Announcements

The Provincial Court of Alberta is proud to welcome 12 new Judges to the bench. These judicial appointments include eight Judges to fill existing vacancies, as well as four Judges for new positions that will increase the ability of the court to provide a fair, accessible and timely system of justice for all Albertans.

The 12 new Judges of the Provincial Court of Alberta are:

• Aldo Argento received a Bachelor of Laws degree from the university of Calgary in 1988, graduating as the gold medalist. He is a senior partner at Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP and has practiced litigation and dispute resolution since 1988. He has practiced primarily in the areas of Indigenous law and the interpretation of Treaty and Aboriginal rights, international commercial arbitration and insurance and tort litigation. He served on the University of Calgary Senate, sat on the board of directors for the Canadian Bar Association (Alberta) and coached high school football. He has been appointed to Calgary Civil Division effective June 1, 2022.
  
  
• Joanne M. Heudes received her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Alberta in 1997. Between 1998 and 2000, she was an assistant negotiator for Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and between 2000 and 2004 she was counsel for Justice Canada. She has had two postings in Nova Scotia – from 2005 to 2009, she was the vice-chair for the Department of Health’s Mental Health Review Board and between 2004 and 2011, she was counsel for Justice Canada. From 2012 and 2014, she was an associate lawyer for Verhaeghe Law Office and since 2014 is the sole practitioner for Law on Main in Athabasca. Her areas of law include family, real estate, wills and estates and child welfare. She has participated in numerous professional associations and community mentorship programs. She has been appointed to Edmonton Region effective June 1, 2022.
  
  
• Kimberley E. Palichuk received her Master of Arts degree in 1994 followed by a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1997, both from the University of Alberta. She is executive legal counsel of the Chief Judge of the Provincial Court and has practiced litigation since 1997. Her roles have also included legal counsel for the Department of Justice Canada and senior legal counsel for Alberta Justice and Solicitor General. She has practiced primarily in the areas of civil litigation, tax, finance, energy, construction, administrative/regulatory proceedings, Aboriginal rights and constitutional law. She has served on Provincial Court committees for the Indigenous Justice Initiative and judicial education and is president of the board of directors and a pro bono legal advisor for Dogs with Wings Assistance Dog Society. She has been appointed to Edmonton Criminal Division effective June 1, 2022.
  
  
• Jayme D. Williams received her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 2000 and a master’s degree in criminal law and procedure from York University in 2015. Between 2002 and 2006 she worked for the Saskatchewan Department of Justice, and between 2006 and 2018, she worked in a variety of roles for Calgary criminal prosecutions including as Assistant Chief Crown prosecutor. Since 2019, she has worked for Alberta Crown Prosecution Services in roles such as project counsel, executive director, and Chief prosecutor. Jayme has and continues to participate on numerous committees, has a wide range of teaching experience and is currently the vice-chair for the National Canadian Bar Association – criminal section. She has been appointed to the Calgary Criminal Division and Calgary Region effective May 4, 2022.
  
  
• Gerald T. Annetts received his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Alberta in 2000. He served as a member of the RCMP for 25 years. Between 2015 and 2019, he was the executive director of the legal and regulatory services division with the Edmonton Police Service (EPS), served as general counsel for the chief of police and ensured appropriate legal representation for matters involving the chief, the EPS and its members. During his career, he has participated in numerous professional associations as well as many community and civic activities including serving as a foster parent and coaching in basketball and baseball. He has been appointed to Edmonton Region effective June 1, 2022.
  
  
• Chang (Trang) Thi Doan Du received her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Victoria in 1999. She is senior counsel for tax law services, Department of Justice of Canada and has practiced primarily in the areas of tax and tort litigation since 1999. She has also practiced in various positions for McLennan Ross LLP, the Attorney General of British Columbia and the British Columbia Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs. She is a member of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers and the Employment Equity Committee for the Government of Canada. She has been and continues to be actively involved in the Vietnamese community as a community liaison, interpreter, fundraiser for events and as a volunteer including at the Edmonton Vietnamese Language School. She has been appointed to Edmonton Family and Youth Division effective June 1, 2022.
  
