Glen L.C. Noel, Dean A. Porter, Lindsay R. LeBlanc, and Andrew S. Davis step into new roles
Minister of Justice and Attorney General Arif Virani has announced four new judicial appointments across Newfoundland and Labrador, BC, and Saskatchewan.
Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador judge Glen L.C. Noel becomes a Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal of Newfoundland and Labrador, while Poole Althouse partner Dean A. Porter joins the bench of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, General Division. Cox Taylor partner Lindsay R. LeBlanc has been named a Supreme Court of British Columbia judge, and Saskatchewan Public Prosecutions director of appeals Andrew S. Davies has joined His Majesty's Court of King's Bench for Saskatchewan as a judge.
At the Court of Appeal of Newfoundland and Labrador, Noel replaces W.H. Goodridge, who became a supernumerary judge on October 31.
As Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador judge, Noel sat in St. John’s. Prior to joining the court in 2019, he practiced at Cox & Palmer and its predecessor firms for the entirety of his tenure in private practice.
His practice focused on civil litigation, alternative dispute resolution, and appellate advocacy. He previously appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada. In 2010, he became president of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador; he was named King’s Counsel in 2018.
Meanwhile, Porter replaces Justice R.P. Stack at the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, General Division in St. John’s after Stack became a supernumerary judge on November 26. Porter was elected to sit as a bencher with the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2022.
He started with O’Dea Earl as a litigation lawyer prior to his stint at Poole Althouse.
LeBlanc succeeds Justice A.J. Saunders at the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Victoria after Saunders became a supernumerary judge on November 26. Born and raised in Quesnel, the traditional territory of the Lhtako Dene, LeBlanc had spent her entire private practice career at Cox Taylor, where her practice as a solicitor and litigator concentrated on property development, municipal, administrative, corporate commercial and wills and estates.
She was named King’s Counsel in 2023. Moreover, she was once second vice president of the Law Society of BC for the Victoria County and a bencher.
For two years, she chaired the Law Foundation of BC and was governor for six. She was also part of the Supreme Court Rules Committee.
Davis fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Justice K. Kilback to the Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan as of July 19. As a judge of His Majesty's Court of King's Bench for Saskatchewan, Davis sits in Regina.
He has resided in the US, Canada, and Papua New Guinea. He is fluent in English and French, and has appeared at all levels of court in Saskatchewan.
Davis has acted for the Crown in right of Saskatchewan before the Supreme Court of Canada. Having spent his career to date at Saskatchewan Public Prosecutions, he served as trial prosecutor from 2011 to 2014 and as appellate counsel from 2014 to 2023 before he became the director of appeals last year.
Since 2017, he has been a regular representative of Saskatchewan at the Uniform Law Conference of Canada in addition to serving on the executive committee. He was also part of the Saskatchewan Crown Attorneys Association executive.
