Two new judges have been appointed to the provincial court while two others have been promoted.
Justice Minister Hugh J. Flemming made the announcement on Wednesday.
Brian McLean has been appointed chief judge for a seven-year term. He replaces Marco Cloutier, who was appointed to the trial division of the Court of King’s Bench by the federal government in July.
McLean was first appointed to the provincial court in 2014 and became associate chief judge in 2022. He graduated from the University of New Brunswick with an honours degree in history and political science in 1992 and a law degree in 1995. He was admitted to the bar in 1996 and practised law for almost two decades in Carleton County prior to his appointment to the provincial court.
Mélanie Poirier LeBlanc has been appointed associate chief judge, also for a seven-year term, replacing McLean. Poirier LeBlanc was appointed to the court in 2023. She graduated from Mount Allison University with a bachelor of arts in 2000 and from the Université de Moncton with a bachelor of law in 2003. She was called to the bar in 2006. She was assistant deputy attorney general of Public Prosecution Services before being appointed to the bench.
Pierre Gionet has been appointed to sit as a provincial court judge in Fredericton. He graduated from the Université de Moncton with a bachelor of secondary education in 1991 and a bachelor of law in 1995. He was admitted to the bar in 1996 and has been a Crown prosecutor with Public Prosecution Services since 2000.
Karen Lee of Woodstock has been appointed to sit as a provincial court judge in Woodstock. She graduated from St. Thomas University with a bachelor of arts in 1997 and from the University of New Brunswick with a bachelor of law in 2000. She was admitted to the bar in 2001. She was most recently executive director of Public Prosecution Services.
With these changes, the court has its full complement of 25 full-time judges, including the chief judge and associate chief judge, in addition to four supernumerary and four per diem judges.
