Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada announces judicial appointments in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador

OTTAWA, ON, March 24, 2021 / CNW / – The Honorable David Lametti, Attorney General and Attorney General of Canada, announced today the following appointments under the judicial filing process established in 2016. This process emphasizes transparency, merit and diversity of the Canadian population and will continue to ensure the appointment of lawyers who meet the highest standards of excellence and integrity.

Peter N. Browne, QC, Partner at Curtis Dawe Lawyers in Saint Johnis appointed Supreme Court Justice of Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Justice Browne replaces Mr. Justice BF Furey ((Eckbach), who has resigned with effect August 31, 2019.

Irene S. Muzychka, QC, Partner at Curtis Dawe Lawyers in Saint Johnis appointed Supreme Court Justice of Newfoundland and Labrador. Madam Justice Muzychka replaces Mr. Justice DF Hurley ((Saint John) who passed away 15th July 2020.

Trudy L. Button, Legal Advisor to the College of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador in the Saint Johnis appointed Supreme Court Justice of Newfoundland and Labrador. Madam Justice button replaces Ms. Justice KJ Goulding ((Grand Falls-Windsor) who chose to become a redundant judge November 13, 2019.

Stacy C. Ryan, Lawyer of Newfoundland and Labrador Legal Aid Commission in Happy Valley Goose Bayis appointed Supreme Court Justice of Newfoundland and Labrador. Madam Justice Ryan replaces Ms. Justice DG Butler ((Saint John), which was brought to the court of appeal with effect May 21, 2019. The Chief Justice has transferred Ms. Richter F. Knickle ((Happy Valley Goose Bay) in this place. The vacancy is therefore in Happy Valley Goose Bay.

Quote

“I wish Judges Browne, Muzychka, Button and Ryan every success in taking on their new roles. I am confident that they will serve the people of.” Newfoundland and Labrador as well as members of the Supreme Court. “

– The Hon. David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Biographies

justice Peter N. Browne, QC, received his Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University in 1984 and was practiced as a lawyer by Newfoundland and Labrador He was named Queens Counsel in 2008 and a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2018.

Mr. Justice Browne has worked with the law firm Curtis Dawe in the City of St. John’s since 1986. Providing a wide range of legal services focusing on complex civil litigation, including defense against medical misconduct, administrative / human rights issues, and corporate / commercial matters, among others.

Outside of his legal practice, Justice Browne has given numerous seminars and lectures in the field of health law. He served on provincial and national committees of the Canadian Bar Association, including serving as branch president for Newfoundland and Labrador in 2001-02. His community involvement includes serving as the leader of a local Scouts Canada group and several nonprofits including the Board of Directors for Festival 500 and the Newman Sound Men’s Choir.

Justice Browne is an avid runner who has competed in the provincial and national levels in track and field and road racing for over 40 years. For the past several years he has been president of Athletics Northeast, the province’s largest running club. He enjoys spending time with his wife Barb, their three children and their dog, who walks in the footsteps of the Avalon.

justice Irene S. Muzychka, QC, was born and raised in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. She is one of four children of Ukrainian-Spanish parents who “lost their lives” in 1960.

Madam Justice Muzychka holds a B. Comm. (Hons) of Memorial University of Newfoundland and an LL.B. of the University of New Brunswick. She received her articles from the late Hon. Fabian O’Dea, QC, and was admitted to the bar in 1988. At the time of her appointment, she was a managing partner at Curtis Dawe, where she served as a litigator for 33 years and appeared regularly in the provincial Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. She received Queen’s Counsel in 2013 and was selected by her colleagues for inclusion in Best Lawyers in Canada for her work in the areas of medical negligence, professional abuse law, insurance law and local law. In 2019-20 she was co-advisor to the Commission of Inquiry into the Muskrat Falls Project.

Justice Muzychka Bencher of the Law Society for eight years and its President from 2009-2010. She was a member of the Provincial Court’s Judicial Council and Legal Appointments Board, and a moderator in the Civil Litigation Department of the Admissions Course and Health and Insurance Law Seminars. She was also a longtime director and former chair of the well-known Rising Tide Theater Association Newfoundland and Labrador Theater group.

Justice Muzychka and her husband Gregory Smith, QC, reside in Saint John and are the proud parents of two grown children, Andrew and Stefanie.

justice Trudy L. Button born and raised in Central Newfoundland as one of three daughters and the first generation of her family to attend university. She took inspiration from her paternal grandmother, a particularly well-read woman, and received a Bachelor of Social Work from Memorial University of Newfoundland 1983 and a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University in 1993.

As a social worker, Ms. Justice Button gained insight into the challenging needs of vulnerable groups, an experience that will benefit her as a member of the judiciary.

After a long career in private practice at Ottenheimer Baker and then McInnes CooperShe worked in the areas of professional law, administrative law, personal injury and family law and moved from private practice to legal advisor for the College of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Justice button The service as a trainer is one of the contributions to the legal profession Memorial University Faculty of Business Administration, which teaches business law; a member of the Disciplinary Committee of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador;; an instructor for the Law Society Admissions Course; and member of the selection committee for the Law Foundation Legal Research Awards. In other community activities, she served on the board of directors of the Victorian Order of Nurses, the Health Ethics Research Board, and the Appeal Panel of the Health Ethics Research Board.

During her legal career Justice button has received unwavering support from her husband Morgan and son Michael.

justice Stacy C. Ryan, born and raised in Happy Valley Goose Bay, Labrador. She graduated Memorial University of Newfoundland 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts and from the University of New Brunswick 1999 with a Bachelor of Laws. She was called into the bar Newfoundland and Labrador in 2000 and was appointed Master of the Supreme Court of Justice Newfoundland and Labrador in 2015.

For most of her 20 year career, Ms. Justice Ryan has practiced criminal and family law Labrador with legal assistance NL.

Justice Ryan has enjoyed volunteering her community for many years, serving as a member of the Board of Governors of the College of the North Atlantic as coordinator of the Jack Rabbit Cross Country Program in Happy Valley Goose Bayand various other sports-related activities. Most recently, she was named Trustee of the Board of Trustees of the Labrador Grenfell Health Regional Authority, a member of the Board of Directors of the Mokami Status of Women Council, and a member of the Labrador Regional Appeals Board.

Justice Ryan is a Nunatsiavut beneficiary and proud mother of two.

Fast facts

  • More than 440 judges have been appointed at the Supreme Court level since then November 2015. These exceptional lawyers represent the diversity that is increasing Canada. Of these judges, more than half are women, and the appointments reflect increased representation of visible minorities, indigenous people, LGBTQ2 + and those who identify themselves as disabled.
  • The government of Canada is committed to promoting access to justice for all Canadians. The 2018 budget is providing funding to improve outcomes for Canadian families $ 77.2 million over four years to support the expansion of unified family courts from 2019-2020. This investment in the family justice system will create 39 new judicial positions in Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
  • The Federal Courts are appointed by the Governor General on the recommendation of the Federal Cabinet and on the recommendation of the Minister of Justice.
  • The judicial councils over Canada play a key role in evaluating court applications. There are 17 judicial councils on which each province and area is represented.
  • Significant reforms to the role and structure of the Judicial Councils have been announced, aimed at improving the independence and transparency of the process 20th October 2016.

SOURCE Department of Justice canada

For more information, please contact the media: Rachel Rappaport, Public Relations Secretary, Attorney General’s Office, 613-992-6568, [email protected];; Media Relations, Department of Justice Canada, 613-957-4207, [email protected]

similar links

http://www.justice.gc.ca

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