William Black, Ian Smith, Brian Dubé, Jill Presser, P. Tamara Sugunasiri, Tami Waters appointed
David Lametti, federal justice minister and attorney general, has announced on July 2 the appointments of six judges to the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario: William Black, Ian Smith, Brian Dubé, Jill Presser, P. Tamara Sugunasiri and Tami Waters.
Black replaces Justice Faye McWatt in Toronto, who was appointed associate chief justice on Dec. 18, 2020. Black, a civil litigation specialist certified by the Law Society of Ontario, has been a partner at McCarthy Tétrault LLP in Toronto, which he joined in 1989, and has mentored younger colleagues at the firm.
Black’s practice has included the defence of medical malpractice claims and commercial litigation, particularly through advising and representing accounting firms. Called to the Ontario bar in 1989, he has taught trial advocacy at the University of Toronto’s law school, where he received his law degree in 1987.
Smith takes the place of Justice Gerald Taylor in Kitchener, who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective Nov. 22, 2020. Smith has served as partner at Fenton, Smith Barristers in Toronto, where he acted on criminal, regulatory and professional discipline cases, and as counsel at the Crown Law Office – Criminal and at the Ontario Securities Commission. For the Pro Bono Inmate Appeal Program, he has been chairperson, executive member, while for the Law Society Tribunal, he has been a member of the Chair’s Roundtable.
Smith has taught at the law schools at Queen’s University and Western University and at Osgoode Hall Law School. He was admitted to the Ontario bar in 1991.
Dubé replaces Justice Christopher Bondy in Windsor, who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective Feb. 8. In the course of his 27-year practice focusing on criminal defence work, Dubé began his career with Donald Tait, then served as a Windsor-based sole practitioner in association with Andrew Bradie, his colleague and mentor, until his retirement.
Dubé has been president and member of the Board of Children First. Called to the Ontario bar in 1994, he obtained his law degree from the University of Windsor in 1992.
Presser takes the place of Justice Carole Brown in Toronto, who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective Feb. 3. With a practice focusing on appellate criminal defence, mental health, digital privacy and artificial intelligence law, Presser has been principal lawyer at Presser Barristers in Toronto, staff lawyer to Stephen Goudge on the Inquiry into Pediatric Forensic Pathology in Ontario and part-time prosecutor for the Attorney General of Ontario.
Presser has been vice-chairperson of the Court of Appeal for Ontario’s Pro Bono Inmate Appeal Duty Counsel Program, founding co-chairperson of the criminal law and technology committee of the Criminal Lawyers’ Association and adjunct professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. Called to the Ontario bar in 1997, she received her LLB from McGill University in 1994.
Sugunasiri replaces Justice John McMahon in Toronto, who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective Feb. 7. Sugunasiri has presided over civil and bankruptcy matters as case management master at the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in Toronto and in Hamilton. She has been a member of the court’s Equity, Diversity and inclusion Committee; senior counsel at the Department of Justice in Toronto; and discipline counsel at the Law Society of Ontario.
Sugunasiri has taught civil litigation at Humber College. Admitted to the Ontario bar in 2000, she earned her law degree from the University of Windsor.
Waters takes the place of Justice Anne Trousdale in Kingston, who elected to become a supernumerary Judge effective Nov. 22, 2020. Waters began her legal career focusing on labour law, including as counsel for the United Food and Commercial Worker’s Union, then shifted to family law. She has been a panelled dispute resolution officer with the Superior Court of Justice.
As principal at Tami L. Waters and Associates since 2005, which has Toronto and Oshawa offices, Waters has covered a wide array of family law issues and has acted as counsel in contentious parenting, support and property disputes. Called to the Ontario bar in 2003, she received her Bachelor of Laws from the University of Windsor.
The Ministry of Attorney General has also announced the appointments of 41 new justices of the peace to the Ontario Court of Justice, effective July 8:
