ONTARIO JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED

OTTAWA, April 26, 2013 – 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 George R. Strathy, a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Toronto, is appointed a judge of the Ontario Court of Appeal to replace Mr. Justice R.G. Juriansz, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of March 31, 2013.

Mr. Justice Strathy was appointed to the Superior Court of Justice in 2007. He received a bachelor of arts from McGill University in 1970, and a master’s degree in 1971 and a bachelor of laws in 1974, both from the University of Toronto. He was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1976.

Immediately prior to his appointment to the Ontario Superior Court, Justice Strathy was a partner with Strathy & Isaacs in Toronto, where he practised in civil litigation, transportation, insurance and environmental law, and developed an expertise in maritime law. He had also been a partner with Fasken Campbell Godfrey and MacKinnon McTaggart. He has been a member of the Canadian Maritime Law Association and the Association of Maritime Arbitrators of Canada, as well as the author of numerous articles and textbooks on this subject.

The Honourable Steve A. Coroza, a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines, is appointed a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Brampton) to replace Madam Justice N.M. Mossip, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of  July 8, 2013. This appointment is effective July 8, 2013.

Mr. Justice Coroza was appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice in 2009. He received a bachelor of laws from University of Windsor Law School in 1995 and was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1997. He also completed a master of laws degree at Osgoode Hall Law School in 2003. 

Prior to his appointment, Justice Coroza was a senior counsel with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada from 1998 to 2009, and prior to that was staff duty counsel for Ontario Legal Aid in Toronto, where his main area of practice was criminal law. 

Mr. Justice Coroza was a member of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers. He was an instructor for the Bar Admission Course (2001-2009), a part-time instructor at Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology (2004-2007), and an instructor of the Trial Practice Course and Trial Advocacy Workshop at Osgoode Hall Law School where he is currently an adjunct professor. He is also the co-author of a publication entitled Sentencing Drug Offenders.

The Honourable Stephen E. Firestone, a lawyer with Lackman, Firestone Law Offices in Toronto, is appointed a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Toronto) to replace Mr. Justice G.R. Strathy, who was appointed to the Ontario Court of Appeal.

Mr. Justice Firestone received a bachelor of arts from York University in 1983 and a bachelor of laws from the University of Windsor Law School in 1986. He was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1988.

Mr. Justice Firestone has been a partner with Lackman, Firestone Law Offices since 1995. He was a lawyer with Iacono, Brown, Barristers & Solicitors, from 1990 to 1995 and with Sommers & Roth from 1988 to 1990. His practice focused on civil litigation with an emphasis on personal injury, accident benefits and professional negligence.

Mr. Justice Firestone was a course instructor at Sheridan College and a guest lecturer at the University of Windsor Faculty of Law and Osgoode Hall Law School. He is a past director of the Advocates Society, was president of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association and Chair of the Ontario Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division. He co-authored the Personal Injury Practice Manual and Ontario Motor Vehicle Insurance Practice Manual, and is author of Motor Vehicle Insurance Law and Commentary. He has written numerous articles and papers on these subjects.

Unless indicated otherwise, these appointments are effective immediately.

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