DeWit ready to take on some new challenges
Former Olympic boxer one of four new judges named in bid to clear court backlog
CALGARY Former Olympian and world amateur heavyweight boxing champ Willie deWit is among four new federally appointed judges, including one for Edmonton.
DeWit, along with civil lawyer Michele Hollins, will replace two outgoing judges in Calgary Court of Queen’s Bench.
Edmonton civil lawyer Ritu Khullar, managing partner at Chivers Carpenter, has been appointed to sit in Edmonton Court of Queen’s Bench.
Calgary provincial court Judge Marilyn Slawinsky will be returning to her roots, taking a seat on the bench in Red Deer.
DeWit was already famous in Canada before graduating from University of Alberta law school in 1994, having won the world heavyweight boxing championship in 1983.
That followed a Commonwealth Games gold medal in 1982. DeWit also won a silver medal in the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Among the high-profile cases deWit has been involved in was successfully defending murder suspect Garrett Smith, who was acquitted by a jury in the beating death of a Colombian national on a Calgary street.
DeWit has also been involved in defending members of the Calgary Police Service who have been charged criminally.
He said he’s looking forward to a new chapter in his life.
“I’m honoured to get the appointment, obviously,” deWit said.
“It’s a different stage in my life,” he said. “A judge (appointment) seems like a logical next step.”
DeWit replaces Justice Marsha Erb, who took a part-time position as of last November.
The announcements, along with a commitment to fund 12 more superior court judges by the federal government, was met with delight by provincial Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley.
She said Ottawa had previously committed to seven new judges (including the four announced Friday) and the additional 12 will eliminate the deficit of 19 judges the province currently has.
Ganley said the new appointments will help the justice system deal with a backlog of cases which has resulted in some criminal matters being stayed because of a Supreme Court decision setting hard deadlines for trials to be completed.
Khullar’s practice has focused on human rights, labour and employment, privacy, administrative and constitutional law. She also teaches labour arbitration and constitutional law at the University of Alberta.
Her high-profile cases included representing an obese client in a seven-year battle against Air Canada. In 2008, the Canadian Transportation Agency ruled that airlines couldn’t charge obese or disabled passengers for using extra seats.
Khullar is replacing Justice Michelle Crighton, who has been elevated to the appeals court.
Hollins’ practice has primarily focused on civil and commercial litigation. She has been extensively involved with the Canadian Bar Association, acting as president in 2014-15.
Hollins will replace Justice Jo’Anne Strekaf, who was elevated to the Alberta Court of Appeal last October.
Slawinsky was appointed to Calgary provincial court in September 2015 after more than 20 years as a civil litigant in Red Deer. She will replace Justice Kirk Sisson, who retired in January.