A mass of new judicial appointments

If you’re a lawyer in Canada, there’s a good chance someone you know is on this very long list of judicial appointments.

Heading into pre-Canada Day celebrations Justice Minister Peter MacKay announced 39 new judges on June 26 for courts across the country including Nunavut, Quebec (14), Manitoba (4), British Columbia (2), Ontario (8), Alberta (3), the Federal Court (4), Federal Court of Appeal (2) and the Tax Court.  

In several instances the appointments are said to be filling new positions created by Bill C-31.

Tax Court

Guy R. Smith, a sole practitioner in Ottawa, was appointed a judge of the Tax Court of Canada to replace Justice Joe E. Hershfield, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of June 1, 2015.

Smith had been a sole practitioner since 2014. Previously, he had been the judicial affairs adviser for the federal Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada from March 2009 to July 2014. He practised administrative law, constitutional law and litigation with Perley-Robertson Hill & McDougall LLP from 1997 to 2005 and as a sole practitioner from 1991 to 1997. He was called to the Ontario bar in 1988.

Federal Court

Alberta Provincial Court Judge Robin Camp has been appointed to the Federal Court to replace Justice Yves de Montigny, who has been elevated to the Federal Court of Appeal.

Camp received his law degree in South Africa and successfully completed challenge exams to re-qualify to practise in Canada in 1998. He was appointed a judge of the Provincial Court, Criminal Division, in 2012. Prior to his appointment, he had been a lawyer at JSS Barristers from 2004 and a managing partner from 2008 to 2012. His main area of practice was commercial litigation. He was called to the Alberta bar in 1999.

E. Susan Elliott, a lawyer with Good Elliott Hawkins LLP in Kingston, Ont. has also been appointed to the Federal Court. She replaces Justice Mary.J.L. Gleason, who has been elevated to the Federal Court of Appeal.

Elliott was called to the Ontario bar in 1981. She had been at Good Elliott Hawkins (formerly Good & Elliott) since 1981, and during that time she had been general counsel, legal line of business, Teranet Inc. She also served as treasurer of the Law Society of Upper Canada; as well as hearing commissioner, part time, for the Rent Review Commissioner of Ontario and a smalls claims court judge since 2009.

Sylvie Roussel, a lawyer with the Security Intelligence Review Agency in Ottawa, is appointed to the Federal Court as well, replacing Justice Marie-Josée Bédard, who was appointed to the Superior Court of Quebec.

Roussel was called to the Ontario bar in 1987. She had been senior general counsel with the Security Intelligence Review Agency since 2007. Previously, she had practised with the firm Noël & Associés, s.e.n.c.. Her main areas of practice were public/constitutional law, criminal law, Charter Law and human rights law.

Fredricton’s Ann Marie McDonald, a lawyer with McInnes Cooper LLP, is also headed to the Federal Court. She replaces Justice R.T. Hughes, who elected to become a supernumerary judge, effective Sept. 1, 2015.

McDonald was called to the bar of New Brunswick in 1994. She became an associate with McInnes Cooper in 2000 and a partner in 2002, practising primarily in the areas of commercial litigation, employment law, administrative law and general litigation.

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Federal Court of Appeal

Federal Court Justice Yves de Montigny has been elevated to the Federal Court of Appeal to replace Justice Robert Mainville, who joined the Quebec Court of Appeal last July.

Justice de Montigny was appointed to the Federal Court in 2004. Prior to his appointment, he had held various positions in the Department of Justice Canada, as well he was the director general of constitutional strategy and plans at the Privy Council Office; special adviser to the executive council of the Government of Quebec and counsel in the Quebec Ministry of Justice. His main areas of practice included constitutional law, administrative law, criminal law and international and public law. He was called to the Quebec bar in 1983.

Filling a new position created by Bill C-31, Federal Court Justice Mary J.L. Gleason is appointed to the Federal Court of Appeal.

Justice Gleason was appointed to the Federal Court in 2011. Prior to her appointment, she had been a senior partner with Norton Rose LLP, where she practised labour and employment law in Ottawa. She was called to the Ontario bar in 1986.

Nunavut

Paul Bychok, a former senior legal counsel with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada in Iqaluit, was appointed a judge of the Nunavut Court of Justice to replace Justice Andrew M. Mahar, who was appointed to the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories on May 28, 2015.

Bychok was called to the Nova Scotia bar in 1985 and to the Nunavut bar in 2004. He had been a senior legal counsel for the Nunavut Regional Office of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada from 2003 until his retirement in April 2015. He practised in Halifax as senior Crown attorney from 1989 to 2003 and was in private practice from 1985 to 1989.

