Saint Mary's

Robert Gerald Belliveau, Q.C.

Doctor of Laws

Bob's association with Saint Mary's began at the secondary school level when he attended the University's High School, graduating in 1963. Four years later he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Saint Mary's. This was followed by legal studies, first for a Bachelor's degree at Dalhousie University Law School (1970) and, the following year, a Master of Laws degree from the University College, University of London, England.

After both his second and third year of law school and following his Master?s degree, he articled with the law firm of McInnes Cooper with which he has practiced continuously since his admission to the bar in January 1972. He is now a Senior Partner with that firm. As an associate he was exposed to major areas of practice and by about the fifth year, developed a civil litigation specialty. While he has handled virtually every type of civil case, his current concentrations are in corporate, commercial, environmental and insurance litigation. He has restricted his practice to the Supreme Court of Canada, the Laws of Appeal and has had carriage of appeals on occasion before the Supreme Court of Canada. In 1987, he was commissioned as Queen?s Counsel.

Given his professional expertize, he has lectured on litigation practice, ethics and techniques at various seminars sponsored by the Nova Scotia Barristers? Society, the Continuing Legal Education Society and the Nova Scotia Admission Course. He has also maintained a significant number of professional memberships.

Bob has a wide-range of organizations to which he has volunteered his time. These include the Committee of Management of Armdale Yacht Club, the Advisory Board of the Sisters of Service, the Presidency and Directorship of The Waegwoltic Club, and the Board of Management, Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron.

His interest in and commitment to Saint Mary's has been outstanding from his student days to the present. More recently he has served as a member, then Chairperson of the University's Board of Governors, and has chaired a significant number of its committees including Finance, two Presidential Search Committees, the Investment and Audit Committees, and the Executive Committee. Bob's interest in varsity athletics, especially football, is well known. An avid yachtsman, Bob is also a collector of antique toy trains.

He is extremely proud of his family - Susan (his wife) and his three children, Alumnus John, Anne-Marie, and Julia who will graduate from Saint Mary's today.