December 19, 2022 – Ottawa, Ontario – Canadian Department of Justice
The Honorable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointments under the judicial application process established in 2016. This process emphasizes transparency, merit and the diversity of the Canadian population, and will continue to secure the appointment of lawyers who meet the highest standards of excellence and integrity.
R. Lee Akazaki, Partner at Gilbertson Davis LLP in Toronto, he is appointed as a Judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Toronto. Judge Akazaki replaces Judge J. Copeland (Toronto), who was elevated to the Court of Appeals effective March 25, 2022.
michael dineen, attorney at the Ontario Ministry of Attorney General, Crown Law Office – Criminal in Toronto, is appointed as a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Toronto. Judge Dineen replaces Justice BA Conway (Toronto), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective June 20, 2022.
Appointment
“I wish judges Akazaki and Dineen every success as they assume their new roles. I am confident that they will serve Ontarians well as members of the Superior Court of Justice.”
—The Honorable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
biographies
Judge R. Lee Akazaki He came to Canada in 1968 from Japan and grew up in two of Toronto’s multicultural communities, Thorncliffe Park and Malvern. He earned his BA (Hons.) in English and French Literature and International Relations from Trinity College, Toronto, in 1985 and his JD from the University of Toronto Law School in 1988. He was called to the Ontario bar in 1990 and was certified as a Specialist in Civil Litigation in the year 2000.
Judge Akazaki is fluent in French and English. After being trained by one of Canada’s foremost civil litigators of the day, Ian Outerbridge, KC, from 1990 to 1998, Judge Akazaki continued his practice at Gilbertson Davis LLP. He has appeared before all levels of the court in Ontario.
Judge Akazaki has held many leadership positions in the law. After serving on the Board of the Toronto Medical-Legal Society and the Law Society Counsel Advisory Committee, he became Chairman of the Ontario Bar Association’s Civil Litigation Section, Chairman of the Main Education Committee OBA Legal Continuing, OBA President and National Director of the Canadian Bar Association. After 2011, he served as a director of Canadian Defense Lawyers, a trustee of the OBA Foundation, a member of the Law Society, and a member of the Ontario Civil Rules Committee. An advocate for public legal education and diversity in the justice system, he has volunteered as a Moot Court Supervisor at the University of Toronto Law School, a Moot Court Coach at secondary schools and public secondary schools, and a visiting professor. , and speaker at countless legal education seminars and conferences. Judge Akazaki has published extensively on topics including intellectual property, medical malpractice, civil justice reform, and cyber law. He is the recipient of several awards from the legal community, including the OBA’s Linda Adlam Manning Award for Volunteerism and the Joel Kuchar Award for Professionalism and Civility.
Justice Akazaki has the support of an amazing family, plays chess, reads French literature and philosophy, and supports Liverpool FC and the Toronto Raptors.
Judge Michael Dineen grew up in Toronto and earned a BA from Queen’s University (1999) and an LL.B. at the University of Toronto (2002). He was called to the Ontario bar in 2003.
Judge Dineen wrote articles for the Crown Law Office – Criminal, and began his career as an Assistant Crown Attorney. He practiced as a defense attorney for many years at the firm of Dawe and Dineen. His practice focused on criminal appeals and he appeared frequently before the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. He practiced primarily in Toronto with occasional appearances in the Yukon. He then joined Crown Law Office – Criminal as an attorney in February 2021.
Judge Dineen was an Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto Law School, teaching criminal procedure and advanced criminal procedure and helping to supervise the criminal appellate internship. He received an Arbor Award from the University of Toronto for his volunteer work helping law school mock teams. He has also taught Sex Crimes at Osgoode Hall Law School, as well as Canadian Criminal Law and Evidence at Osgoode Professional Development. Judge Dineen is a co-author of Criminal Appeal: A Guide for Practitioners. She was a long-time member of Innocence Canada’s case review committee. He volunteered for many years with the Pro Bono Inmate Appeal Program, assisting unrepresented appellants in the Ontario Court of Appeal.