June 26, 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 appointments:
The Honourable Bradley Miller, a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in London, is appointed a judge of the Court of Appeal for Ontario to replace Madam Justice G. Epstein (Toronto), who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of January 1, 2015.
Mr. Justice Miller was appointed as a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in January 2015. Prior to his appointment, he had been a tenured associate professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Western Ontario in London. Previously he had been an associate counsel in Miller Thomson's Litigation Group and an associate with Lerners LLP, both in Toronto. He practised with Garton & Harris, Barristers & Solicitors, and with Bell Spagnolo & Co., both in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia where his main areas of practice were commercial litigation, class actions, administrative law, constitutional law and human rights.
Mr. Justice Miller received a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Laws in 1992, both from the University of British Columbia. He received a Master of Laws (magna cum laude) in 1994 from the University of Edinburgh and a Doctorate in Philosophy (Law) from the University of Oxford in 2004. He was admitted to the Bar of British Columbia in 1993 and the Bar of Ontario in 2002.
The Honourable Brian W. Abrams,first appointed to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Family Division, in 2011, continues with a general patent as a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Kingston (East Region) with Madam Justice McSorley (Madam Justice L. Templeton’s replacement) assuming the Family Division patent position that has been transferred to London (Southwest Region).
This appointment is effective July 6, 2015.
The Honourable Margaret A. McSorley, a provincial court judge of the Ontario Court of Justice in Woodstock, is appointed a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Family Division, in London (Southwest Region) to replace Madam Justice L. Templeton, who elected to become a supernumerary judge on July 6, 2015.
Madam Justice McSorley had been a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice since 2003. Previously, she served as in-house counsel at Family and Children's Services of St. Thomas and Elgin from 2000 to 2003. She also served as Chair of the Education Committee (Family Law) for the Ontario Court of Justice from 2006 to 2008. She was an associate and then partner at Lerners LLP, practising solely in family law from 1982 to 1989.
Madam Justice McSorley received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western Ontario in 1980 and was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1982.
This appointment is effective July 6, 2015.
The Honourable J. Scott McLeod, a sole practitioner in Lindsay, is appointed a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Family Division, to replace Mr. Justice A.P. Ingram (Peterborough), who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of November 13, 2014.
Mr. Justice McLeod had been a sole practitioner with McLeod, Barrister & Solicitor, since 2001. Previously, he was a partner with McQuarrie, Hill from 1983 to 2000 and an associate with McQuarrie, Hill, Walden, Chester in Lindsay from 1982 to 1983. He has practised family law, civil, criminal, real estate, and corporate and commercial law.
Mr. Justice McLeod received a Bachelor of Arts (Science) in 1978 and a Bachelor of Laws in 1981, both from the University of Western Ontario. He was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1982.
The Honourable Elizabeth C. Sheard, a lawyer with Evans Sweeny Bordin LLP in Hamilton, is appointed a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, to replace Mr. Justice H.R. McLean (Ottawa), who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of April 3, 2015.
Madam Justice Sheard, from Toronto, Ontario, had been a lawyer with Evans Sweeny Bordin LLP since 1994, where she has practised exclusively civil litigation with an emphasis on estate and mental incompetency litigation and mediation. She also practised as defence counsel for the Lawyers' Professional Indemnity Company. She had been a Certified Specialist in Civil Litigation since 2007. Previously, she was an associate with Ross & McBride and Charlton Murphy from 1988 to 1994 and with Cassels Brock & Blackwell from 1984 to 1988, both in Toronto.
Madam Justice Sheard received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Ottawa in 1984 and was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1986.
The Honourable Pamela L. Hebner, a lawyer with Madorin, Snyder LLP in Kitchener, is appointed a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice,to replace Madam Justice M.J. Nolan (Windsor), who reached the mandatory age of retirement on July 31, 2014.
Madam Justice Hebner, from New Hamburg, Ontario, in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, joined the firm Sills, Madorin as an associate in 1988 and became a partner in 2000 when the firm became known as Madorin, Snyder LLP. She practiced primarily family matrimonial litigation, mediation, and collaborative family law. She has been a trustee for the Waterloo Law Association for 18 years and served as president from 2009 to 2011.
Madam Justice Hebner received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics in 1983 and Bachelor of Laws with distinction in 1986, both from the University of Western Ontario. She was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1988.
The Honourable Pierre E. Roger, a Case Management Master of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Ottawa, is appointed a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice,to replace Mr. Justice J.A. McMunagle (Ottawa), who resigned effective January 29, 2015.
Mr. Justice Roger, from Hearst, Ontario, served as Case Management Master of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Ottawa from 2010, sitting in civil and family matters. Previously, he was a partner with Borden Ladner Gervais LLP in Ottawa from 1991 to 2010, where he practised health law, insurance law, libel and defamation litigation, personal injury litigation, and professional negligence litigation.
Mr. Justice Roger received a Bachelor of Commerce (Cum Laude) in 1986 and a Bachelor of Laws (Magna Cum Laude) in 1989, both from the University of Ottawa. He was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1991.
The Honourable Annalisa S. Rasaiah, a sole practitioner in Sault Ste. Marie, is appointed a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to replace Mr. Justice I.S. McMillan (Sault Ste. Marie), who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of July 7, 2015.
Madam Justice Rasaiah, from Croydon, England, had been a sole practitioner with Annalisa S. Rasaiah Law Professional Corporation in Sault Ste. Marie since 2006. She had also been a partner and mediator with ACG Mediation Services since January 2014. Previously she was a partner with Bisceglia Dumanski Rasaiah LLP from 2002 to 2006 and a lawyer with Bisceglia & Associates from 1996 to 2001. Her main areas of practice were family law, mediation, wills and estates, administrative law, and prosecution of regulatory offences and criminal code offences. She received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western Ontario in 1994 and was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1996.
This appointment is effective July 7, 2015.
Appointments to the country's Superior Courts not only reflect the rich and diverse social fabric of our country, but also take into consideration the merit and legal excellence of each individual jurist. Through these appointments, the Government of Canada has demonstrated an awareness of the need to bring greater gender balance to the bench, to help ensure that the judiciary is more representative of Canadian society.
Unless otherwise indicated, these appointments are effective immediately.
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