The Ontario government has confirmed the appointment of Associate Justice Karen Perron to the Superior Court of Justice, effective April 11, 2024. Associate Justice Perron, a distinguished member of the legal community with a career spanning over two decades, will fill the vacancy in Ottawa left by the elevation of Associate Justice Alexandre Kaufman to a judge of the Superior Court.
Having been called to the Ontario bar in 2004, Associate Justice Perron embarked on her legal career as a part of the litigation group at Merovitz Potechin in Ottawa. Her career trajectory saw her joining Borden Ladner Gervais in 2011, where she made partner by 2014. Her practice areas have predominantly been in commercial litigation.
Throughout her career, Associate Justice Perron has been deeply involved in the legal profession, not only through her practice but also in her commitment to professional and community service. She served as president of the Ontario Bar Association from 2021 to 2023, demonstrating her leadership and dedication to the legal community. Furthermore, her volunteer work, including significant contributions to the Law Society Foundation’s Lawyers Feed the Hungry program and the Community Information Centre of Ottawa, underscores her commitment to community service.
Her contributions have not gone unrecognized; she received the Ontario Bar Association’s Linda Adlam Manning Award for Volunteerism in 2016, a nomination for the Canadian Law Awards’ Female Trailblazer of the Year, and has been repeatedly acknowledged in Best Lawyers in Canada for her expertise in corporate and commercial litigation.
Associate Justice Perron, a proud Franco-Ontarian from Timmins, brings a bilingual proficiency to the bench, speaking both English and French fluently. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and a Bachelor of Laws degree, both from the University of Ottawa and both attained in French.
Chief Justice Geoffrey B. Morawetz has expressed confidence in Associate Justice Perron’s capabilities, highlighting her extensive legal background, dedication to public service, and bilingualism as key assets to the Superior Court of Justice in Ottawa.
