Windsor Law alumnus, The Honourable Scott G. Pratt pictured in his judicial robes following his appointment to the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in Windsor. (SUBMITTED BY SCOTT PRATT/University of Windsor)
By Sara Meikle
Three alumni of Windsor Law have been appointed to senior courts in Ontario and British Columbia, underscoring the school’s continued impact on the Canadian judiciary.
The Honourable Scott G. Pratt, currently a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice in Windsor, has been appointed a judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in Windsor.
Born in Montreal and raised in Windsor, Justice Pratt earned both his undergraduate degree in psychology (BA ‘94) and his law degree (LLB ‘98) from the University of Windsor. Called to the bar in 2000, he practised civil litigation and criminal defence before serving as an Assistant Crown Attorney and later as a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice in 2019.
Reflecting on his time at Windsor Law, Pratt pointed to the school’s close-knit culture and emphasis on access to justice.
“The breadth of course offerings allowed me to explore many interests, but at Windsor Law, access to justice was central to the school’s personality,” he said.
Pratt credits early clinic work and trial experience for helping shape his path toward litigation and ultimately the bench.
Throughout his career, he remained open to unexpected career directions that led him to shift from corporate ambitions to criminal law and judging, something he believes is important for students to consider when thinking about their own careers.
“I can’t say I ever saw any of that coming, but that is where my passion led me,” he said.
“Avoid chasing money at the expense of fulfilment, your career will be much too long to do something you don’t really enjoy.”
Pratt described Windsor as central to both his identity and judicial perspective.
“This is my hometown. When I hear a witness mention a particular neighbourhood, I can picture it in my mind,” he said. “As a judge, my interactions with parties in court may look like a one-way street, but they aren’t. I keep an open mind and give each person in my court individual attention.”
He added that growing up in the city instilled a strong work ethic shaped by its economic ups and downs. After working in Toronto and the Hamilton area, he ultimately returned to Essex County, noting that while time away was formative, he considers himself fortunate to live and work in the community that raised him.
“I heard it said once that Windsor is the biggest small town in Canada. I think that’s true. I still have friends I made when I was 14. I’m lucky to live here,” Pratt said.
Justice Sean D.R. Heeley (LLB ‘10), a Hamilton-based sole practitioner, has been appointed a judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario, Family Court, in Hamilton.
Called to the bar in 2011, he built a broad practice spanning family, civil, criminal, real estate and estates law, eventually becoming sole owner of his firm and appearing at all levels of court, including the Ontario Court of Appeal.
Justice Heeley pointed to the collegial environment at Windsor Law as a lasting influence on his practice.
“The collegiality of the students at Windsor influenced how I practised law,” he said. “I made many lifelong friends during my time at Windsor and the student body as a whole was always very close.”
He encouraged current students to stay engaged in both their legal education and broader community involvement, underscoring the value of experiential learning and mentorship.
In British Columbia, the Honourable Delaram Jahani (LLB ‘98), a former Judge of the Provincial Court of British Columbia in Surrey, B.C., has been appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Vancouver.
Prior to her judicial appointment, she practised as a trial lawyer with a focus on family and child protection litigation and served as an ad hoc prosecutor with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.
Justice Jahani was active with the Canadian Bar Association (BC Branch) and contributed to access-to-justice initiatives, continuing that work on the bench through judicial education and mentorship programs for young lawyers.
Together, the appointments highlight the breadth of Windsor Law’s alumni network and its sustained contribution to Canada’s justice system across multiple provinces and levels of court.