BRITISH COLUMBIA JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED

OTTAWA, September 28, 1995 -- The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Mr. Allan Rock, today announced the following appointments:

• The Honourable Madam Justice Mary Newbury of Vancouver is appointed a judge of the British Columbia Court of Appeal in Vancouver. She replaces Mr. Justice J.D. Lambert, who has chosen to become a supernumerary judge.

  Madam Justice Newbury obtained a law degree from the University of British Columbia in 1974, and received a Masters in Law from Harvard University in 1975. She was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1976. From 1976 to 1984, she practised mainly in the area of corporate commercial law with the firm Ladner Downs in Vancouver, with whom she became partner in 1980. From 1984 until 1991, she was a partner with the firm Mawhinney and Kellough, known today as Fraser Beatty. From 1983 to 1990, she was Treasurer and Director of the British Columbia Court House Library Society, where she served as chairperson from 1987 to 1990. She was also a member of the Law Reform Commission of British Columbia from 1983 to 1991.

  Madam Justice Newbury was named to the Supreme Court of British Columbia July 11, 1991.

  This appointment is effective immediately.

• Bryan Williams, Q.C., of West Vancouver is appointed a judge of the British Columbia Court of Appeal in Vancouver. He replaces Mr. Justice M.R. Taylor, who retired.

  Mr. Justice Williams graduated in law from the University of British Columbia in 1958, and was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1959. He then joined the firm now known as Swinton & Co. in Vancouver, where he became partner in 1961. Mr. Justice Williams practised mainly in the areas of commercial litigation, administrative law, environmental law, aboriginal and constitutional litigation. He was called to the Bar of Yukon in 1976 and the Bar of the Northwest Territories in 1980. In 1990, he was awarded an honourary doctorate of laws from the University of Victoria. He is currently Special Advisor for the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation. He is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a member of the International Commission of Jurists - Canadian Section, and a board member of the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice. He is also a member of the Arbitration Association of British Columbia and a member of the CPR of the International Panel of Distinguished Mediators. From 1979 to 1984, he was Commissioner of the Law Reform Commission of British Columbia. From 1986 to 1987, he was President of the Canadian Bar Association.

  This appointment is effective October 15, 1995.

• Risa Evelyn Levine of Vancouver is appointed a judge of the British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver. She replaces Madam Justice M. Newbury, who was elevated to the Court of Appeal.

  Madam Justice Levine obtained a law degree from the University of British Columbia in 1977, and was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1978. She then joined the firm of Thorsteinssons, with whom she has been a partner since 1982.

  Madam Justice Levine has specialized in corporate taxation law. Since 1989, she has been Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Law at the University of British Columbia teaching corporate tax laws. Since 1994, she has been a member of the Joint Committee on Taxation of Canadian Bar Association and the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, and she is also a member of the Dean's Advisory Committee. Madam Justice Levine is the author of many articles and publications on taxation law.

  This appointment is effective immediately.

Ref.: Johanne Senécal
      Minister's Office
      (613) 992-4621