Appointments include Joleen Hiland, Fraser McCracken, Brett Moodie, Elizabeth Moore, Alyssa Bain
Pardeep Bhachu, Craig Brannagan, Kimberly Doucett, Joleen Hiland, Fraser McCracken, Brett Moodie, Elizabeth Moore, Alyssa Bain, Christopher Diana, Michael Perlin, and Lynne Saunders will join the Ontario Court of Justice as judges as of May 14.
According to an Ontario government bulletin, Chief Justice Sharon Nicklas assigned the new judges as follows:
The bulletin described the professional background of the appointees.
She joined the Ontario bar in 2009. She articled at the Kingston Crown attorney’s office and prosecuted cases before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and the Court of Justice as an assistant Crown attorney in Hastings and Prince Edward County. She was the lead intimate partner violence Crown and the lead youth Crown.
He joined the Ontario bar in 2011. He was a criminal defence attorney, focusing on the civilian oversight of police officers in professional misconduct and criminal liability matters. In 2016, he became an assistant Crown attorney who prosecuted criminal offences.
Most recently, he practised at the Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG)’s guns and gangs unit. In that role, he prosecuted serious offences relating to firearms and drug trafficking and handled a multi-jurisdictional wiretap investigation into a criminal organization.
She joined the Ontario bar in 2002. She was associate counsel at Alfred A. Mamo & Associates. With Cohen Highley LLP, she worked as an associate from 2004–08, returned as a partner in 2010, and later became a practice group leader focusing on family law.
She was counsel for claimants through the residential schools claims process. She worked as a dispute resolution officer at the Superior Court, counsel for the director of the Family Responsibility Office in London, and panel counsel for the Office of the Children’s Lawyer.
She joined the Ontario bar in 2009. From 2009–14, she worked as a criminal defence lawyer with the law office of James Hauraney in the Tri-County region. In 2014, she established a sole practice focusing on criminal law and defending against serious offences.
She was an agent prosecuting drug matters for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada in Peterborough. She joined the Peterborough Crown Attorney’s Office as an assistant Crown attorney in 2022 and co-led the Peterborough intensive serious violent crime bail team.
He joined the Ontario bar in 2011. After articling at the Toronto Crown Law Office, he served as an assistant Crown attorney and conducted prosecutions in Hamilton, Kitchener, and Peel. He joined the Crown Office of Strategic Initiatives in 2021 and became Crown attorney for Haldimand County in 2022.
He joined the Ontario bar in 2010. He managed his own practice while working part-time as a per diem assistant Crown attorney. He conducted prosecutions and made court appearances while working at the Crown attorney’s offices in Peel and Hamilton.
In 2018, he became a deputy Crown attorney. Since 2022, he has acted as Crown attorney in Brantford and Norfolk, where he led Indigenous justice initiatives. He teaches a course on mental illness and the criminal justice system at the University of Toronto.
She joined the Ontario bar in 2000. She was an associate at Goodmans LLP and Cooper, Sandler & West and legal counsel for Labatt Breweries. In 2006, she started prosecuting criminal offences as an assistant Crown attorney.
She acted as counsel at the Ontario Court of Appeal and Superior Court. She provided legal, strategic, and policy advice as senior criminal counsel and lead counsel at the Centre for Judicial Research and Education in the Court of Justice.
She joined the Ontario bar in 2002. She was a federal prosecutor with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada from 2002–19. In this role, she prosecuted offences under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, 1996.
In 2019, she became an assistant Crown attorney at the MAG. She worked as a case management lead, trial litigator, and mentor on the sexual violence advisory group and supported Crowns in litigating sexual offences.
He joined the Ontario bar in 1999. As an associate at WeirFoulds LLP, he practised civil litigation, employment law, construction law, and professional negligence. Since 2005, he has worked in the Ministry of the Solicitor General’s legal services branch. As senior counsel, he has handled civil, criminal, and police misconduct and human rights matters.
She joined the Ontario bar in 1991. She was duty counsel with Legal Aid Ontario. She then worked as an assistant Crown attorney from 1991–2011. She later served as a deputy Crown attorney and managed the Barrie Crown attorney’s office. Since 2015, she has been Crown attorney for Simcoe County, where she handles criminal prosecutions.
He joined the Ontario bar in 2010. He was an associate at Lax O’Sullivan Scott Lisus LLP. He worked as an assistant Crown attorney, as Crown counsel handling criminal matters, and as a constitutional issues coordinator for Ontario’s prosecution service.
From 2022 to early this year, he served as legal counsel to Ontario’s deputy attorney general. In this role, he focused on issues of criminal law and policy. He then rejoined the Crown Law Office’s criminal law section.
