They specialize in areas such as tax, estate, health, criminal, commercial, and Indigenous law
The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Arif Virani, has announced several judicial appointments across Canada, including new judges for the Federal Court, the Tax Court of Canada, the Alberta Court of King’s Bench, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the Superior Court of Quebec, and the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Minister Virani has announced the appointment of Meaghan M. Conroy as a judge of the Federal Court. After clerking for the Alberta Court of Appeal and the Court of King’s Bench, she was called to the Alberta bar in 2001. She was a partner at MLT Aikins LLP, where she practised Aboriginal and administrative law, focusing on environmental and regulatory processes governing industrial developments. She has appeared before administrative tribunals and courts at all levels, including the Supreme Court of Canada.
Minister Virani has named Marcela S. Aroca, partner at Legal Focus LLP in Windsor, as a judge of the Tax Court of Canada. Called to the Ontario Bar in 1996, Justice Aroca began her legal career in Toronto and later moved to Windsor in 1999, focusing on tax and estate litigation. As co-founder of Legal Focus LLP, she gained extensive experience representing clients in several cases before the Tax Court of Canada, Ontario courts, and the Federal Court of Appeal. Her practice also included estate planning, earning her a trusts and estates practitioner designation.
Minister Virani has announced the appointments of Andrea L. Froese and Ellery C. Lew to the Alberta Court of King’s Bench. Justice Froese will serve in Calgary, and Justice Lew will serve in Edmonton.
Justice Froese was a partner at Bennett Jones LLP in Calgary. After clerking for the Alberta Court of King’s Bench and Court of Appeal, she was called to the Alberta bar in 1998. Her litigation practice at Bennett Jones LLP focused on health law, including defending physicians in civil litigation and regulatory matters, handling complex energy disputes and policing law.
Justice Lew was a partner at Witten LLP in Edmonton. Called to the Alberta bar in 1991, he built a career in civil litigation, including franchising, shareholder disputes, intellectual property, construction claims, defamation, and fraud. He also served as a trademark agent and appeared before all levels of Alberta courts, Federal Courts, and arbitration tribunals.
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Oshawa has welcomed Marcella Henschel as its newest judge. She served on the Ontario Court of Justice in Newmarket before her appointment. Born in Saskatoon, Justice Henschel was admitted to the Law Society of Ontario in 1994. She served as an assistant crown attorney in Newmarket for over two decades, appearing before the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice. She also worked as counsel at the Crown Law Office Criminal, handling appeals at the Court of Appeal for Ontario and advising on complex prosecutions.
Minister Virani announced the appointment of Élif Oral, of counsel at Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP in Quebec, to the Quebec Superior Court for the district of Quebec. Justice Oral was born in Turkey and immigrated to Canada at age two. She spent her entire legal career in the litigation group at Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, specializing in insurance and commercial law and civil, professional, and environmental liability.
Justice Oral has given numerous training sessions for the Barreau du Québec and the Barreau de Québec. She also participated in developing the province-wide “Paperless Trials” training program, designed to promote the technological and digital shift in the justice system.
Justin S.C. Mellor, formerly manager of litigation at the province’s Department of Justice and Public Safety, has been appointed as a judge of the NL Supreme Court in St. John’s. During his 24-year tenure with the justice department, he handled complex cases in litigation, constitutional law, and indigenous law. He served on the provincial team that negotiated the Innu Land Claim Agreement in Principle, which earned the Public Service Award of Excellence. He has contributed to ethics panels and research boards at Memorial University and published extensively on maritime security and environmental law topics.
