A lawyer based in Niagara has been appointed as a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in Windsor, Ontario.
J. Ross Macfarlane is a lawyer at Flett Beccario, Barristers & Solicitors, a law firm located in Welland. After completing his Bachelor of Laws at the University of Ottawa and Bachelor of Arts and Science at McMaster University, he was eventually called to the bar of Ontario in 1995.
He continued practicing in Ottawa until 2003, until he returned to his hometown of Welland to join Flett Beccario as a senior litigator. His father, Duncan M. Macfarlane, is also a lawyer at the firm.
Macfarlane specializes in commercial litigation, focusing on bankruptcy, insolvency, debtor/creditor, and commercial disputes. His clientele includes both individuals and major institutions, including banks, credit unions and local businesses within Niagara.
His professional resume includes high-level positions such as being the former president of the Welland County Law Association and a position on the board of directors of Niagara College Learning Enterprises Corp. During his time in Ottawa, he taught civil litigation and insolvency law at the Bar Admission Course and spent time as a guest lecturer.
According to Flett Beccario, Macfarlane has found success in many of his cases, a number of which were filed in the Ontario Reports.
He is also the former president of Les Marmitons International, a gentleman’s cooking club with 19 chapters across the continent. In June 2016, he was awarded the John-Pierre Jobin Award, the highest honour from the organization.
Macfarlane is one of the five judicial appointments announced in February. He is replacing Justice G. Verbeem, who retired on Dec. 15, 2022.