Ontario Judicial Appointments Announced

OTTAWA, December 2, 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 Alexandra Hoy, a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, is appointed a judge of the Court of Appeal of Ontario (Toronto), to replace Madam Justice J. MacFarland, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of November 18, 2011.

Madam Justice Hoy studied at the University of Alberta, l'Université Laval and York University, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art from York University in 1975 and a Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School. She was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1980.

Madam Justice Hoy was appointed to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in 2002. She has presided over matters on the Commercial List and in the Divisional Court, as well as on family law and criminal matters. From April 2006 to December 2007, she was designated with three other judges to hear class-action matters.

Prior to her appointment, she practised with Lang Michener since 1980. She has represented both public and private corporations in the broadcasting, cable, telecommunications and entertainment sectors. She has also been a member of several corporate boards.

The Honourable Michael K. McKelvey, a lawyer with Borden Ladner Gervais LLP in Toronto, is appointed a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Newmarket) to replace Mr. Justice T. McEwen, who is being transferred to Toronto to replace Madam Justice J.L. Lax, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of January 1, 2011.

Mr. Justice McKelvey received a Bachelor of Arts in 1974 and a Bachelor of Laws from Queen's University in 1978. He was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1980.

Mr. Justice McKelvey has been a lawyer with Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (formerly Borden Elliot) since 1980. His main areas of practice were health law, employment law, personal injury, litigation and product liability.

Mr. Justice McKelvey was an executive member of the Medico-Legal Society of Toronto from 2001 to 2008. He was chair of the Health Law Section of the Ontario Bar Association from 1992 to 1993. He was a consulting editor for thirteen editions of "Ontario Consent and Capacity Legislation," published by Canada Law Book. He has regularly written papers and delivered presentations in health law and advocacy for a wide variety of organizations. He is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America. He was a committee member of the Princess Margaret Hospital from 2007 to 2009 and a member of the Advisory Board for Lawyers' International Food Enterprise (LIFE).

The Honourable Meredith Donohue, a lawyer with Daniel & Partners LLP in St. Catharines, is appointed a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Brampton) to replace Mr. Justice B.P. O'Marra, who was transferred to Toronto to replace Mr. Justice R.S. Echlin, after he passed away on August 12, 2011.

Madam Justice Donohue received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Ontario in 1979 and a Bachelor of Laws from Queen's University in 1983. She was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1985.

Madam Justice Donohue has been a partner with Daniel & Partners LLP since 1985. Her main area of practice was civil litigation, including insurance and personal injury litigation. She has been a specialist in civil litigation since 2005.

Madam Justice Donohue was on the Board of Directors of the Advocates' Society from 2001 to 2004. She was a member of the Canadian Bar Association, the Women's Law Association and the Lincoln County Law Association. She has been a lecturer at conferences for the Hamilton Law Association, the Canadian Defence Lawyers' Association, the Brain Injury Association of Niagara, the Niagara Chiropractic Society and Hamilton Joint Insurance Seminar. She has been a Rotarian since 1989 and a member of the University Women's Club since 1985.

The Honourable Timothy Minnema, a lawyer with the Frontenac Children's Aid Society in Kingston, is appointed a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Family Division (Ottawa), to replace Mr. Justice A.D. Sheffield, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of November 29, 2011.

Mr. Justice Minnema received a Bachelor of Arts in 1983 and a Bachelor of Laws from Queen's University in 1987. He was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1989.

Mr. Justice Minnema has been a lawyer with the Frontenac Children's Aid Society since 2001. He was a partner with Black, Lloyd, Caron & Minnema from 1990 to 2001 and an associate with Black & Lloyd from 1989 to 1990. His main area of practice was child protection, but he also practised in criminal law, construction law, disability law, and personal injury, civil and real estate litigation.

Mr. Justice Minnema was a member of the Ontario Counsel of Children's Aid Societies and regional representative in 2006. He was a member of the Frontenac Law Association and appointed to the liaison Committee for the Family Court in Kingston.

The Honourable Clayton Conlan, a lawyer with Kirby, Robinson, Treslan & Conlan in Owen Sound, is appointed a judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario (Owen Sound), to replace Mr. Justice R.M. Thompson, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of October 13, 2011.

Mr. Justice Conlan received a Bachelor of Arts from Nipissing University in 1995 and a Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1998. He was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 2000.

Mr. Justice Conlan has been an associate and partner with Kirby, Robinson, Treslan & Conlan since 2001. He was an associate with Evans, Bragagnolo & Sullivan from 2000 to 2001. His main areas of practice were criminal law and child protection law.

Mr. Justice Conlan has been the Director of the Criminal Lawyers' Association for Grey and Bruce Counties since 2001. He is a founding member and current president of the Grey County Criminal Lawyers' Association and president of the Grey County Law Association. He was a standing agent for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada and lead prosecutor in Grey County for all federal prosecutions. He is an ad hoc agent of the Attorney General of Ontario. He is a member of the Advocates' Society, the Ontario Bar Association, the Ontario Trial Lawyers' Association, and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. Since 2009, he has been a member of the Grey Bruce Crystal Meth Task Force. He is a volunteer at Georgian Riding Association for Challenged Equestrians.

These appointments are effective immediately.

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Ref.:

• Julie Di Mambro
  Press Secretary
  Office of the Minister of Justice
  613-992-4621

• Media Relations
  Department of Justice
  613-957-4207