Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador Judicial Appointments Announced

OTTAWA, January 31, 2014– The Honourable Peter MacKay, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Central Nova, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointments:

The Honourable Laura A. Mennie, a judge of the provincial court of Newfoundland and Labrador in Stephenville, is appointed a Judge of the Trial Division of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador to replace Mr. Justice D. Peddle (Corner Brook) who has been  transferred to Gander. This appointment is effective March 9, 2014.

Madam Justice Mennie was appointed a judge of the provincial court of Newfoundland and Labrador in February 2012.  Prior to her appointment, she served as legal counsel for the Newfoundland Department of Justice, Child, Youth and Family Services from 2007 to 2012.  She served as a staff solicitor with the Legal Aid Commission from 1994 to 2007 and as a lawyer with the law firm of Poole, Althouse from 1993 to 1994.  Her main areas of practice were criminal law, family law and civil litigation.

Madam Justice Mennie received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of New Brunswick in 1992 and was admitted to the Bar of Newfoundland and Labrador in 1993. She was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2011 and completed a Master’s in Family Law at Osgoode Hall Law School in 2012.

The Honourable Brian F. Furey, a member of the Mental Health Care and Treatment Review Board in St. John’s, is appointed a judge of the Trial Division of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador to replace Mr. Justice A. Seaborn (Corner Brook), who resigned as of December 31, 2013.

Mr. Justice Furey received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of New Brunswick  and was admitted to the Bar of Newfoundland and Labrador in 1980. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2005.

Mr. Justice Furey was appointed a member of the Mental Health Care and Treatment Review Board in November 2013.  Prior to that, he served as legal counsel for the Newfoundland Department of Justice, Civil Division from 1988 to 2013.  In that capacity, he served the Department of Public Works and Services in the areas of real estate, construction law and public tendering.  He later served as Manager of Family Litigation and Chief Legal Adviser to the Regional Directors of Child, Youth and Family Services. From 1980 to 1987, he practised with the law firm of O’Dea, Greene  in St. John’s. For the last 20 years,  his focus has been family law.

Mr. Justice Furey served as a Bencher of the Newfoundland and Labrador Law Society from 1999 to 2007 and held various executive positions, including president from 2004-2005.   He was an instructor at the Bar Admission Course from 1994 and a frequent presenter at Continuing Legal Education Seminars on issues of Family Law.  He also served on the Forest Land Tax Review Board.

Unless otherwise indicated, these appointments are effective immediately.

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