One of Ontario’s most prolific judges in class actions cases is moving to the Ontario Court of Appeal.
Ontario Superior Court Justice George Strathy, one of a handful of judges to regularly tackle the complex and often drawn-out area of class actions, replaces appeal court Justice Russell Juriansz, who became a supernumerary judge on March 31.
Strathy, who joined the Superior Court bench in 2007, had a long career as a practising lawyer in civil litigation as well as transportation, insurance, environmental, and maritime law. He had earlier been a partner at Strathy & Isaacs, Fasken Campbell Godfrey, and MacKinnon McTaggart.
Moving into Strathy’s spot at the Superior Court is Stephen Firestone. As a lawyer, Firestone primarily dealt with civil litigation focusing on personal injury, accident benefits, and professional negligence. He has been a partner at Lackman Firestone since 1995 and earlier worked as a lawyer at Iacono Brown and Sommers & Roth.
Also joining the Superior Court bench is Ontario Court Justice Steve Coroza. Currently a judge in St. Catharines, Ont., Coroza will take his Superior Court position in Brampton, Ont., on July 8. He replaces Justice Nancy Mossip, who becomes a supernumerary judge on July 8. Coroza became a judge in 2009 following an 11-year stint as senior counsel with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada and an earlier position as staff duty counsel in Toronto.
The Ontario government also announced the appointment to the Ontario Court of Justice on Friday. Kathleen Baker will preside in Brantford, Ont., as of May 8. Baker, who has worked in a number of legal counsel roles for several children’s aid societies, has more recently been in private practice dealing with child protection, custody, access, support, and property issues.
Besides the Ontario appointments, the federal government named a new Quebec Court of Appeal judge on Friday. Superior Court Justice Manon Savard fills the vacancy caused by the departure of Justice Richard Wagner to the Supreme Court of Canada last year. Savard, who has been a judge since 2009, had an earlier career as a lawyer practising labour and employment, civil, and administrative law at the former Ogilvy Renault LLP.
The final appointment announced Friday was of Glennys McVeigh to the Federal Court. A senior counsel with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada in Saskatoon, McVeigh has been with the federal government since 1998. She fills a new position on the court.