New judge in residence offers a wealth of B.C. experience
TRU Law has a new judge in residence.
Judge Chris Cleaveley is a retired B.C. Provincial Court Judge with strong ties to the region. He was born in Kamloops, raised in the North Thompson Valley where his grandparents homesteaded in the early 1900s and worked throughout B.C. during his career.
He was appointed a judge of the Provincial Court in 1994, based in Fort St. John. He transferred to Kamloops in 2005 and retired in 2022. His last sitting day was in Clearwater, in the same building where he attended elementary school.
A judge in residence involves having a retired judge available to mentor law students and provide insights into the legal system. TRU’s first judge in residence was Justice Richard Blair, followed by Madam Justice Hope Hyslop.
The judge in residence acts as a mentor, guest lecturer and resource for students at the TRU Community Legal Clinic, offering guidance based on decades of experience.
Cleaveley graduated from the University of Alberta, then worked as a logger before attending what was then the Native Law Students’ program in Saskatoon. Afterward, he attended UBC’s Law School, graduating in 1979.
He opened the Legal Services Society office in Fort St. John in 1980, then continued in private practice, especially enjoying working as duty counsel on the Northern Circuit in Atlin, Lower Post, Dease Lake, and Cassiar.
Cleaveley has either presided as a judge or appeared as counsel in almost every court location in the province. He has always been an active member of the community, in public service and sports.
Since retiring, he has re-upped as a lawyer and works with the TRU Law clinical program, where he enjoys introducing law students to the practicalities of the law, with an emphasis on criminal law. He has also worked with the unhoused at The Loop drop-in centre and the Kamloops Meal Train.