Justice Pardu appointed to Ontario Court of Appeal

The Honourable Gladys Pardu, who served as a judge with the Ontario Court of Justice for several years in Sault Ste. Marie before her transfer to the Toronto Region, has been appointed as a judge of the Court of Appeal for Ontario.

The appointment was announced Friday by the federal Department of Justice.

Pardu studied at Brock University before receiving a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Toronto in 1975.

After being admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1976, she began practicing law with Pardu MacDonald in Sault Ste. Marie.

Madam Justice Pardu was appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice (General Division) in 1991 and worked in Sault Ste. Marie before her transfer to the Toronto Region in 2008.

Pardu is well-known and respected for her work in lengthy criminal trials.

She has worked in every judicial region in Ontario, and is the co-author of a 2011 report which made recommendations for criminal trial administration.

Pardu was not available for comment.

However, lawyer Milton Davis of Toronto's Davis Moldaver Barristers told SooToday.com: "This is a fabulous appointment to the Court of Appeal."

Davis said: "The Court is well-served by her being on it."

"Justice Pardu is a highly-regarded judge, and the Court is lucky to have her," Davis said.

"She will be a very good appellate judge, and Sault Ste. Marie should be proud of her appointment."