W. Brent Cotter is one of Canada’s foremost legal ethicists, with extensive experience in public service and the law.
A former dean of the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan and one of the original professors and writers in the field of legal ethics in Canada, he is a member of the Law Society of Saskatchewan and the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society.
Prior to pursuing his academic career in Saskatchewan, Mr. Cotter served as the province’s Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General. He also served as Saskatchewan’s Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs, leading the development and implementation of a nationally recognized, government-wide program of services for First Nations and Métis peoples. He currently chairs the Government of Saskatchewan’s Public Complaints Commission.
Mr. Cotter is a founding member of the Canadian Association for Legal Ethics. He sits on various boards, including an advisory board to Inclusion Saskatchewan and the Canadian Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement. He served as the President of the Council of Canadian Law Deans, as well as a member of the Saskatchewan Literacy Foundation, and as the University Fundraising Chair for the United Way. He is also a member of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada Advisory Committee on Implementation of Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action.
For his ongoing dedication to public service and his community, Mr. Cotter was awarded the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal, the Canadian Bar Association of Saskatchewan’s Distinguished Service Award, and the Teaching Excellence Award from the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan.
Mr. Cotter holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing from the University of Saskatchewan, as well as a Bachelor of Laws and a Master of Laws from Dalhousie University.