  
• David B.H. Findlay, Q.C. received his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Calgary in 2002. Between 2004 and 2007, he was an associate lawyer for Bruni and Co. and between 2007 and 2009 he was in-house counsel with a land development corporation. In 2009, he founded Findlay Law Firm and, until 2014, he was partner and owner at Findlay Smith LLP. His areas of law include child protection, wills and estates, adoptions, private guardianship, and residential real estate. Since 2016, he has been a partner with Findlay McQuaid Law. He is involved in numerous professional associations and community activities including board member for the Special Olympics and has coached soccer and hockey for the last 12 years. He has been appointed to Family and Youth Court in Calgary effective May 4, 2022.
  
  
• Steven Hinkley Q.C. received his Bachelor of Laws degree from McGill Law School in 1999. Between 2010 and 2012, he was the chief Crown prosecutor for the Fort McMurray Crown prosecutor’s office. In 2012, he became chief Crown prosecutor in the Grande Prairie office and, in 2021, he became senior counsel for regional prosecutions. He has also worked as legal counsel for the RCMP, served as prosecutor for Criminal Code and Controlled Drugs and Substances Act matters in the Northwest Territories and southern New Brunswick, and served as family Crown prosecutor. Steven is involved in a variety of restorative justice committees, mentorship programs and numerous community outreach teaching initiatives. He has been appointed to the Northern Region of the Provincial Court effective May 4, 2022.
  
  
• Kathleen S.V. Linton received her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Alberta in 1987. She has been sole practitioner and operated her own firm since 1989. She has been practicing exclusively in family and youth representation for approximately 30 years. She has represented children challenged by child protection concerns, child advocacy and custody disputes in family systems and has appeared at all three levels of court. Kathleen has also worked to develop cross-ministry strategies to promote early intervention, conflict/harm reduction, and promote counselling or other after care services. In her first 10 years of practice, she was a volunteer and board member for WIN House and Safe House and is a certified mediator. She has been appointed to Edmonton Family and Youth Division effective May 4, 2022.
  
  
• Barry L. Nordin received his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of British Columbia in 1985 and a post-graduate certificate in human rights in 1990. He has been the chief federal prosecutor for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada for the Alberta regional office since 2016. During his career, he has practiced in numerous roles including as chief federal prosecutor, chief Crown prosecutor, and Crown counsel, and for Public Prosecution Service of Canada in the Atlantic region, Nunavut region and the Northwest Territories. He was also a Crown prosecutor in both Ontario and British Columbia. His legal responsibilities include file reviews, providing advice on major criminal organizations and reviews of applications to intercept private communications. He is a committee member of various justice committees including the Alberta Justice Forum. As well, he has been city councillor for the City of Quesnel, British Columbia. He has been appointed to the Calgary Criminal Division and Calgary Region effective May 9, 2022.
  
  
• Gordon D. Putnam Q.C. received his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Alberta in 1991. Since 1992, he has been practicing at Putnam & Lawson in Gibbons and Morinville, where he has been managing partner since 1996. His professional experience has included real estate, corporate, wills and estates, subdivision and land development. He has appeared before many administrative tribunals and all levels of court in Alberta. He has been involved in a number of organizations, including currently serving as co-president of the Rotary Club of Morinville-Sturgeon, where he has been a member since 1996. He has served as chairman of the Sturgeon County Economic Development Board and been involved with many community organizations in the Town of Morinville and Sturgeon County. He is a former town councillor for the Town of Morinville. He has been appointed to Edmonton Region effective June 1, 2022.
  
  
• Lisa C. Tchir, Q.C., received her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Alberta (U of A) in 1993. She is the assistant deputy minister of the Legal Services Division with Alberta Justice and Solicitor General. Prior to that, she had been the assistant deputy minister of the Consultation, Land and Policy Division with Indigenous Relations, and assistant deputy minister of the Policy Strategy and Innovation Division with Status of Women. She has worked in government for 27 years, with more than 16 years of those in leadership roles. She worked as a prosecutor in the criminal justice system for more than 20 years, employed on the front line and in leadership in both the federal and provincial prosecutions services. She was also a sessional instructor with the University of Alberta Law school, an assistant adjunct professor with the Department of Emergency Medicine at the U of A and a leadership coach. She volunteers extensively in her community and is actively involved in her church. She has been appointed to Edmonton Criminal Division effective May 4, 2022.