FEDERAL COURT OF CANADA JUDICIAL APPOINTMENT ANNOUNCED

OTTAWA, August 8, 2002 -- The Honourable Martin Cauchon, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointment:

Simon Noël, of Hull, is appointed a judge of the Federal Court of Canada - Trial Division. He replaces Mr. Justice Marc Nadon who was appointed to the Federal Court of Canada - Appeal Division.

Mr. Justice Noël obtained his licence en droit from the University of Ottawa in 1974 and was admitted to the Bar of Quebec the following year. At the time of his appointment, he was the senior partner in the Hull firm of Noël & Associés specializing primarily in general litigation matters. In addition to having served as counsel to certain commissions, Mr. Justice Noël has extensive experience in medical malpractice, libel, labour and corporate-commercial litigation. He has appeared before both the trial and appellate levels of the Quebec superior courts as well as the Federal Court of Canada and the Supreme Court of Canada. Through his work in administrative law, he has appeared before various quasi-judicial tribunals.

Mr. Justice Noël is a member of the Canadian Bar Association and l'Association des juristes d'expression française de l'Ontario. In 2001, he became the first member of the Bar of Hull to be named a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1992.

This appointment is effective immediately.

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Ref.:

Suzanne Thébarge
Director of Communications
Minister's Office
(613) 992-4621