John M. Gordon, KC joined Martland & Saulnier as associate counsel following a long career as Crown counsel, with expertise in criminal appeals. A graduate of the Faculty of Law at UBC (LL.B., 1980), John was called to the bar in 1981 and commenced working with the provincial Crown. But for a five-year hiatus as a sole practitioner from 1988-1993, John has dedicated the bulk of his legal career to public service as Crown counsel.

In 1993, John joined the Crown’s Criminal Appeals Office. There, he had conduct of many high-profile cases in both the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Canada, appearing as appellate counsel in Ottawa over a dozen times.

Some of the highest profile and most serious cases he conducted as appellate counsel include Sharpe, where the SCC upheld the proscription of the mere possession of child pornography; Ellard, where the SCC upheld, once and for all, the conviction for the murder of Reena Virk; Pickton, the notorious serial killer of Downtown Eastside sex trade workers; and (in the Court of Appeal), the “Surrey Six” multiple murders. In 2005, John was appointed Queen’s Counsel.

In 2000, John was appointed to the position of deputy director in charge of the Criminal Appeals division of the provincial Crown’s Criminal Appeals and Special Prosecutions Office. He managed to remain active as appellate counsel despite the administrative and managerial demands of this position.

Following a two-year retirement to recharge his batteries, John joined Martland & Saulnier in early 2023.