Alberta Government: Marie Strauss King's Bench Alberta Appointment Made

• Marie Strauss has been appointed as an applications judge to the Court of King's Bench of Alberta, commencing October 13 in Edmonton.
• Jean-Pascal Siewe, Christian Banks, and Timothy Burnham have been named justices to the Alberta Court of Justice.
• Siewe is assigned to the Calgary Criminal/Calgary Region, Banks and Burnham to the Northern Region, with start dates ranging from September 29 to December 1.
• The new appointees bring extensive backgrounds in various legal fields, including civil law, family law, criminal defense, and mediation.
• Chief Justice Kent H. Davidson and Minister of Justice Mickey Amery lauded the appointees for their dedication to public service and diverse expertise.

Marie Strauss, prior to her King's Bench appointment, served as assistant deputy minister of Alberta Justice’s Legal Services Division, a role she has held since January 2025, overseeing civil law legal and strategic advice for the government.

The Alberta government has announced significant judicial appointments, including the elevation of Marie Strauss to the Court of King's Bench of Alberta as an applications judge. This key Marie Strauss King's Bench Alberta appointment is set to take effect on October 13, with Ms. Strauss operating from Edmonton, enhancing the court's capacity in the region.

Simultaneously, three new justices have been appointed to the Alberta Court of Justice: Jean-Pascal Siewe, Christian Banks, and Timothy Burnham. Mr. Siewe's tenure began on September 29, with his assignment to the Calgary Criminal/Calgary Region. Christian Banks and Timothy Burnham are both designated for the Northern Region, with Mr. Banks commencing his duties on October 26 and Mr. Burnham following on December 1. These Alberta judicial appointments in October 2023 aim to strengthen judicial resources across various divisions and regions.

The newly appointed judges bring a wealth of diverse legal experience to their respective benches. Marie Strauss, prior to her King's Bench appointment, served as assistant deputy minister of Alberta Justice’s Legal Services Division, a role she has held since January 2025, overseeing civil law legal and strategic advice for the government. Her extensive career at Alberta Justice also includes serving as the division's executive director from 2018 to 2025, executive director of the Court of Queen’s Bench Administration from 2016 to 2018, and a director within the legal services division. Earlier in her career, Ms. Strauss was senior legal counsel for the University of Alberta from 2011 to 2014 and a commercial litigator at Bishop and McKenzie LLP from 2002 to 2011.

Jean-Pascal Siewe, now an Alberta Court of Justice new justice, joined the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta in 2021 as a bilingual resolution counsel. In this capacity, Mr. Siewe handled family law matters in mediated settings and drafted orders and rulings in both English and French. Before this, he managed a private practice focusing on family, immigration, real estate, criminal, and civil law. His legal education includes studies at the College of Law and BPP Law School in London, and he obtained his National Committee on Accreditation certification from the Federation of the Law Societies of Canada in 2011.

Christian Banks, assigned to the Northern Region Justice, brings over 28 years of experience as a criminal trial lawyer, currently serving as a managing lawyer at Grande Prairie-based Banks Gubbins Tomlinson Law Offices. He has been a member of the Legal Aid Alberta Appeals Committee since 2020 and joined the Law Society of Alberta Mentor Program in 2015. Mr. Banks earned his bachelor of laws with honours from the University of Ottawa. Timothy Burnham, also an Alberta Court of Justice new justice for the Northern Region, has been a partner at Burnham Law Group since 2006, specializing in family law, mediation, civil litigation, corporate law, real estate, and estate planning. From 2008 to 2017, Mr. Burnham served as an Alberta Justice Resolution Services mediator, and he holds a bachelor of laws from the University of Alberta.

The appointments have been met with commendation from judicial and governmental leaders. Kent H. Davidson, Chief Justice of the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta, expressed the court's pleasure in welcoming Marie Strauss, highlighting her dedication to public service through various roles within the Ministry of Justice. Chief Justice Davidson noted that Ms. Strauss's deep experience as both a practitioner and legal advisor will be invaluable in her new judicial capacity.

Alberta’s Justice Minister and Attorney General, Mickey Amery, also extended congratulations to all four appointees. Minister Amery emphasized that Marie Strauss, KC, Jean-Pascal Siewe, Christian Banks, and Timothy Burnham collectively possess extensive legal experience, sound judgment, and a strong commitment to public service. He underscored that their diverse backgrounds and expertise are expected to serve Albertans effectively in these crucial roles, reinforcing the province's judicial system.

Lawyers and compliance officers should note the new judicial appointments in Alberta, as the backgrounds and assigned regions of Marie Strauss, Jean-Pascal Siewe, Christian Banks, and Timothy Burnham may influence litigation strategy, court capacity, and case outcomes in the Court of King's Bench and Alberta Court of Justice.

Source: Original reporting via Canadian Legal Newswire