December 11, 2023 – The Honourable Leonard Marchand was appointed to the Supreme Court of British Columbia in 2017 and to the Court of Appeal for British Columbia in 2021.

Prior to his appointment to the Supreme Court of British Columbia, Chief Justice Marchand was a judge of the Provincial Court of British Columbia from 2013 to 2017. He articled and practised at Fulton & Company LLP in Kamloops from 1994 to 2013. His practice focused on the liability of public authorities. He has appeared before all levels of court in British Columbia and many administrative tribunals.

Chief Justice Marchand has dedicated a substantial portion of his career to achieving reconciliation for Indigenous Peoples, including by advancing civil claims on behalf of residential school Survivors. In 2005, he helped negotiate and was a signatory to the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. He then served on the Oversight Committee for the Independent Assessment Process and the Selection Committee for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Chief Justice Marchand is Syilx and a member of the Okanagan Indian Band. He grew up in Kamloops. After completing a Bachelor of Applied Science in Chemical Engineering at the University of British Columbia in 1986, he worked in the oil industry for several years. He then attended law school at the University of Victoria and graduated in 1994.

NCCABC Letter of Congratulations (PDF)