Justices have backgrounds in family, Indigenous and health law
The federal government has announced the appointments of three judges to the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta: Denise J. Kiss, Sherry L. Kachur and Thomas Rothwell.
Kiss replaces Justice Donald J. Manderscheid at Edmonton, who has elected to become a supernumerary judge effective Nov. 19, 2019. A graduate of the University of Alberta Faculty of Law, Kiss articled at Alberta’s Court of Queen's Bench and Court of Appeal, as well as at the firm Milner Fenerty. She then spent over 27 years practising family law at boutique firm Rand Moreau. She has also acted as counsel at Bruyer Mackay Family Law.
Kiss has volunteered as a mediator for the Edmonton Community Mediation Services, the Provincial Court of Alberta Civil Division and Alberta Justice’s Child Support Resolution Program. She has also performed services for the Alberta Citizen’s Appeal Panel, the Law Society of Alberta Conduct Committee and the Elizabeth Fry Society of Alberta’s Independent Legal Advice Program for Survivors of Sexual Violence.
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Kachur replaces Justice Karen M. Horner at Calgary, who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective Apr. 26. Like Justice Kiss, Kachur graduated from the University of Alberta Faculty of Law and focuses her practice on family law. She is co-founder and partner at WK Family Lawyers LLP. She was designated Queen’s Counsel in 2012.
Kachur is a former president of the Calgary Bar Association. She has spoken and participated at numerous events within the legal community, including for the Alberta Bar admission course and for the Legal Education Society of Alberta. She has also served as a volunteer and as a dispute resolution officer at the Calgary Women’s Centre.
Rothwell replaces Justice Vital O. Ouellette at Edmonton, who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective Jan. 3. A graduate of the University of Alberta Faculty of Law, he has worked in both private practice and in public service, including as a law clerk to Justice John C. Major at the Supreme Court of Canada and as a lawyer at Reynolds, Mirth, Richards and Farmer LLP.
Rothwell joined Alberta Justice in 2004 and has since focused his practice on Indigenous, constitutional and health law. He then served as assistant deputy minister of its Legal Services Division in Edmonton, a position in which he headed a team of around 225 lawyers.
Rothwell has sat on the boards of the Alberta Law Foundation and of the University of Alberta’s Centre for Constitutional Studies. He has co-taught constitutional litigation at his former law school.
These judicial appointments were announced by David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.
