Seven take on new roles, including Robert Dysart, Stacey D. O’Neill, and Donna K. Kellway
Canada’s justice minister and attorney general Sean Fraser has revealed seven new judicial appointees across the courts in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec.
New Brunswick
Court of King’s Bench of New Brunswick judge Robert Dysart becomes a New Brunswick Court of Appeal judge in Fredericton. He replaces C. LeBlond, who died on July 3.
Dysart sat in the New Brunswick Court of King’s Bench trial division in Moncton. He was a partner at Stewart McKelvey, where he concentrated on health law, medical malpractice defence, and professional regulatory matters.
He has conducted insurance, construction, and commercial litigation and was admitted as a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America in 2018. He took silk that same year.
In 2019, Dysart joined the Court of King’s Bench of New Brunswick.
Nova Scotia
Stacey D. O’Neill has joined the Nova Scotia Supreme Court (family division) in Halifax. She replaces T.M. Forgeron, who became supernumerary as of August 11.
She was the family division adjudicator at the provincial government in Halifax. She was previously a Supreme Court conciliator and court officer.
O’Neill also took on other justice department roles in the court services division. She contributed to provincial and federal level family law reform, particularly with regard to improving the accessibility of interjurisdictional support matters and administrative child support services.
She was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal; l’Association des Juristes d’expression française de la Nouvelle-Écosse also gave her the Prix du juriste.
Ontario
Ontario Crown Attorneys’ Association president Donna K. Kellway has become an Ontario Superior Court of Justice judge in Barrie. She replaces R.C. Boswell, who became a supernumerary judge on August 18.
She was Pinkofsky, Lockyer, Kwinter’s first and sole full equity female partner. In 2008, she became an assistant Crown attorney with the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General.
Kellway has tackled homicides in the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice. She was named president of the OCAA last year after a term as vice-president collective bargaining.
Meanwhile, Jennifer L. Swan was made a Ontario Superior Court of Justice judge. She sits in the Family Court in Hamilton, replacing D.L. Chappel after Chappel’s resignation as of June 20.
Swan co-founded Swan & Saenz LLP, where she was a partner. She was previously a Legal Aid Ontario panel lawyer handling domestic violence, child protection, and parenting files.
She sat on the duty counsel panel and on the panel for the Office of the Children’s Lawyer. She was a dispute resolution officer on the Superior Court of Justice.
Quebec
Asselin Desorcy Avocats partner Louis-François Asselin has become a Superior Court of Quebec judge for the Joliette district. He takes the remaining role authorized under Bill C-74 (2018) in Joliette.
He co-founded Asselin Desorcy Avocats with Anne Desorcy in 2018 and has mainly tackled family law cases. He was Barreau Laurentides-Lanaudière president and Barreau du Québec vice president.
Asselin was designated as Emeritus Lawyer in 2018 and received the Barreau Laurentides-Lanaudière medal this year.
Benoit Lussier became a Superior Court of Quebec judge in Québec. He replaces M. Paradis, who became a supernumerary judge on April 14.
He focused on civil liability, administrative and disciplinary law litigation as well as family law. He helped establish the Legal Affairs Office of the City of Shawinigan.
Prior to joining the bench, Lussier was counsel for Ville de Québec, concentrating on civil liability defence, insurance law, and class actions. He has appeared before all levels of Quebec courts.
Ministère de la Justice du Québec counsel and coordinator Véronique Boucher has joined the Superior Court of Quebec judge in Québec. She replaces A. Michaud, who became a supernumerary judge on May 20.
She coordinated the activities of the research service at the Superior Court, advising justices and conducting legislative, jurisprudential, and doctrinal research in all areas of law under the court’s jurisdiction.
