Retired justice Allan McEachern, one of British Columbia's top jurists, died Friday at the age of 81.

Allan McEachern was elected to his first term as chancellor of University of British Columbia in 2002.
(CBC)

As chief justice of the B.C. Supreme Court, McEachern worked to streamline court procedures and post court judgments online.

"I was saddened to hear of Allan's passing, and I know the hearts of his many colleagues and friends go out to the McEachern family at this time," Premier Gordon Campbell said in a statement.

"During his 21 years as a judge, he earned a reputation as one of Canada's greatest jurists, introducing new rules that made our legal system faster, more economical and more accessible," Campbell said.

Following his retirement from the bench in 2001, McEachern was elected to his first term as chancellor of University of British Columbia a year later. He was re-elected in 2005.

B.C. Attorney General Wally Oppal, himself a former justice, said McEachern was a "visionary" and a remarkable man.

McEachern had a storied legal career, practising law with a Vancouver firm until 1979, when he was appointed a justice of the B.C. Supreme Court.

He became chief justice in 1988 before being elevated to the B.C. Court of Appeal as chief justice.

In the 1960s, McEachern was president and commissioner of the Canadian Football League and president of the B.C. Lions.

With files from the Canadian Press