News Releases

News Release - Manitoba

May 12, 2020

Province Announces 10 Manitoba Lawyers Appointed as Queen's Counsel



The province has appointed 10 Manitoba lawyers as Queen’s counsel in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the practice of law, Justice Minister Cliff Cullen announced today.

“The appointees we honour today have been long-serving members of the legal profession who have demonstrated outstanding practice, fostered excellence in the profession, and who have conducted themselves with integrity and leadership throughout their careers,” said Cullen. “Congratulations to all Queen’s counsel appointees for earning this honour.”

Those receiving the Queen’s counsel (QC) designation include:
•    Robert J. M. Adkins, QC;
•    J. Douglas Deans, QC;
•    Michael D. Werier, QC;
•    Gail G. MacAulay, QC;
•    James A. Ripley, QC;
•    T. David Gisser, QC;
•    James E. McLandress, QC;
•    Sharon Kravetsky, QC;
•    Roberta Campbell, QC; and
•    Harold (Sonny) Cochrane, QC.

Queen’s counsel is an honorary title given to a lawyer by the lieutenant-governor in council, based on recommendations made by the minister following consultation with an advisory council. To be considered, the lawyer must have demonstrated outstanding practice, shown integrity and leadership, made contributions to excellence in the profession and been in practice for at least 10 years, the minister noted.

Cullen noted the advisory council includes representatives from the judiciary, legal community and the public. It is chaired by Chief Justice Richard Chartier of the Manitoba Court of Appeal and includes representatives from the Law Society of Manitoba and the Manitoba Bar Association. Joy Loewen, Andrea Martens and Dr. William Pope are the public representatives.

The practice of Queen’s counsel appointments in Manitoba stopped in 2001. The Queen’s Counsel Act, passed in 2018, restored Queen’s counsel appointments with a new and transparent eligibility criteria for lawyers in Manitoba.

A formal ceremony in honour of this year’s Queen’s counsel recipients will be postponed until a later date due to COVID-19.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION ATTACHED




Backgrounder
Background Information - https://www.gov.mb.ca/asset_library/en/newslinks/2020/05/BG-Queens_Counsel_Appts-JS.pdf