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CCCA_V6No3_Profiles-FIN_CCCA_V1No1_Profile-FIN.qxd 9/19/12 10:34 AM Page 15 Profile T here were many days earlier this holding on to hope and a handful of pos- CBA (B.C. branch) Equality and Diversity Award and theVancouverYWCA Woman sessions. Just three years later, tragedy year when one of Vancouver’s most respected lawyers and active volun- Professions category;the B.C.Community teers was nowhere to be seen — unless struck when her mother died suddenly (a of Distinction Award in the Business and brain aneurysm the likely cause). you were lucky enough to be a mile above Anna, the oldest of six children, was Achievement Award; and the UBC Law the beautiful village of Whistler, B.C. profoundly affected. She closely resem- Alumni Award of Distinction. That’s where part-time “ski bum”Anna bled her mother, and for years believed “With privilege, comes responsibility,” Fung, Q.C., hung out while taking a she too would die young. Fung says of the time she devotes to her refreshing five-month break from work. “It taught me to live each day to the profession and community. “My parents, and I don’t know how they did it,but they “ startled to find themselves in a city coat- left their family and their friends behind so we could have a better life here.” The family arrived on Feb. 4, 1969, I want to make a difference every day ed in white. It was snow, her grandfather explained. He had come to B.C. as a child because our time here is limited and you railway labourer and, now retired, spon- “But part of me said ‘Oh, God.’ I’d ” never know when something will happen. sored the family under Canada’s nascent family reunification policy. In Hong Kong, which was caught in al revolution, free education didn’t exist. It was time well spent, and altogether out fullest and be as good to people as you the uncertain grip of the Chinese cultur- Fung’s parents, both teachers, realized of character. can,” Fung says.“I want to make a differ- for their children. So they emigrated. they couldn’t pay for the best schooling ence every day because our time here is “There’s nothing better on a sunny day than being at Whistler on the top of 7th limited and you never know when some- “They drummed into us the impor- Heaven (ski run),”Fung says.“It’s gorgeous thing will happen.” tance of education,” Fung says. “They and I skied more than I ever had. of the energy and time Fung devotes to educated about all kinds of things.” Colleagues, family and friends all speak really instilled a love of learning and to be worked continuously from 1984… and community and professional endeavours. Although she didn’t know any English had never taken time off, other than reg- This includes serving as a bencher of when she arrived, Fung soon excelled in ular holidays. I was glad to sit back and the B.C. Law Society for 10 years, includ- school. She would earn her bachelor of reflect and do the things other people do ing a term as president; president of the arts in English and French at the other than working.” Association of Chinese Canadian Profes- University of British Columbia (she also Day trips along the spectacular Sea to sionals (B.C.);president of the CCCA and speaks Cantonese, Mandarin and Spanish) Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler chair of the People’s Law School, which and in 1984 graduated with her law afforded her time to think, reinforced the provides public legal education and infor- degree from UBC. gratitude she feels about living in Canada mation to B.C. citizens. Convinced she wanted to become a lit- and crystallized just how generous her par- She has also earned many awards, such igator, Fung accepted a clerkship at VENTURI+KARPA ents were to bring their young family to as the RVA Jones Canadian Corporate the B.C. Court of Appeal before doing her articles. Counsel Award for her contributions to the West Coast from Hong Kong in 1969. “I was curious,” she explains.“I wanted the corporate counsel community; the Anna was 10 when the family arrived, AUTOMNE 2012 CCCA Canadian Corporate Counsel Association 15