JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED IN ONTARIO
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Jody Wilson-Raybould announced Ontario appointments under the new judicial application process.
The new process, unveiled Oct. 20, 2016, emphasizes transparency, merit and diversity, and it will continue to ensure the appointment of jurists who meet the highest standards of excellence and integrity, according to the federal government.
David M. Paciocco, a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice in Ottawa, is appointed a judge of the Court of Appeal for Ontario. He replaces Justice J.I. Laskin, who elected supernumerary status effective Sept. 1, 2016.
Deborah Swartz, a sole practitioner in Kingston, Ont., is appointed a judge of the Superior Court of Justice and a member of the Family Court in Kingston effective April 10. She will replace Justice C. Robertson, who will become a supernumerary judge effective April 10.
Wilson-Raybould also announced Shaun S. Nakatsuru will become a Superior Court of Justice judge in Toronto to replace M.A. Sanderson, who became a supernumary judge June 20, 2016.
Nakatsuru currently is a judge with the Ontario Court of Justice.
Robyn M. Ryan Bell, a partner at Bennett Jones LLP, is appointed a judge with the Superior Court of Justice in Ottawa. She will replace G.P. Smith, who became a supernumary judge Oct. 30, 2016.
THOMSON REUTERS AMONG WINNERS OF GENDER EQUALITY AWARD
Seven Canadian organizations have been recognized and awarded for their efforts to advance gender equality.
Baker McKenzie, Scotiabank, Teck Resources, Critical Mass Women, BMO, Catalyst and Thomson Reuters were chosen as the winners by the public via online voting, organized by the Canadian Chapter of the UN Global Compact Network Canada.
The awards recognize the initiatives taken by the companies to adopt the UN’s seven Women’s Empowerment Principles.
The seven organizations have demonstrated outstanding leadership with practices that are aimed directly at addressing gender inequality, the Global Compact Network Canada said in a press release.
U OF T ALUMNI AWARDS
The University of Toronto Faculty of Law has announced the 2017 Distinguished Alumnus Award recipients — Melissa Kennedy, executive vice president and chief legal officer and public affairs at Sun Life Financial Inc., and Herb Solway, a founding member of Goodmans LLP. The Wilson Prichard Award went to Michelle Henry, a partner in the labour and employment group at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP in Toronto, and Claire Hunter, a partner at Hunter Litigation Chambers in Vancouver.
LAW TIMES POLL
Recently, Law Times reported that the Law Society of Upper Canada had issued an eight-month suspension to a lawyer, Sarah Jackson, who admitted to providing heroin to a friend who later died from an overdose. We asked readers if they think the suspension is fair.
Thirty-six per cent said an eight-month suspension is fair, given that Sarah Jackson was acquitted of manslaughter and found not guilty of criminal negligence causing death.
Sixty-four per cent said an eight-month suspension seems like too little, given that Sarah Jackson did not report criminal charges she was facing to the LSUC.
