Windsor Lawyers Appointed To The Superior Court Of Justice Of Ontario

On August 28, 2023, The Honourable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice, and Attorney General of Canada, announced the local appointments of Jennifer E. Bezaire and Jason P. Howie as Judges of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario.

Bezaire, Managing Partner at Greg Monforton & Partners — Injury Lawyers in Windsor, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in Windsor.

Howie, Partner at Howie Johnson Barristers & Solicitors in Windsor, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in Sarnia.

Justice Jennifer Bezaire

Bezaire was raised in Amherstburg and attended the University of Windsor, receiving an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology in 1998 and her law degree in 2001.

While at university she received numerous academic awards, most notably the university’s Board of Governor’s Medal in 1999 and 2000.

She joined Greg Monforton & Partners (GMP) almost 20 years ago, after spending her first few years as a student and then associate lawyer at Fraser, Milner, Casgrain LLP (now Dentons LLP) in Toronto.

At GMP, Bezaire quickly rose to the top of the firm, handling some of the most significant injury cases in the region and obtaining incredible outcomes for her clients. She relentlessly protected the rights of innocent accident victims, ensuring they obtained fair compensation for their injuries.

In 2013, Bezaire joined the firm’s partnership and in 2022 she became the Managing Partner.

She quickly rose to the top of her profession, volunteering to help wherever she could. Bezaire was a member of numerous professional committees and organizations within her profession, including Co-Chair of the Windsor-Essex Bench and Bar Committee. She was also a speaker at many continuing legal education seminars and programs.

Additionally, she taught auto insurance law to upper year students at her alma mater, the Faculty of Law, University of Windsor.

Bezaire was honoured by her peers, who selected her for inclusion in directories for Best Lawyers in Canada and Lexpert.

Co-Founding Partner of GMP, Greg Monforton reacted to her judicial appointment by expressing: “In our 42 years of practice we have never seen anyone quite like Jennifer. Simply put, she is a superstar. She has done it all: admirably prosecuting her clients’ cases, volunteering with lawyer advocacy groups, and providing advice in government consultations to ensure her clients’ rights were protected . . . We have learned much from her, and this will be her true legacy.”

GMP’s other Co-Founding Partner, Brad Robitaille, is not only Bezaire’s colleague, but also her husband.

“Words cannot adequately describe how proud I am of Jennifer’s accomplishment,” Robitaille proudly states. “She was made to do this, having proven herself an excellent lawyer for more than 20 years with hard work, principles, and integrity. I am in awe that she now gets to share her considerable gifts for the benefit of all who will appear before her.”

Bezaire describes the feeling she experienced when she received “the call”: “I was deeply honoured to receive the call from the Minister. During our conversation, the Minister instructed me to put down my pen and stop working — I was no longer a lawyer and was now a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice. It was surreal, but also very exciting. I was fortunate to have been working from home that day and was able to enjoy the moment with family and close friends. It is a moment I will always remember.”

I asked Bezaire what the transition will be like from a 21-year career as a lawyer to Madam Justice Bezaire of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario, and she replies: “I took great pride in my work and enjoyed getting to know and help my clients. I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with some wonderful people on some interesting cases, and to teach and offer input on potential legal changes. While my new role will certainly be different and I have much to learn, I am looking forward to the challenge and feel well prepared for it.” 

And finally, one more feather in her cap to add is that Bezaire was the 2019 Biz X Award winner for The Injury Lawyer It Doesn’t Hurt To Hire.

Justice Jason Howie

Howie was born and raised in Windsor and graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Windsor in 1987. He was called to the Bar in Ontario in 1989.

Starting out as an associate at Wilson Walker Hochberg Slopen (now Miller Canfield), Howie soon focussed his practice on family law and went on to open his own practice in 1994.

His partner, Amy Johnson, joined his practice in 2016 after articling at his firm. In 2023 he was recognized as the 2023 Lawyer of the Year in Family Law Windsor/London.

Howie was a member of The Advocates’ Society, the Essex Law Association, and the Essex County Family Law Lawyers Association where he served as President and Vice President.

He led a committee to reconstitute this association as the Family Law Association of Windsor following the COVID-19 outbreak. He was recognized as a leading lawyer in peer-reviewed legal publications.

He also was a long-time member of the Essex County Superior Court of Justice Bench Bar Committee. And that’s not all!

Howie was selected as a representative to the Provincial Family Law Working Group of the Superior Court of Justice.

He was an instructor of the Bar Admissions Course (London and Windsor) in the areas of professional responsibility and family law.

Happily married for 36 years, Howie is very proud of his two adult children.

According to him — as a parent and a lawyer — he refined his skills in conflict resolution as a high school and college basketball referee.

Howie relives the moment of his conversation on August 28 with the Minister of Justice of Canada: “The Friday was the same as any other day until approximately 11 a.m. when I received the call. The Minister of Justice was very gracious and encouraging. We discussed the need to serve the public. I was very surprised to receive the call, and to be honest, the entire conversation is a bit of a blur in my mind. It was a mixture of gratitude and trepidation. I felt very, very humbled.”

I asked Howie — how surreal it is that his 34 years of practicing law is now taking him on a very different journey?

He offered this insightful reply: “Certainly surreal is an applicable term, but my entire focus has changed from representing private individuals to being a public servant. I am appointed to serve the public, which is quite a different task from my previous 34 years.”

I have known Howie since his early teen years. His parents, Joyce and Ian, were among my mother’s closest friends.

Even though all three are now deceased, I wanted to know: “If Joyce and Ian were with us today, what would they say to you about this appointment?”

His answer? “As you recall, my father was a very stoic man. He would simply smile. My mother, who was somewhat more emotional, would have cried and called your mother immediately!”

As previously noted, Johnson joined Howie’s practice in 2016 after articling at his firm, and subsequently became his law partner at Howie Johnson Barristers & Solicitors. So, what does she think about Howie’s judicial appointment?

In her words: “I am very grateful to have been able to work with Jason for eight years. His mentorship has been invaluable. I am so excited for his next step on the bench, and he is so deserving of this opportunity. We will all benefit from having someone with his knowledge, expertise, and passion on the bench.”

On behalf of all of us at Biz X magazine, and the residents of Windsor Essex, congratulations to Justice Madam Jennifer Bezaire and Justice Jason Howie on your judicial appointments. And, in the spirit of this season of Thanksgiving, thank you for your combined 55 years of serving us with the highest standards of excellence and integrity.