that is how you improve.”
Ewan also wanted to pass on a special message to the people in the area.
“I would like to thank the thousands of people who have made this a successful law practice. A law practice where I feel good going home every night, and I can’t wait to get into the office in the morning,” he said.
Ewan & McKenzie is located at 515 9th Ave. N. in downtown Golden, BC.
