Quebec Superior Court welcomes Marie-Anne Paquette as new chief justice

Paquette was a partner at Woods LLP in Montreal before joining the bench

Quebec Superior Court welcomes Marie-Anne Paquette as new chief justice

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced the appointment of Marie-Anne Paquette as the new Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Quebec.

“I wish the Honourable Marie-Anne Paquette every success in her new role as Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Quebec,” Trudeau said. “Chief Justice Paquette brings a wealth of experience to the position, with over 10 years as a judge on the Superior Court of Quebec, and I am confident she will continue to serve Quebecers well.”

Justice Paquette was a puisne judge of the Superior Court for the district of Montreal when she received her appointment. She replaces Justice Jacques Robert Fournier, who elected to become a supernumerary judge following his retirement.

Before joining the bench, Paquette was a civil and commercial litigator. She served as a partner at Woods LLP in Montreal after her 11-year stint with McCarthy Tétrault LLP.

She clerked for former Supreme Court of Canada Chief Justice Beverly McLachlin. She was also a part-time law clerk for former Quebec Court of Appeal Justice Morris Fish.

Aside from her legal work, Paquette has taught courses in civil procedure for the Barreau du Québec program. She has written and spoken frequently on various legal topics, such as pension plans and employer insolvency, inadequate due diligence in corporate transactions, civil insurance litigation, and directors’ liability.

She earned her law degree from the Université de Montréal in 1993 and was called to the Quebec bar in 1994.