May 5, 2015 – Ottawa, ON – Department of Justice.
The Honourable Peter MacKay, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Central Nova, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointment:
The Honourable Richard F. Southcott, Vice President and General Counsel at Irving Shipbuilding Inc. in Halifax, is appointed a judge of the Federal Court to fill a new position created by Bill C-11.
Mr. Justice Southcott received a Bachelor of Science (Honours Physics) from St. Francis Xavier University in 1988. He received a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University Law School in 1991 and a Bachelor of Civil Law from Oxford University in 1992.
After being admitted to the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society in 1993, Mr. Justice Southcott joined the firm Stewart McKelvey in Halifax as an associate, practising marine law and commercial litigation. He became a partner in 2001, and was the regional managing partner from 2008 until 2013, when he joined Irving Shipbuilding.
Mr. Justice Southcott has appeared before all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada. He was formerly the National Vice-President of the Canadian Maritime Law Association and served on the executive committee from 2003 to 2007. He was a member of the National Maritime Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association and held various positions from 2002 to 2013. He was Director of the Eastern Admiralty Association since 2007 and was president from 2003 to 2007 and secretary-treasurer from 2000 to 2002. He was also the co-author of "Canadian Maritime Law Update," Journal of Maritime Law and Commerce, since 1994.
This appointment is effective immediately.
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