Jack Lee was born into a large family and raised with his 6 siblings in Vancouver's Chinatown. He attended the University of British Columbia, obtaining a degree in Commerce before his LL.B. in 1962. He opened his own practice in Chinatown, focusing on real estate law, where he worked until his retirement in 2008.
Jack has served his community in numerous ways, and shown a strong dedication to volunteering and community service. He was an active member of the Vancouver Chinatown Lions Club, a legal representative for a variety of Chinatown community organizations, and an appointed member of both the Board of Directors of Mount St. Joseph Hospital and the B.C. Police Commission. In recognition of his service he has received the Silver Medallion Award from the Canadian government and named a Melvin Jones Fellow by the Lions Club International Foundation.