A tribute to our colleague and friend, Richard I. Good

All Fillmore Riley team members who knew Richard Good, members of the legal community, and clients mourn the loss of a talented lawyer and friend. Richard passed away suddenly on April 19, 2022.

The late Justice Alan Reed Philp was instrumental in hiring Richard. “There’s a bright young man coming out of law school,” Alan told his partners. “We should hire him.” After completing his law degree at the University of Manitoba in 1969, Richard began articling with Fillmore Riley.

Richard was intellectually gifted. His practice flourished and he quickly became a formidable litigator, taking on some of the most complex cases in Manitoba. Richard was noted for his thoroughness and his intense cross-examinations. He was an “old-school” lawyer who thought that every case deserved to go to trial. Richard’s priority was not administrative tasks, but he was fortunate to have relied upon Marlene Serafin, a highly organized, no-nonsense administrative professional who imposed structure and systems. Marlene and Richard worked together for almost 30 years.

Richard had strong ties to the Liberal Party of Canada. It was not unusual for Richard to receive calls from his friend Jean Chrétien, the former prime minister of Canada. On top of maintaining a successful litigation practice and being active with the Liberal Party, Richard gave back to the legal community. He sat on several Law Society of Manitoba committees, President’s Special Committee on the Independence of the Legal Profession, Law Society of Manitoba Practice and Ethics Committee and Law Society of Manitoba Discipline Committee.

He also gave back to the community through his contributions on boards, such as St. Boniface Hospital & Research Foundation, Manitoba Institute for Gifted Students, Inc and Prairie Theatre Exchange Inc, to name just a few.

Richard’s legacy lives on at Fillmore Riley. He mentored some of Manitoba’s leading litigators. The lawyers he mentored describe him as generous, inclusive and respectful, giving junior associates responsibility and being there to answer all of their questions.

Fuelled by his passion for the law and coffee, Richard practised law at Fillmore Riley for 52 years. Those who worked near Richard and his last assistant, Yvonne Grabowiecki, were privy to their lively banter.

Richard will be deeply missed but never forgotten by those of us who had the honour and pleasure to practise law with him at Fillmore Riley. Richard, rest in peace.