NOTICE TO THE PARTIES AND THE PROFESSION

Pilot Project: Chambers of the Court

March 2, 2023

After consultation with members of the Bar practicing in the areas of intellectual property (IP), competition, maritime and admiralty, and class proceedings, the Court announced in June of last year that it would launch a pilot project involving the creation of three specialized Chambers of the Court.

For some years, the Chief Justice has endeavoured to assign IP, competition, and maritime and admiralty matters to members of the Court who have expertise in those areas. As the number of class proceedings filed in the Court has also increased in recent years, those matters have been assigned to a limited number of judges, with the aim of developing expertise within the Court. The current Notice is intended to increase transparency and provide greater certainty regarding the manner in which matters in these areas are ordinarily assigned.

Initial Chambers Listing

For the pilot project, Chambers are established in the following three practice groups:

• Intellectual Property and Competition Chambers
• Maritime and Admiralty Chambers
• Class Actions Chambers

Members of each Chamber are listed in the Annex to this Notice.

Additional practice Chambers may be established after considering the experience with this pilot project and following consultation with the Bar.

Assignment of Judges to Individual Cases

The Chambers will be used for assignment of judges to:

• motions to be heard on a special sitting
• case management of class actions
• hearings on the merits

The Registry categorizes and codes all proceedings. This and other case information is considered by the Judicial Administrator when assigning judges to a case. It is therefore not necessary for parties to make a formal request for a matter to be assigned to a judge from the relevant Chamber.

For assignments to the Intellectual Property and Competition Chambers, the Judicial Administrator will also consider sub-specialties related to practice areas particular to IP (e.g., copyright, trade-marks, patents and competition).

Associate Judges

The Chief Justice will continue the longstanding practice of assigning an associate judge to case manage, or co-case manage, proceedings in the IP, maritime and admiralty and class proceedings areas.

« Paul S. Crampton »

Chief Justice

ANNEX – CHAMBERS OF THE COURT

• Notice to the Parties and the Profession