Leonard Marchand Jr. Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Leonard Marchand
Office1:Chief Justice of British Columbia and Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal of Yukon
Termstart1:December 8, 2023
Predecessor1:Robert J. Bauman
Monarch1:Charles III
Nominator1:Justin Trudeau
Office2:Puisne Justice of the British Columbia Court of Appeal
Termstart2:March 24, 2021
Termend2:December 8, 2023
Nominator2:Justin Trudeau
Office3:Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia
Termstart3:June 21, 2017
Termend3:March 24, 2021
Office4:Judge of the Provincial Court of British Columbia
Termstart4:2013
Termend4:2017
Alma Mater:University of Victoria
Profession:Lawyer

Leonard Marchand is the Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal of British Columbia and Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal of Yukon. Since the Court of Appeal is the highest court in British Columbia, the position can be titled as simply the "Chief Justice of British Columbia." He is the first person of Indigenous (First Nations) identity to hold the post of Chief Justice.[1] He is the son of Donna Par and politician Leonard Marchand.[2]

Early life

Marchand is Syilx and a member of the Okanagan Indian Band. He grew up in Kamloops, B.C.[3]

He graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1986 with a B.A.Sc. in chemical engineering. He worked in the oil industry for five years before attending law school at the University of Victoria, graduating in 1994.

Career

From 1995 to 2013, he practiced law at Fulton & Company LLP in Kamloops, where his practice focused on the liability of public authorities, including by advancing civil claims for abuses suffered by residential school survivors.[3]

Notably, in 2005, he helped negotiate and was a signatory to the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement.[4] He served on the Oversight Committee for the Independent Assessment Process and on the Chief Adjudicator's Reference Group.[5]

Marchand was asked to serve on the Selection Committee to make recommendations on appointments to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

In 2013, he was appointed to the Provincial Court of British Columbia. He was appointed to the Supreme Court of British Columbia in 2017. He also presided in Kamloops Cknucwentn First Nations Sentencing Court in Kamloops.[3] In 2021, he was appointed to the British Columbia Court of Appeal.

In December 2023, Marchand was appointed Chief Justice of British Columbia and the Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal of Yukon.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: December 8, 2023 . Prime Minister announces appointment of new Chief Justice of British Columbia . 2024-05-31 . Prime Minister of Canada . en.
  2. Web site: McIntyre . Pete . Justice Len Marchand Jr. appointed to B.C. Court of Appeal . 2023-03-03 . Vernon Matters . en.
  3. Web site: Indigenous Awareness Month: Keynote Address by Justice Leonard Marchand Peter A. Allard School of Law . 2023-03-03 . allard.ubc.ca.
  4. Web site: Canada . Department of Justice . 2021-03-24 . Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada announces judicial appointments in the province of British Columbia . 2023-03-03 . www.canada.ca.
  5. Web site: General . Attorney . 2013-08-02 . B.C. appoints new provincial court judge BC Gov News . 2023-03-03 . news.gov.bc.ca . en.
  6. Web site: 2023-12-08 . Prime Minister announces appointment of new Chief Justice of British Columbia . 2023-12-08 . Prime Minister of Canada . en.