Law ’71 grad cited for ‘distinguished service’

Retired Justice Heino Lilles, Law ‚71, with his Distinguished Service Award

Retired Justice Heino Lilles, Law '71 (Arts '67, MSc '68), has won a Distinguished Service Award for outstanding service to Queen's University over an extended period. Principal Daniel Woolf (Artsci '80) presented the 2011 awards at the annual University Council dinner on May 7 in Ban Righ Hall.

"The range and quality of your contributions to Queen's, stretching nearly 50 years, speak to your love of this institution," said Woolf, quoting the honoree's nominators. "In every aspect of your life and career, your commitment to community and social justice has been self-evident."

Lilles, a Queen's Football Hall of Fame inductee, also excelled academically. Following his articling year, he spent 15 years as a professor at Queen's Law, developing an international reputation as an expert in young offender law. During that time, he also served concurrently as Executive Assistant to the VP-Services (1981-86) and as Director of Legal Services (1986-87).

Even though Lilles began a 20-year judicial career in 1987 at Yukon's Territorial Court – where he served two terms as Chief Judge and from which he would retire in 2007 – he continued to serve his alma mater.  As a member of both the Board of Trustees (1995-2007) and the University Council (1994-2007), he traveled untold thousands of miles from Whitehorse.

"I was extremely honoured to receive the award," Lilles says, "because Queen's has been such an important part of my life."

In addition to his many official roles, he has personal connections to the University: He and Sheila (Scott, Arts '68, OT '82) met on campus, were married by Padre Laverty in the Queen's Chapel, and started their family while at Queen's. Oldest son Greg is an Artsci '90 grad.

"It has been my privilege," Lilles says, "to have been able to recognize, in a small way, what Queen's has given me over the years by giving back to Queen's through service."