Ontario Judicial Appointments Announced

OTTAWA, November 2, 2012 - 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 Irving W. André, a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton, is appointed a judge of the Superior Court of Justice, to replace Mr. Justice S.C. Hill (Brampton), who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of November 11, 2012. This appointment is effective November 11, 2012.

Mr. Justice André received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of the West Indies in 1981. He received a Bachelor of Laws in 1988, a Master of Laws in 2006 and a Doctor of Philosophy in 2010 from Osgoode Hall Law School. He was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1991.

Mr. Justice André was appointed a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice in 2002. Prior to his appointment, he was vice-chair of the Ontario Licence Appeal Tribunal from 2001 to 2002. He was a criminal defence lawyer from 1994 to 2002 and an assistant Crown attorney from 1991 to 1994. His main area of practice was criminal law.

Mr. Justice André has been a local administrative judge (criminal) in Brampton since 2010. He has been chair of the Brampton Criminal Case Management Committee and co-chair of the Brampton Local Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee since 2011.

The Honourable Robert J. Nightingale, a lawyer with Cline Backus Nightingale McArthur, in Simcoe, is appointed a judge of the Superior Court of Justice (Simcoe), to replace Mr. Justice C.S. Glithero, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of May 31, 2012.

Mr. Justice Nightingale attended two years of a Bachelor of Arts program at the University of Western Ontario from 1970 to 1972 and received a Bachelor of Laws in 1975. He was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1977.

Mr. Justice Nightingale has been a partner with Cline Backus Nightingale McArthur since 1979 and an associate with Siskind Cromarty from 1977 to 1979. He was an assistant Crown attorney, federal prosecutor and deputy judge of Small Claims Court in Norfolk County. He has been a certified specialist in civil litigation since 2000. His main areas of practice were civil litigation, insurance law, personal injury, commercial and administrative law.

Mr. Justice Nightingale was a member of the Advocates Society, Canadian Bar Association and American Trial Lawyers Association, as well as the Law Society of Upper Canada Task Force on Court Facilities from 2000 to 2001. He has been a member of the Simcoe Lions Club since 1979.

The Honourable Victoria R. Chiappetta, a lawyer with Essar Steel Algoma Inc., in Sault Ste. Marie, is appointed a judge of the Superior Court of Justice (Toronto), to replace Madam Justice J.M. Wilson, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of July 10, 2012.

Madam Justice Chiappetta received a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University in 1990 and a Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1993. She was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1995.

Madam Justice Chiappetta has been vice-president, legal and general counsel for Essar Steel Algoma Inc. since 2007. She was director of labour for the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation from 2006 to 2007 and was appointed deputy judge of Small Claims Court for the North East Region in 2006. She was an associate with Matthews Dinsdale & Clark LLP from 2001 to 2006, Wishart & Partners from 1999 to 2001, Hughes Amys LLP from 1997 to 1999 and Fireman Regan from 1995 to 1997. Her main areas of practice were corporate law, civil litigation, environmental law, labour law, human rights and intellectual property.

Madam Justice Chiappetta has been a member of numerous professional and community organizations, including the Canadian Bar Association, Algoma District Association, the Board of Directors of Sault Ste. Marie Group Health Centre Scholarship Fund, Canadian Business Professionals, Canadian Italian Advocates Organization and the Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers. She was a member of the Legal Advisory Committee of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police from 2003 to 2006. She was a member of the Board of Directors for the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce, Algoma Family Services Foundation, Sault Area Hospital Foundation and the United Way. She was also a contributing writer and co-writer for the publications Influential Women of Northern Ontario, Canada Law Book and Northern Ontario Business.

Unless otherwise indicated, these appointments are effective immediately.

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