ONTARIO JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED

OTTAWA, February 20, 2008 - 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 Bruce G. Thomas, a Provincial Court Judge to the Ontario Court of Justice in Chatham, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the province of Ontario. He replaces Mr. Justice Gordon I. Thomson ( Windsor) who elected to become a supernumerary judge.

Mr. Justice Thomas r eceived a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Windsor in 1979, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Ontario in 1976 . He was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1981. Mr. Justice Thomas was appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice in 1999 and assigned to Chatham, Ontario. He was in p rivate practice, primarily in criminal and civil litigation, with the firm of McFarlane and Thomas from 1981 to 1999. He was also a part-time Assistant Crown Attorney (Provincial) from 1982 to 1999, and an Agent for the Attorney General of Canada, for Federal prosecutions in Kent County from 1984 to 1995.

The Honourable Gary T. Trotter, a Provincial Court Judge to the Ontario Court of Justice in Toronto, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the province of Ontario. He replaces Mr. Justice H. Spiegel ( Toronto) who elected to become a supernumerary judge.

Mr. Justice Trotter r eceived a Bachelor of Laws in 1985 from the University of Toronto, a Master of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1990, a Master of Philosophy from the University of Cambridge in 1991, and a Doctorate of Philosophy in 2000 from the University of Cambridge. He was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1987. Mr. Justice Trotter was appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice in 2005 and assigned to Toronto, Ontario. He was a criminal law professor at the Faculty of Law, Queen's University from 2002 to 2005 and the acting Dean of Law from 2004 to 2005. He was in private practice briefly before joining the Crown Law Office - Criminal of the Ministry of the Attorney General in 1988. For 12 years, he was a Crown counsel, chiefly responsible for appeals in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada.

The Honourable Kim A. Carpenter-Gunn, a lawyer with Kim A. Carpenter-Gunn Law Offices in Hamilton , is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the Province of Ontario. She replaces Mr. Justice D.S. Crane, ( Hamilton) who elected to become a supernumerary judge.

Madam Justice Carpenter-Gunn received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Windsor in 1981, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1977 from York University. She was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in April 1983. Madam Justice Carpenter-Gunn has worked at her own practice Kim A. Carpenter-Gunn Law Offices since May 2006, and was previously a partner in Waxman, Carpenter-Gunn from 1992 to May 2006. She was a partner in Morris, Waxman, Carpenter-Gunn (formerly Morris & Lewis) in 1988. Madam Justice Carpenter-Gunn has developed an expertise in insurance, personal injury, civil litigation, and employment law. She has been a Bencher for the Law Society of Upper Canada since 1995, and Chair of the LawPRO Board since 2003.

The Honourable J. Christopher Corkery, a lawyer with J. Christopher Corkery, Barrister & Solicitor in Peterborough, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the Province of Ontario. He replaces Mr. Justice M.C. Cullity ( Toronto) who elected to become a supernumerary judge.

Mr. Justice Corkery received a Bachelor of Laws in 1991 from the University of Saskatchewan, and a Bachelor of Arts in 1983 from Trent University. He was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1993. Mr. Justice Corkery has been a standing agent with the Attorney General of Canada, Director of Public Prosecutions since 2004 and sole practitioner of J. Christopher Corkery, Barrister & Solicitor since 1999. He was Partner with Corkery & Corkery, Barristers & Solicitors from 1993 to 1997. Mr. Justice Corkery has developed an expertise in wills and estates, civil litigation, real estate, criminal law, and immigration.

The Honourable Cory A. Gilmore, a lawyer with Gilmore & Gilmore Professional Corporation in Alliston, Ontario , is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the Province of Ontario. She replaces Mr. Justice Erwin W. Stach ( Newmarket) who elected to become a supernumerary judge.

Madam Justice Gilmore attended law school at the University of Windsor from 1989 to 1992, and was awarded for highest mark in Municipal Law and Advanced Municipal Law. She attended the University of Toronto from 1977 to 1981. She was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in September 1993. Madam Justice Gilmore is a partner in Gilmore & Gilmore Professional Corporation since 1996, and was previously a part time Assistant Crown with the Crown’s office in Newmarket, Barrie and Orangeville from 1995 to 2003. Madam Justice Gilmore has developed an expertise in family law, wills and estates, real estate, criminal law, and litigation. Madam Justice Gilmore is a member of the executive with Simcoe County Law Association, and was also President of the Simcoe County Family Law Lawyers Association from 2000 to 2002 and again since November 2007. Madam Justice Gilmore was also a Simcoe County Legal Aid Area Committee member from 2002 to 2004.

These appointments are effective immediately.

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Ref:

Darren Eke
Press Secretary
Minister’s Office
613-992-4621