OTTAWA: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced the nomination of Mahmud Jamal to the Supreme Court of Canada.
Justice Jamal has had a distinguished career as a litigator with a deep commitment to pro bono work prior to his appointment to the Court of Appeal for Ontario in 2019.
He appeared in 35 appeals before the Supreme Court of Canada on civil, constitutional, criminal, and regulatory issues. He also taught constitutional law at McGill University and administrative law at Osgoode Hall Law School. He is bilingual.
This nomination fills the vacancy created by the upcoming retirement of Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella. It represents the fourth nomination under the Supreme Court appointment process launched by the Government of Canada in 2016 to promote greater openness, transparency, and accountability.
Trudeau said: “Respected around the world, Canada’s Supreme Court is known for its strength, independence, and judicial excellence. I know that Justice Jamal, with his exceptional legal and academic experience and dedication to serving others, will be a valuable asset to our country’s highest court.”
Justic Jamal fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella. Justice Jamal was born in Kenya, raised in England, and completed high school in Edmonton.
He received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto, Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Civil Law degrees from the Faculty of Law, McGill University, and a Master of Laws from Yale Law School, which he attended on a Fulbright Scholarship.
He served as law clerk to Justice Melvin Rothman of the Quebec Court of Appeal and Justice Charles Gonthier of the Supreme Court of Canada. Justice Jamal, who is bilingual, practised with Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP in the fields of appellate litigation, constitutional and public law, class actions, and commercial litigation.
He appeared several times before the Supreme Court of Canada on various issues. Justice Jamal was a director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, The Advocates’ Society, and the Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal History.
He was a member of the Supreme Court Advocacy Institute and a trustee of the Canadian Business Law Journal. He was also chair of Osler’s pro bono program and member of its Partnership Board. In 2019, he was appointed a Justice of the Court of Appeal for Ontario. He and his wife, Goleta, are the parents of two teenagers.