LAWYER RECEIVES JUBILEE MEDAL
Immigration lawyer Chantal Desloges has received the Diamond Jubilee Medal for her work in the field.
Desloges, who’s among the 60,000 expected recipients of the new award for their contributions to Canada, received the honour at a ceremony in Mississauga, Ont., last month.
The award is part of the 2012 celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne.
“Being an immigration and refugee lawyer has never been just a job for me,” said Desloges.
“It is really an honour to be recognized for something that I have always been passionate about.”
TWO LAWYERS APPOINTED TO BENCH
The federal government has appointed two lawyers to the bench in a series of changes at the Ontario Superior Court.
Robert Goldstein, a lawyer with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, becomes a Superior Court judge in Toronto. He replaces Justice Duncan Grace, who in turn moves to London, Ont., to take the place of Justice Wolfram Tausendfreund.
The domino effect continues with Tausendfreund moving to Kingston, Ont., to replace Justice Douglas Belch, who became a supernumerary judge in March. Goldstein had been with the federal government since 1990.
In addition, Ian Leach, a partner with Lerners LLP in London, joins the Superior Court bench in Woodstock, Ont.
He replaces Justice Thomas Heeney, who becomes regional senior justice for the southwest region following the departure of Justice Edward Ducharme to the Ontario Court of Appeal on April 5. Leach had been with Lerners since 1991.
EDUCATIONAL CHARITY LAUNCHED
An educational charity aimed at addressing Canada’s constitutional democracy launched last week with a conference and reception in Ottawa on June 4.
The charity, Your Canada, Your Constitution, conducts research and hosts educational programs about the history and ongoing development of Canada’s Constitution and governments, according to the organization’s press release.
“I am very happy to announce the launch of Your Canada, Your Constitution and its national education efforts to inform and foster a very public discussion about Canada’s constitutional history and future,” said Carl Turkstra, president of the new organization.
PAWLITZA THANKFUL AS SHE WRAPS UP TERM
Laurie Pawlitza will wrap up her final duties as treasurer of the Law Society of Upper Canada this month.
In her final report to Convocation last month, Pawlitza thanked the law society and members of the profession and reflected on her “hectic” but “very exciting and rewarding” term.
“It has been a great honour to serve as treasurer of the Law Society of Upper Canada,” said Pawlitza.
Thomas Conway, current chairman of the law society’s articling task force, will become treasurer on June 28.
POLL RESULTS
The results of last week’s Law Times poll are in.
Fifty-two per cent of respondents opposed changing the criteria for judicial appointments to encourage diversity.
