ONTARIO JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED

OTTAWA, July 31, 2008 - The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Niagara Falls, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointments:

The Honourable Ian A. MacDonnell, a Provincial Court Judge with the Ontario Court of Justice in Toronto, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the Province of Ontario. He replaces Mr. Justice Wilkins (Toronto) who elected to become a supernumerary judge.

Mr. Justice MacDonnell received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Toronto in 1970, a Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1975 and a Master of Laws in 1990. He was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1977. Mr. Justice MacDonnell was engaged in a litigation practice as counsel with the Criminal Division of the Crown Law Office, Ministry of the Attorney General for Ontario and acted as a special prosecutor in the trail of numerous commercial criminal cases. In 1986 he was appointed Senior Counsel until he was appointed to the bench in 1988.

The Honourable Jayne E. Hughes, a lawyer with Elliott & Hughes in Oshawa, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the Province of Ontario. She replaces Madam Justice M.J. Hatton (Oshawa) who was appointed Senior Judge of the Family Court Branch.

Madam Justice Hughes received a Bachelor of Arts from York University in 1980 and a Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1983. She was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1985. Madam Justice Hughes has been a sole practitioner with Elliott & Hughes since 1991. Madam Justice Hughes has developed an expertise in wills, estates, estate litigation, real estate, real estate litigation, family law, collaborative family law and mediation. In addition, she has been a member of the Canadian Association of Gift Planners since 1998 and a member of Durham Law Association since 1985.

The Honourable Edward J. Koke, a lawyer with Martens Lingard LLP in St Catharine’s is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the Province of Ontario. He replaces Madam Justice G.I. Pardu (Sault St. Marie) who replaced Mr. Justice P.A. Cumming.

Mr. Justice Koke received a Bachelor of Arts from Trinity College, Palos Heights, Illinois, USA in 1973, a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Windsor in 1976 and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Windsor in 1979. He was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1979. Mr. Justice Koke has been a partner with Martens Lingard LLP since 1996. Mr. Justice Koke was also a partner with Reid McNaughton LLP from 1981 to 1996. Mr. Justice Koke has developed an expertise in personal injury, employment law, construction law and dispute resolution. In addition, he is a past Director of the Construction Law Section with the Law Society of Upper Canada from 1981 to 2006.

The Honourable Peter Lauwers, a lawyer with Miller Thomson LLP in Toronto is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the Province of Ontario.

Mr. Justice Lauwers received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Toronto in 1978 and a Master of Laws from York University in 1983. He was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1980. Mr. Justice Lauwers has been a partner at Miller Thomson LLP since 1996. Mr. Justice Lauwers was a partner at Holden Day Wilson from 1990 to 1995 and a lawyer and partner at Day, Wilson, Campbell from 1980 to 1990. Mr. Justice Lauwers has developed an expertise in civil litigation, administrative law, constitutional law, human rights and municipal law.

The Honourable James McNamara, a lawyer with Marcus, McNamara and Wilson in Ottawa is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the Province of Ontario.

Mr. Justice McNamara received a Bachelor of Arts from Loyola of Montreal in 1970 and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Ottawa in 1973. He was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1975. Mr. Justice McNamara has developed an expertise in civil litigation.

The Honourable David Price, a sole practitioner in Mississauga is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the Province of Ontario.

Mr. Justice Price received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto in 1971. Mr. Justice Price received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Toronto in 1974 and a Master of Laws from the University of Toronto in 1981. He was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1976. Mr. Justice Price was Crown Counsel, Ministry of the Attorney General(Ontario) from 1975 to 1977 and Assistant Crown Attorney, Judicial District of Halton from 1977 to 1980. Mr. Justice Price was a lawyer with Cassels, Brock and Blackwell from 1982 to 1987 and has been a sole practitioner since 1987. Mr. Justice Price has developed an expertise in both criminal and civil litigation.

The Honourable Elizabeth Quinlan, a lawyer with the Ministry of the Attorney General(Ontario), in Barrie, Ontario is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the Province of Ontario.

Madam Justice Quinlan received a Bachelor Arts in 1976 and a Bachelor of Education in 1977 from the University of Western Ontario. Madam Justice Quinlan received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western in 1982. She was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1984. Madam Justice Quinlan has been a Crown Attorney with the Ministry of the Attorney General since 1989. Madam Justice Quinlan was a lawyer with Livingston, Myers, Cockburn, Elliott and Smith from 1988 to 1989 and a lawyer with Prost and Associates from 1986 to 1988. Madam Justice Quinlan was a lawyer with Beechie, Madison and Sawchuk from 1984 to 1986. Madam Justice Quinlan has developed an expertise in criminal law.

The Honourable Leonard Ricchetti, a lawyer with McMillan Binch Mendelsohn LLP, in Toronto, Ontario is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the Province of Ontario.

Mr. Justice Ricchetti received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto in 1975. Mr. Justice Ricchetti received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western Ontario in 1979. He was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1981. Mr. Justice Ricchetti has been a partner with McMillan Binch Mendelsohn since 1986 and associate with that firm from 1983 to 1986. Mr. Justice Ricchetti has developed an expertise in municipal law, environmental law, constitutional law and commercial law.

The Honourable Bonnie Warkentin, a lawyer with Cunningham, Swan, Carty, Little & Bonham LLP, in Kingston, Ontario is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the Province of Ontario.

Madam Justice Warkentin received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Winnipeg in 1983. Madam Justice Warkentin received a Bachelor of Laws from Queen’s University in 1989. She was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1991. Madam Justice Warkentin was a partner with Willoughby McLeod Warkentin LLP from 2003 to 2008 and a partner with Willoughby, McLeod from 1996 to 2003 and an associate with Willoughby, McLeod from 1991 to 1996. Madam Justice Warkentin has developed an expertise in estate litigation, estate planning and family law. Madam Justice Warkentin has been a Bencher with the Law Society of Upper Canada since 2003.

These appointments are effective immediately.

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Ref.:

Darren Eke
Press Secretary
Minister’s Office
613-992-4621