Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada announces judicial appointments in the province of Nova Scotia

OTTAWA, ON, April 6, 2021 / CNW / – The Honorable David Lametti, Attorney General and Attorney General of Canadaannounced today the following appointments under the judicial filing process established in 2016. This process emphasizes transparency, merit and the diversity of the Canadian population and will continue to ensure the appointment of lawyers who meet the highest standards of excellence and integrity.

The Honorable Jean M. Dewolfe, Judge at the Provincial Court of Nova Scotia in the Kentvilleis appointed Supreme Court Justice of Nova Scotia, Family department. Madam Justice Dewolfe fills one of three remaining positions assigned to the Family Department under the Law on the Implementation of the Budget 2017, No. 1.

Lloyd I. Berliner, a partner at Patterson Law in Trurois appointed Supreme Court Justice of Nova Scotia, Family department. Mr. Justice Berliner fills one of three remaining positions assigned to the Family Department under the Law on the Implementation of the Budget 2017, No. 1.

Gail L. Gatchalian, QC, Partner at Pink Larkin Lawyers in Halifaxis appointed Supreme Court Justice of Nova Scotia. Madam Justice Gatchalian replaces Mr. Justice PJ Duncan ((Halifax), who was appointed Associate Chief Justice with effect June 22, 2020. The chief judge has transferred the judge John Keith ((Kentville) in this place. The vacancy is therefore in Kentville.

Quote

“I wish the judges Dewolfe, Berliner and Gatchalian every success in taking on their new roles. I am confident that they will serve the people of Nova Scotia as well as members of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia. “

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

Biographies

justice Jean M. Dewolfe received a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) from Acadia University 1981 and a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University She was admitted to the Nova Scotia Bar in 1986.

Before being appointed to the Supreme Court of Nova ScotiaMs. Judge Dewolfe was a judge at the family court at the provincial court of Nova Scotiawhere she had served since 2009. She sat in Kentville since 2017 in Truro from 2011 to 2017 and in Amherst from 2009 to 2011. Before being appointed to the family court, she mainly practiced family law in Kentville, Nova Scotia.

The story goes on

Justice Dewolfe is currently a volunteer mentor of the Nova Scotia Black and Aboriginal Attorneys and the Nova Scotia Judge. She chaired the Family Rules Committee and was president of the Nova Scotia Provincial Judges Association.

justice Lloyd I. Berliner born and raised in Montreal. He received his Bachelor of Arts from McGill University 1985. Then he went east and visited University of New Brunswick There he received his Bachelor of Laws in 1988. In 1990 he was inducted into the Nova Scotia Barrister Society.

At the time of his appointment was mr Justice Berliner had completed nearly 31 years of practice at Patterson Law in Truro, Nova Scotiawhere he built an extensive family law practice. He represented customers throughout Nova Scotia and appeared at all levels of the court in the province, as well as the Supreme Court of Canada.

Besides his practice Justice Berliner also volunteered extensively with the Children’s Wish Foundation from Canada (now known as Make a Wish Canada). He founded the local sub-chapter in Truro, sat on the provincial board, later represented Nova Scotia on the National Board and was a member of the Nova Scotia Chapter Advisory Board at the time of his appointment. He was recognized for his commitment to the organization when he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013.

Justice Berliner and his wife Catherine are the proud parents of daughters Jasmine and Sascha and the stepson Matthew and the grandparents of Lily and Elijah.

justice Gail L. Gatchalian, QC, graduated from Riverview Rural High School in Cape Breton In 1988 he received a Bachelor of Science (Honors) from Dalhousie University in 1993 and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Toronto Law Faculty in 1996.

Madam Justice Gatchalian articulated with Cavalluzzo Hayes Shilton McIntyre and Cornish in Toronto. She returned to Nova Scotia in 1999 to Pink Larkin in HalifaxThere she practiced labor, employment, human rights and constitutional law for 22 years. She was named Queen’s Counsel in 2018.

Justice Gatchalian is a past president of the Canadian Bar Association Nova Scotia Branch (CBANS), former Chairman of the CBA National Labor and Employment Law Section and former Equity Chair of CBANS. Most recently, she chaired the CBANS Working Group on Sexual Harassment and led the development and delivery of Empowering Bystanders training courses on combating sexual harassment in legal workplaces. She also chaired the Nova Scotia Human Rights Committee of Inquiry.

Justice Gatchalian is of mixed Filipino and Irish / Scottish ancestry. Your father, dr. Celso Gatchalian, was from the Phillipines. Her mother, Carol Gatchalian, out Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. Together with her husband Jose Farias, Justice Gatchalian has two daughters aged 16 and 9 who are both Chinese Canadian and have their pride and joy.

Fast facts

  • More than 450 judges have since been appointed at the Supreme Court level 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

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