About Phil
Three decades defending people charged with criminal offences.
Philip Riddell was called to the Bar in British Columbia in 1989 and appointed Queen’s Counsel (now King’s Counsel) in 2018. For more than two decades his practice has centred on criminal law — the defence of individuals charged with criminal and regulatory offences, from murder and sexual assault to drug, weapons and driving offences, including fatalities and serious injury.
Practice today
Three connected areas of practice.
Criminal & regulatory defence
Defending individuals charged with criminal and regulatory offences.
Administrative law
Issues arising under regulatory legislation, including judicial reviews of decisions of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles.
Professionals & their regulators
Acting for professionals under investigation or facing discipline — including before the Law Society of BC and healthcare regulators.
Career
From public defender to Life Bencher.
- 1988
Graduated from UBC with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours).
- 1989
Called to the Bar of British Columbia.
- 1990
Sole practitioner in Vancouver — civil litigation, family and criminal law.
- 1993
Public defender with Westminster Community Legal Services Society, Port Coquitlam (1993–1995).
- 1995
Returned to private practice as a sole practitioner in Coquitlam.
- 2002
Rideout Riddell, Coquitlam — a practice focused on criminal defence (2002–2006).
- 2006
Associate counsel with Garton & Harris, Port Coquitlam, defending criminal charges (2006–2013).
- 2012
Began serving as Bencher of the Law Society of BC for Westminster County (2012–2019).
- 2018
Appointed Queen’s Counsel (now King’s Counsel).
- 2020
Named a Life Bencher of the Law Society of BC; member of the Health Professions Review Board (2020–2021).
- 2021
Appointed by the Law Society to the Legal Aid BC board (2021–2023) and as a non-Bencher member of its Discipline Committee.
Unintended consequences
Criminal defence, administrative law and professional regulation.
Phil believes that being charged with a criminal offence can bring consequences well beyond the courtroom. That conviction has led him into administrative law — including judicial reviews of decisions of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles and other administrative bodies — and into dealing with professional regulators on behalf of clients facing criminal charges.
As a Bencher from 2012 to 2019 — one of the lawyers elected to govern the Law Society of British Columbia — Phil served on:
- Discipline Committee — Chair, 2014
- Ethics Committee — Vice-Chair, 2017
- Access to Legal Services Advisory Committee — Chair, 2015
- Credentials Committee
- Governance Committee
- Legal Aid Advisory Committee
- Unauthorized Practice Committee
- Lawyer Education Advisory Committee
- Rule of Law and Lawyer Independence Advisory Committee
- Annual Practice Fee Task Force
As a member of the Bencher hearing pool he chaired hearing panels, conducted hearings and wrote decisions in discipline and credentials matters — deciding whether applicants should be admitted to the Law Society and whether lawyers had committed professional misconduct. He later sat on the Health Professions Review Board, conducting hearings and writing decisions.
Teaching
Training lawyers, police and students.
Trial Lawyers Association of BC & CLE Society of BC
Courses training lawyers in developing areas of the law.
RCMP internal training
Invited to teach members on issues such as search warrants.
Professional Legal Training Course
Teaching articled students ethics and cross-examination for the Law Society of BC.
BCIT Forensic Science program
Teaching the medical aspects of alcohol.
Service to the profession
President of the New Westminster Bar Association (2008). Elected member of the Provincial Council of the Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch, for Westminster County (2004–2007), and member of the CBA Advisory Committee to the Provincial Judicial Council (2005–2009). Co-Chair of the CBA Westminster Criminal Subsection (1999–2000). Board member of the Legal Services Society (2017–2018, Finance and Stakeholder Engagement Committees) and of Legal Aid BC (2021–2023).
Community
A ten-year involvement with a local community centre — sitting on the board and acting as board solicitor — along with volunteering for minor sports and taking part in pro bono programs over the years.
Under investigation or facing a charge?
Early involvement gives you the best chance at the best outcome.