Department of Justice

NOVA SCOTIA JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED

OTTAWA, March 2, 2001 -- The Honourable Anne McLellan, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointments:

John D. Murphy, Q.C. of Halifax is appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia. He replaces Mr. Justice J.W.S. Saunders who was appointed to the Court of Appeal.

Mr. Justice Murphy received a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University in 1973 and was called to the Bar of Nova Scotia the following year. He served as a Clerk to the Honourable Mr. Justice Ritchie of the Supreme Court of Canada.

Prior to his appointment, he was a partner in the Halifax firm of Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales in general practice with a particular interest in commercial, marine, fisheries and insurance litigation. He has appeared before all levels of courts in Nova Scotia and the Federal Court of Canada, as well as before various administrative tribunals.

He has been very active in the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society and at the time of his appointment was the Second Vice-President of the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society. He has also served as a member of the Discipline Committee and the Finance Committee of the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society. Mr. Justice Murphy is a regular presenter at Continuing Legal Education and Canadian Bar Association conferences, particularly in the areas of marine and admiralty law.

C. Richard Coughlan, Q.C. of Bridgewater is appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia. He replaces Madam Justice L.L. Oland, who was appointed to the Court of Appeal.

Mr. Justice Coughlan received a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University in 1975 and was called to the Bar of Nova Scotia the same year. At the time of his appointment, Mr. Justice Coughlan was a partner with Coughlan and Coughlan in Bridgewater. He has been a general practitioner throughout his career with experience in civil litigation, real property, corporate and family law and has particular expertise in estate litigation. In 1999, he received accreditation from the Harvard Law School Mediation Workshop in dispute resolution and mediation.

Mr. Justice Coughlan has been very active with various professional organizations. He has served as a member of the National Executive of the Canadian Bar Association and is the Past President of the Western Counties Bar Association. Mr. Justice Coughlan has been a frequent lecturer with the Continuing Legal Education Society of Nova Scotia in a wide range of areas pertaining to general practice.

These appointments are effective immediately.

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Ref.:

Farah Mohamed
Minister's Office
(613) 992-4621