ATTORNEY GENERAL ANNOUNCES JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS

TORONTO - Attorney General Michael Bryant announced today the appointment of five provincial judges to the Ontario Court of Justice, effective February 18, 2004.

"I am confident that the achievements of these accomplished individuals will be matched by the significant contributions they will make to the bench," said Bryant.

Mr. Justice S. Ford Clements was called to the Bar in three provinces, including Ontario in 1983, and since then has practised exclusively in criminal law. He has been a member of the area committee of Legal Aid Ontario as well as duty counsel for the Law Society of Upper Canada. Called to the Bar in 1984, Mr. Justice Paul Currie was an assistant Crown attorney until 1997, when he began private practice in criminal law. He has also been a senior consultant, organizing seminars and workshops on diversity in the workplace.

Chief Justice Brian W. Lennox has assigned Justices Clements and Currie to preside in Brampton.

Mr. Justice Howard Chisvin was called to the Bar in 1985 and has practised criminal law for more than 18 years. He has been chair of the local area committee of Legal Aid Ontario, chairperson of the Criminal Law Division of the York Region Law Association, and director of the Criminal Lawyers’ Association.

Chief Justice Brian W. Lennox has assigned Mr. Justice Chisvin to preside in Newmarket.

After being called to the Bar in 1993, Mr. Justice Kofi Barnes was a federal prosecutor with the Department of Justice. In 1998, he became prosecutor in charge of operations of Canada’s first Drug Treatment Court in Toronto, and most recently was Deputy Director of the Federal Prosecution Service in Ontario. He has participated in numerous workshops and speaking events about the dangers of drug use. Madam Justice Susan MacLean was called to the Bar in 1982, and since then has been an assistant Crown attorney in Durham Region. She was the designated Child Abuse and Domestic Violence specialist and was the team leader for the Domestic Violence Court team. She has published numerous papers on various legal topics relating to criminal law.

Chief Justice Brian W. Lennox has assigned Justices Barnes and MacLean to preside in Oshawa.

Bryant has appointed 17 judges since the McGuinty government was sworn in on October 23, 2003.

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 Madam Justice Susan MacLean

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