Queen's Law alumnus appointed to Supreme Court

Justice Thomas A. Cromwell, Mus ‘73, Law ‘76, has been appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada.

On December 22, 2008, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the appointment of Justice Thomas A. Cromwell, Mus ‘73, Law ‘76, to the Supreme Court of Canada.  A highly respected jurist who has served on the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal since 1997, Justice Cromwell is the first Queen's Law alumnus to sit on Canada's highest court.

"Justice Cromwell has long been a tremendous friend and supporter of Queen's Law. All of us at the Faculty are simply thrilled with this appointment, our first graduate to be appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada," said Dean Bill Flanagan. "A distinguished academic and jurist, whose writings are widely admired throughout the country for their balance, clarity and intelligence, Justice Cromwell will make great contributions to the work of the Court."

Justice Cromwell's appointment restores the Supreme Court to its full complement of nine judges after an eight-month vacancy.  He replaces Justice Michel Bastarache, who retired at the end of the court's spring session this year. 

About Justice Thomas A. Cromwell

After graduating from Queen's Law in 1976, Justice Cromwell, a Kingston native, went on to Oxford University, where he received a B.C.L. in 1977. He taught Civil Procedure as a sessional instructor at Queen's Law from 1980 to 1982 and served as a University Council member at Queen's from 1990 to 1993. A former faculty member at Dalhousie Law School and practitioner, Justice Cromwell has served on many national and provincial committees. His service includes terms as chair of the Canadian Forum for Civil Justice and as president of the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice, the Canadian Association of Law Teachers and the Continuing Legal Education Society of Nova Scotia. For three years, Justice Cromwell served as the executive legal officer in the Supreme Court for former chief justice Antonio Lamer.