Robin Holman named as Judge Advocate General of the Canadian Armed Forces

Minister of National Defence Anita Anand has announced the appointment of Colonel Robin Holman as the next Judge Advocate General (JAG) of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), effective June 28.

The JAG serves as the legal advisor to the Governor General, the Minister of National Defence, the Department of National Defence, and the CAF on matters related to military law. Additionally, the JAG supervises the administration of military justice within the CAF.

Holman, who has been serving as Acting JAG since November 2021, will hold this position for a term of four years and will be promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General. He is a graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada. He earned his Bachelor of Laws from Queen's University and his Master of Laws from McGill University.

Holman joined the CAF in 1986 and the Office of Judge Advocate General as a legal officer in February 2002. He has served as a military prosecutor, a deployed legal officer, and in various leadership positions within the JAG's office. He served as Deputy JAG for Operational and International Law, where he was responsible for providing legal services to all CAF international and domestic operations and to all Department of National Defence and CAF activities in national security and intelligence.

In August 2020, Holman was appointed Chief of Staff of the Office of the JAG and Legal Branch Advisor, a position he held until September 2022.

"I am pleased to welcome Colonel Robin Holman as the sixteenth Judge Advocate General. I look forward to working with Colonel Holman to deliver transformational change for the military justice system, and I extend my congratulations to him," Anand said.

"It is an honour to be appointed as the 16th Judge Advocate General of the Canadian Armed Forces,” Holman commented. He also expressed pride at leading a team of dedicated legal officers, public servants, and other CAF members, providing essential legal services on military law to support the defence team’s domestic and global activities and operations.