Quebec

In Quebec, Étienne Parent, a puisne judge of the Superior Court of Quebec in Quebec was elevated to the Court of Appeal of Quebec to replace Justice Lorne Giroux, who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective June 30.

Justice Parent was appointed to the Superior Court in 2006. Before that he had been a lawyer with Parent Doyon Rancourt & associés in Saint-Georges-de-Beauce since 1983. He practised in the general area of civil law, specializing in insurance law, agricultural law, and administrative law. He was admitted Quebec bar in 1983.

Marie-Josée Hogue, a lawyer with McCarthy Tétrault LLP in Montreal, was appointed to the Court of Appeal of Quebec to replace Justice Pierre J. Dalphond, who resigned in November 2014.

Hogue was called to the bar in 1987. She had been a partner with McCarthy Tétrault since January 2014 and was previously a partner with Heenan Blaikie LLP,. She was a law clerk to Justice Antonio Lamer of the Supreme Court of Canada from 1988 to1989. Her main areas of practice were corporate commercial litigation, civil litigation and professional liability.

Federal Court Marie-Josée Bédard was appointed to the Superior Court of Quebec, District of Gatineau, Labelle and Pontiac, to replace Justice Martin Bédard, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of June 20, 2015.

Justice Bédard was appointed to the Federal Court in 2010. She has extensive experience in labour law, labour relations and human resources, as well as administrative law, civil rights and public law. In 2000, she joined the Société de transport de l’Outaouais, later becoming a special advisor to senior management until 2006. She was an associate with Bédard, Saucier, Lajoie, Avocats from 1993 to 1999. She was admitted to the Quebec Bar in 1993.

Jocelyn F. Rancourt, a lawyer with Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP in Québec, also joins the Superior Court, replacing Justice Michel Caron, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of June 20.

Rancourt was called to the bar in 1985. He was with Norton Rose Fulbright (previously Ogilvy Renault) from 1988 until his appointment. His main areas of practice were employment and labour law, administrative law, and health and safety law.

Also appointed to the Superior Court was Bernard Tremblay, a lawyer with BCF s.e.n.c.r.l. in Quebec. He replaces Justice Etienne Parent, who was elevated to the Quebec Court of Appeal effective June 30, 2015.

Tremblay was called to the bar in 1986. He practised with BCF from 2001 until his appointment. He was previously with McCarthy Tétrault LLP. His main areas of practice were construction law, civil litigation, commercial law, insolvency and restructuring, real estate law, and arbitration and mediation.

Anne Jacob, a lawyer with AJ services juridiques inc. in Saint-Lambert, joins the Superior Court in the District of Longueuil to replace Justice Carole Julien, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of July 20, 2015.

Jacob was admitted to the bar of Quebec in 1988. She formed AJ services juridiques inc. in 2010. Prior to that, she practised with Lapointe Rosenstein Marchand Melançon Forget (2002-2010) and with Pépin Létourneau (1988-2002. Her main areas of practice were professional liability, disciplinary law, health law, estates, civil responsibility, insurance law and construction law.

Silvana Conte, a lawyer with Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP in Montreal, was appointed to the Superior Court to replace Justice Jean-Pierre Chrétien, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of July 5, 2015.

Conte was called to the bar in 1990. She had been a partner with Oslers since 2001. She previously practised with Davies Ward  Phillips & Vineberg LLP and Heenan Blaikie. Her main areas of practice were class actions, international commercial arbitration, and alternative dispute resolution. Her appointment is effective July 5.

Danye Daigle, a sole practitioner in Victoriaville will sit on the Superior Court bench in Trois-Rivières, replacing Justice Michel Richard who resigned last December.

Daigle was called to the bar in 1991. She has been a sole practitioner since 2006. She was previously an associate with Moisan Aubert Gagné Daigle and Moisan Aubert et associés. Her main areas of practice were family law, youth law, civil litigation and criminal law.

Lavery de Billy J. Sylvain Provencher, of Sherbrooke, will be replacing Justice Suzanne Mireault on the Superior Court  in the districts of Saint-François and Bedford. Mireault, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of June 1, 2015.

Provencher was called in 1991. He has been a lawyer with Lavery de Billy since 2014. Prior to that, he had practised with Heenan Blaikie, Martel Brassard Doyon Provencher, and Monty Coulombe (1991-1995). His main areas of practice were civil and commercial litigation, insurance law, civil liability, professional liability, and securities and insolvency law, disciplinary law, municipal law, penal law and construction law.

His colleague at Lavery in Sherbrooke, Claude Villeneuve has also been appointed to the Superior Court, replacing Justice Charles Ouellet, who was transferred to Sherbrooke.

Villeneuve was called in Quebec in 1993. He was an associate with Lavery de Billy from March 2014 until his appointment, practising civil, commercial, labour and employment law. Prior to he worked at a variety of firms and was the Bâtonnier de Saint-François from 2014 until his appointment.

