Ontario Superior Court: Tina Lie, Rahat Godil Judicial Appointments

• Sean Fraser, the federal justice minister, announced the appointments of Tina H. Lie and Rahat Godil to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
• Justice Lie will serve in Toronto, replacing Justice Peter J. Cavanagh, and previously was a partner at Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP.
• Justice Godil will serve in Newmarket, filling a vacancy linked to Justice Kenneth L. Campbell's supernumerary status, and was formerly a partner at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP.
• Justice Lie's practice focused on administrative law, employment law, and commercial litigation, while Justice Godil specialized in contractual, civil, and commercial disputes.
• Both new judges were admitted to the Ontario bar in 2007 and bring extensive experience from prominent Toronto law firms.

The backgrounds of Justices Lie and Godil, particularly their extensive experience in administrative law, employment law, commercial litigation, and general civil disputes, are expected to bring valuable perspectives to the court's proceedings in these critical areas.

Canada's federal justice minister and attorney general, Sean Fraser, has announced the significant appointments of two new judges to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Tina H. Lie will serve in Toronto, while Rahat Godil has been assigned to Newmarket. These judicial appointments underscore the ongoing evolution of the province's highest trial court.

Justice Lie assumes the position previously held by Justice Peter J. Cavanagh in Toronto, who transitioned to supernumerary status effective October 25. Justice Godil fills a vacancy that originated with Justice Kenneth L. Campbell's move to supernumerary status on June 15. This particular slot was subsequently occupied by Justice Jill C. Cameron, who transferred from Newmarket to Toronto, thereby creating the opening in Newmarket that Justice Godil now occupies.

Minister Fraser expressed his confidence in the new appointees, stating, "I wish Justices Lie and Godil every success as they take on their new roles. I am confident they will serve the people of Ontario well as members of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario." These additions are part of a broader series of judicial changes across the province.

Prior to her elevation to the bench, Tina H. Lie was a partner at Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP in Toronto, where she cultivated a robust litigation practice. Her expertise spans administrative law, employment law, and commercial litigation, areas in which she has represented clients before various administrative tribunals and at all levels of the court system, including the Supreme Court of Canada.

Justice Lie's commitment to the legal profession extends beyond her casework. She has actively mentored both aspiring and practicing lawyers and students, and has contributed to continuing professional development programs through her presentations. Notably, she served as counsel for the Motherisk Hair Analysis Independent Review and as a staff lawyer for the Inquiry into Pediatric Forensic Pathology in Ontario, demonstrating her involvement in significant public inquiries.

Her legal qualifications include admission to the Ontario bar in 2007 and the New York state bar in the same year. This followed a clerkship for the justices of the Court of Appeal for Ontario. Justice Lie earned her LLB and BCL degrees from McGill University in 2006. She is also recognized as a second-generation Chinese Canadian.

Rahat Godil joins the Ontario Superior Court as a former partner at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP in Toronto, having also spent time at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP over the past two decades. Her practice focused on litigation and dispute resolution, specializing in contractual, civil, and commercial disputes. Justice Godil has appeared before all levels of court, as well as domestic and international arbitral tribunals.

Beyond her practice, Justice Godil has been a dedicated contributor to the legal community, supporting organizations such as the South Asian Bar Association and the Canadian Muslim Lawyers Association. She has also shared her knowledge as a faculty member for The Advocates' Society's and Osgoode Professional Development's annual written advocacy course, and as a guest lecturer for the Toronto Commercial Arbitration Society's "Gold Standard" commercial arbitration course.

Justice Godil was called to the Ontario bar in 2007, having received her JD from the University of Toronto in 2006. Her former firm, Fasken, publicly congratulated her, with managing partners Clarke Barnes and Neil Kravitz noting her "sound judgment, integrity and commitment to excellence." Karen Sargeant, Fasken's Ontario managing partner, further praised Justice Godil as a "talented and strategic litigator, a trusted adviser to her clients and a dedicated leader," highlighting her role as a "generous mentor and a passionate champion of equity, diversity and inclusion."

The appointments of Justices Lie and Godil are part of a series of recent judicial announcements made by Minister Fraser. Just days before these appointments, on October 21, Fraser announced Karen P. Hulan's appointment as a Superior Court judge in Barrie. Earlier, on October 19, further appointments included Julie Audet as the regional senior judge for the East Region and Gabrielle M.S. Beaulieu as a Family Court judge in Ottawa.

These ongoing changes reflect the federal government's commitment to ensuring the Ontario Superior Court of Justice is adequately staffed with experienced legal professionals. The backgrounds of Justices Lie and Godil, particularly their extensive experience in administrative law, employment law, commercial litigation, and general civil disputes, are expected to bring valuable perspectives to the court's proceedings in these critical areas.

Lawyers practicing before the Ontario Superior Court, particularly in administrative law, employment law, commercial litigation, and general civil disputes, should familiarize themselves with the backgrounds and practice areas of Justices Lie and Godil, as their appointments may influence judicial approaches and precedents in these fields.

Source: Original reporting via Canadian Lawyer Magazine