ALBERTA JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED

OTTAWA, March 4, 2011 - 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 Brian K. O’Ferrall, a judge of the Provincial Court of Alberta in Calgary, is appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal of Alberta (Calgary), to replace
Madam Justice C.D. Hunt, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of January 2, 2011.

Mr. Justice O’Ferrall received a Bachelor of Arts (B.A. Political Science) in 1967 and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the University of Alberta in 1973. He received a Bachelor of Journalism (B.J.) from Carleton University in 1968. He was admitted to the Bar of Alberta in 1974 and appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2000.

Mr. Justice O’Ferrall was appointed to the Provincial Court of Alberta in June 2005. Prior to his appointment, he was a partner with McLennan Ross LLP from 2002 to 2005 and with Bennett Jones LLP from 1976 to 2002. He was an associate with Ballem, McDill & MacInnes from 1974 to 1976. He also had a career in journalism, which included work for the Globe and Mail in Toronto and several radio stations in Western Canada from 1967 to 1973. His main area of practice was civil litigation specializing in energy, environmental and expropriation law.

Mr. Justice O’Ferrall was recognized by LEXPERT as a leading practitioner in Energy, Oil and Gas in 2004 and by the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada publication as a leading practitioner in environmental law. He was a member of the Minister of Environment’s Legislation Review Panel and drafted amendments to the Hydro and Electric Energy Act and Surface Rights Act. He is a past-president of The Environmental Law Centre, the Alberta Expropriation Association and past-member of the National Council of the Canadian Bar Association. He is a member of the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association and the International Cessna 180/185 Club.

The Honourable Rodney A. Jerke, a lawyer with Davidson & Williams LLP in Lethbridge, is appointed a Judge of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta in Lethbridge, to replace Mr. Justice J.H. Langston, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of February 11, 2011.

Mr. Justice Jerke received a Bachelor of Arts and Science (B.A. Sc.) with distinction from the University of Lethbridge in 1976 and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) with distinction from the University of Alberta in 1979. He was admitted to the Bar of Alberta in 1980 and appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1998.

Mr. Justice Jerke has been an associate and partner with Davidson & Williams LLP since 1981. His main area of practice is civil litigation. He was a Bencher for the Law Society of Alberta from 2004 to 2010; President of Pro Bono Law Alberta from 2007 to 2009; and President of the Law Society of Alberta from 2010 to 2011. He is the author of several papers and has been a lecturer at many seminars and conferences. He is a board member and committee chair of the Lethbridge Regional Hospital Foundation, the Lethbridge and District United Way, the Victorian Order of Nurses and the Rotary Club of Lethbridge.

The Honourable Peter B. Michalyshyn, a lawyer with Chatwin LLP in Edmonton, is appointed a Judge of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta in Edmonton, to replace Madam Justice L.J. Smith, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of February 24, 2011.

Mr. Justice Michalyshyn received a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from the University of Alberta in 1982 and a Bachelor of Journalism (B.J.) from Carleton University in 1983. He received a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the University of Alberta in 1988. He was admitted to the Bar of Alberta in 1989 and appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2004.

Mr. Justice Michalyshyn has been a partner with Chatwin LLP (as it is now known) since 1997. He was Crown Counsel, Constitutional Law Branch for Alberta Justice from 1992 to 1994 and was an associate with Pringle & Associates from 1989 to 1992. His main area of practice was civil litigation, primarily in insurance and related matters, including professional liability claims.

Mr. Justice Michalyshyn has been an Executive Member of the Canadian Bar Association since 1989. He was a member of the Criminal Trial Lawyers’ Association from 1989 to 1992 and president of the Law Society of Alberta in 2009. He has chaired and been a member of numerous committees. He has been a frequent presenter at various seminars and author of several papers.  He was a board member of the Edmonton John Howard Society from 1989 to 1994.

The Honourable M. David Gates, a Senior Counsel with Justice Canada in Calgary, is appointed a Judge of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta in Edmonton, to replace Mr. Justice R.P. Marceau, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of December 19, 2010.

Mr. Justice Gates received a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Dalhousie University in 1979. He was admitted to the Bar of Alberta in 1990 and the Northwest Territories Bar in 1981, and is a past member of the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society and the Yukon Territory Bar. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2000.

Mr. Justice Gates began his career at the Department of Justice Canada as Senior Counsel and Director, Whitehorse Regional Office (1985-1987), then was General Counsel and Director, Yellowknife Regional Office (1987-1989) and Edmonton Regional Office (1989-1995); Senior Regional Director, Prairies and Northwest Territories Region (1995-2001); Senior General Counsel in the Edmonton Regional Office (2004-2007) and Senior Counsel in the Calgary Office (2007-2011). In addition, he was Visiting Executive/Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Western Economic Diversification (2002-2003); Executive Director, National Crime Prevention Centre (2001-2002); and Co-Lead, Review of the Federal Prosecution Service (1999-2000). His main areas of practice were civil and Aboriginal litigation, criminal prosecutions, tax litigation and general legal advisory work to federal departments and agencies.

Mr. Justice Gates has been Chair of the Prairie Leaders Knowledge Building Network since 2004 and is Past-Chair of the Alberta Federal Council from 1997 to 2000. He has been a member of the Law Society of Alberta since 1990 and the Law Society of Northwest Territories since 1980. He was a member of the Law Society of Yukon from 1980 to 2000. He is a member of the Canadian Bar Association on various committees and is a volunteer with numerous community organizations.

These appointments are effective immediately.

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Ref.:

• Pamela Stephens
  Press Secretary
  Office of the Minister of Justice
  613-992-4621

• Media Relations
  Department of Justice
  613-957-4207