Langlois Kronström Desjardins managing partner Chantal Chatelain will sit on the Superior Court in Montréal. She replaces Justice Eva Petras, who was appointed associate chief justice of the Superior Court of Québec.

Chatelain was admitted to the Quebec bar in 1993. She practised in the areas of general civil, administrative, constitutional and commercial law with Langlois Kronström Desjardins from 1997 until her appointment.

Babak Barin, of Barin Avocats in Montréal, will also sit in Montreal on the Superior Court. He replaces Justice Robert Mongeon, who goes supernumerary as of July 10, 2015.

Barin was called in Ontario in 1994, Alberta in 2006, and Quebec in 2002. He had been a lawyer with Barin Avocats since 2012 and with the firm BCF LLP (in Montréal) from 2006 to 2012. Prior to that, he practised with a vareity of other firms in Canada and Switzerland. His areas of practice were commercial litigation and arbitration.

Suzanne Gagné, a lawyer with the firm Létourneau Gagné LLP in Québec, has been appointed to the Superior Court there. She replaces Justice Suzanne Hardy-Lemieux, who went supernumerary jas of April 20, 2015.

Gagné was called in 1995. In 2012. She was an associate lawyer with Létourneau Gagné LLP from 2002 until her appointment. She was previously a lawyer with Guy Bertrand & associés in Québec from 1995 to 2002. She practised in the field of civil and commercial litigation.  .

Florence Lucas, of the Montreal office of  Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP, joins the Superior Court in that city. She is filling a new position created by Bill C-31.

Lucas was admitted in Quebec in 1998. She was a lawyer with Gowlings from 2000 until her appointment and at Walker & Associés in Paris from 1999 to 2000. Her areas of practice were civil and commercial litigation and intellectual property.

Manitoba

In Manitoba, Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Jennifer Ann Pfuetzner has been elevated to the Court of Appeal of Manitoba to replace Justice Barbara M. Hamilton, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of Jan. 1, 2014.

Justice Pfuetzner was appointed a judge of the Court of Queen’s Bench in 2014. Prior to that, she had been a lawyer with Taylor McCaffrey LLP in Winnipeg since 2009 and a variety of other firms. Her main areas of practice were wills and estates, corporate law, family law, real estate, and tax law. She was called to the Ontario bar in 1995 and Manitoba in 2008.

Associate Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Manitoba Janice leMaistre has been appointed to the Court of Appeal of Manitoba to replace Justice Freda M. Steel, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of May 1, 2014.

Justice leMaistre was appointed to the Provincial Court in 2006. At the time of her appointment, she was acting director of the Manitoba Prosecution Service, where she had been since 1992. She called to the Manitoba bar in 1992.

Kaye E. Dunlop, a sole practitioner in Winnipeg, is appointed to the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench, Family Court Division, to replace Justice Laurie P. Allen, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of April 13, 2015.

Justice Dunlop, from Sudbury, Ont., had been a sole practitioner since 1984. She also served as deputy chief adjudicator for the Office of Indian Residential Schools Resolution of Canada since 2007 and as an adjudicator from 2003 to 2007. She was called to the bar of Manitoba in 1984.

Regan Thatcher, a sole practitioner in Winnipeg, is appointed to the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench, Family Court Division, to replace Justice Marianne Rivoalen, who was appointed Associate Chief Justice on May 21, 2015.

Thatcher, originally from Moose Jaw, Sask., had been a sole practitioner since 2002. He practised primarily in the areas of civil litigation and family, administrative and criminal law. He was called to the bar in 1994.

British Columbia

Supreme Court of British Columbia Justice Lauri Ann Fenlon was elevated to the B.C. Court of Appeal to replace Justice Sunni Stromberg-Stein, who went supernumerary on Sept. 1, 2014.

Justice Fenlon was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2008. Prior to her appointment, she had been associate counsel with Fasken Martineau Dumoulin since 1997. Her main areas of practice were civil litigation, family law, administrative law, commercial law, privacy law, and health law. She was admitted to the B.C. bar in 1985.

Barbara M. Young, the Master and Registrar of Bankruptcies (Central Okanagan) with the B.C. Supreme Court, was appointed to the Supreme Court bench to fill a new position created by Bill C-31.

Originally from St. Catharines, Ont., Young had been the Master and Registrar of Bankruptcies in Central Okanagan since 2006. Previously, she was a partner with Berge Horn and a number of other firms. She practised primarily in the areas of family law, personal injury, and bankruptcy. She was called to the B.C. bar in 1986.
 

