Rothwell elevated to Alberta Appeal Court, Lavoie appointed to King’s Bench

Law360 Canada (October 9, 2026, 2:18 PM EDT) -- Federal Justice Minister Sean Fraser has announced the appointment of Justice Thomas Rothwell to the Court of Appeal of Alberta and Malcolm M. Lavoie to the Court of King’s Bench.

According to the Department of Justice, Justice Rothwell was appointed to the Court of King’s Bench in 2020. Before joining the bench, he clerked for Justice John C. Major at the Supreme Court of Canada and practised with Reynolds, Mirth, Richards and Farmer LLP in Edmonton.

Rothwell joined Alberta Justice in 2004, where he practised Aboriginal, constitutional and health law and later served as assistant deputy minister of the Legal Services Division.

He earned his law degree and a bachelor of arts from the University of Alberta and was called to the Alberta bar in 1999. Justice Rothwell replaces Justice Frans Slatter, who retired on Aug. 4, 2026.

Lavoie has been appointed to the Court of King’s Bench in Edmonton. He most recently served as Alberta’s deputy minister of justice and deputy attorney general, a position he was appointed to in 2024.

Earlier in his career, Lavoie clerked for Justice Frans Slatter of the Alberta Court of Appeal and Justice Rosalie Abella of the Supreme Court of Canada. He was a law professor at the University of Alberta from 2015 to 2024 and also served as associate counsel with Miller Thomson LLP. He has argued several cases before the Supreme Court of Canada.

Lavoie is a former president of the Edmonton Bar Association and has served on the Alberta Judicial Council and the board of the Centre for Constitutional Studies. He was appointed King’s Counsel in 2024.

He earned law degrees from McGill University, as well as an LLM and SJD from Harvard Law School. He also holds degrees from the University of British Columbia and the London School of Economics and was called to the Alberta bar in 2013. Lavoie replaces Rothwell, following Rothwell’s elevation to the Court of Appeal.

Have news to share with Law360 Canada about staffing changes, new hires, promotions or appointments in Canada’s legal community? Send details to Jen Lauriault at jen.lauriault@lexisnexis.com.