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VOL. 80 PART 4 JULY 2022
crammed an extraordinary amount of effort and service into her 23 years as
a lawyer. Those who know her personally invariably wonder aloud how she
is able to accomplish it all while appearing so energetic and preternaturally
youthful. We can be forgiven for presuming that there is an aging picture of
her sitting in an attic somewhere.
Those appearing before Lorianna will encounter a bright, fair-minded
and compassionate decision maker possessing both the intellect and energy
to handle the heavy caseload she will face. While I harbour no doubts that
she will both enjoy and excel in her new career, I do doubt that this is the
final step of her professional journey.
The Honourable Justice Michael K. Stephens
The news of Justice Stephens’s appointment to the
bench undoubtedly came as a surprise to no one,
particularly those of us at the bar who knew and
practised with him. Mike was always a “lawyer’s
lawyer”, and he embodies everything one could ask
for in a judge: he is brilliant, collegial, thoughtful,
careful and, at all times, engaged with the law. Mike
is always guided and motivated by his strong desire to do the right thing.
These characteristics and others, like his work ethic and good nature, made
him fantastic counsel and a valued friend and colleague and will serve him
well as he carries on as a member of the judiciary.
Mike was born and raised on the East Coast, growing up in Halifax, Nova
Scotia. After graduating from high school, he obtained a bachelor of commerce
degree with honours from Queen’s University, with a minor in varsity
soccer, before embarking on his journey in the law. The first of many
future indications of Mike’s legal prowess came as he graduated from Dalhousie
University with the University Medal of Law (Gold Medal), awarded
to the student with the highest cumulative average over three years. He followed
up by serving as law clerk to the Honourable Justice Gonthier of the
Supreme Court of Canada. Then, after a brief stint at what was then Davis
& Company, he attended Harvard University where he received his master
of laws degree.