Ontario

Replacing Justice Gloria Epstein on the Ontario Court of Appeal is Ontario Superior Court Justice Bradley Miller. Epstein elected to become a supernumerary judge as of Jan. 1, 2015.

Justice Miller was appointed to the Superior Court in January 2015. Prior to his appointment, he had been a tenured associate professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Western Ontario in London. He was called to the B.C. bar in 1993 and the bar of Ontario in 2002.

Brian W. Abrams, a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Family Division, in Kingston is to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in London to replace Justice Lynda Templeton, who elected to go supernumerary effective July 6, 2015.

Justice Abrams was appointed in 2011. Prior to that he was a partner at Templeman Memminga LLP in Kingston and had been an ad hoc drug prosecutor for the Department of Justice Canada. He was called to the bar in 1998. His appointment is effective July 6.

Ontario provincial court Justice Margaret A. McSorley, of Woodstock, has been appointed to the Superior Court, Family Division, in Kingston to replace Justice Brian W. Abrams, whose position is being transferred to London effective July 6.

McSorley had been an Ontario Court judge since 2003. Previously, she served as in-house counsel at Family and Children’s Services of St. Thomas and Elgin with Lerners LLP, practising solely in family law from 1982 to 1989. She was called in 1982. Her appointment is effective July 6.

J. Scott McLeod, a sole practitioner in Lindsay, Ont., is appointed to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Family Division, to replace Justice Alan P. Ingram (Peterborough), who went supernumerary last November.

McLeod had been a sole practitioner since 2001. Previously, he practised with McQuarrie Hill. He has practised family law, civil, criminal, real estate, and corporate and commercial law. He was called the bar in 1982.

Elizabeth C. Sheard, a lawyer with Evans Sweeny Bordin LLP in Hamilton, Ont. has been appointed to the Ontario Superior Court to replace Justice Hugh R. McLean (Ottawa), who went supernumerary on April 3.

Sheard had been a lawyer with Evans Sweeny Bordin LLP since 1994, where she has practised exclusively civil litigation with an emphasis on estate and mental incompetency litigation and mediation. She also practised as defence counsel for the Lawyers’ Professional Indemnity Company. She was called to the bar in 1986.

Pamela L. Hebner, a lawyer with Madorin, Snyder LLP in Kitchener, Ont. also joins the Ontario Superior Court bench. She replaces Justice M.J. Nolan (Windsor), who reached the mandatory age of retirement on July 31, 2014.

Hebner hs been with Madorin Snyder LLP. She practised primarily family matrimonial litigation, mediation, and collaborative family law. She was called in 1988.

Pierre E. Roger, a case management master of the Ontario Superior Court in Ottawa, has been appointed to the Superior Court bench to replace Justice John A. McMunagle (Ottawa), who resigned in January.

Roger has been a case management master in Ottawa since 2010, sitting in civil and family matters. Previously, he was a partner with Borden Ladner Gervais LLP in Ottawa from 1991 to 2010, where he practised health law, insurance law, libel and defamation litigation, personal injury litigation, and professional negligence litigation. He was admitted in Ontario in 1991.

Annalisa S. Rasaiah, a sole practitioner in Sault Ste. Marie, is appointed a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to replace Justice Ian S. McMillan, who goes supernumerary as of July 7.

Rasaiah has been a sole practitioner since 2006. She had also been a partner and mediator with ACG Mediation Services since January 2014. Her main areas of practice were family law, mediation, wills and estates, administrative law, and prosecution of regulatory offences and criminal code offences. She was called in Ontario in 1996.

Alberta

Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Frederica L. Schutz has been elevated to the province’s Court of Appeal to replace Justice Jean Côté (Edmonton), who reaches retirement age on  Aug. 14.

Justice Schutz was appointed to the Court of Queen’s Bench in 2013. Prior to her appointment, she had been with the firm Emery Jamieson LLP in Edmonton. Her main areas of practice were personal liability litigation, personal injury and commercial law. She was called to the Alberta bar in 1991. This appointment is effective Aug. 14.

Richard A. Neufeld, a lawyer with Dentons Canada LLP in Calgary, was appointed a judge of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta to fill a new position created by Bill C-31.

Neufeld has been with Dentons Canada LLP (under many previous names as well) since 1979. He practised primarily in the areas of energy regulatory, environmental, and Aboriginal law. He was admitted to Alberta bar in 1980.

John W. Hopkins, a sole practitioner in Rocky Mountain House, Alta., is also joining  the Court of Queen’s Bench. He replaces Justice Brian R. Burrows (Edmonton), who went supernumerary last November.

Hopkins was a sole practitioner from 2013 until his appointment. Previously, he had been with Woollard Hopkins & Co. He practised primarily in the areas of matrimonial and real estate law and wills and estates. He was called in 1987.