Federation Welcomes New Supreme Court Appointment Process

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Aug. 2, 2016) - The Federation of Law Societies of Canada welcomes the new appointment process announced today to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court of Canada that will occur with the retirement of Justice Thomas Cromwell on September 1^st. The Federation is pleased to be included in the new independent advisory committee as a key national stakeholder in Canada's legal community.

As announced by the Prime Minister, the new advisory committee will consist of seven members, including four nominated by the legal community. Federation President Jeff Hirsch will represent the Federation on the committee.

Mr. Hirsch and the other members of the new advisory committee will be responsible for recommending a short list of functionally bilingual, qualified candidates for consideration by the Prime Minister for an appointment to the Supreme Court of Canada. New to this process is the opportunity for potential candidates to apply for the position.

As detailed in its mission statement, the Supreme Court of Canada is the final court of appeal in Canada. It serves Canadians by deciding legal issues of public importance. The Court is committed to the rule of law, independence and impartiality, and access to justice.

"Canada's justice system, including our Supreme Court, is the envy of the world. It is vital that our judicial institutions continue to be respected, both in Canada and abroad" says Mr. Hirsch. "Public confidence in the qualifications of the justices of the Supreme Court of Canada is essential to that respect. The Federation is pleased to participate in an open, transparent and non-partisan process with a view to maintaining and enhancing public confidence".

The Federation is the national coordinating body of the 14 provincial and territorial law societies that regulate Canada's over 120,000 lawyers, Quebec's 4,000 notaries and Ontario's 7,400 paralegals in the public interest. It is a leading voice on issues of national and international importance relating to the administration of justice and the rule of the law.