Lorne Clarke

Who is Lorne Clarke?

Lorne O. Clarke, OC ONS is a Canadian lawyer and former Chief Justice of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court.

Born in Malagash, Nova Scotia, he graduated from Dalhousie University with a B.A. in 1949 and an LL.B. in 1951. In 1955, he received an LL.M. from Harvard University. He was admitted to the Bar in 1953 and was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1969.

He was a member of the Faculty of Law of Dalhousie University from 1952 to 1959. From 1959 to 1981, he practised law in Truro, Nova Scotia.

In 1981, he was made a Judge of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, Trial Division. In 1985, he became the twentieth Chief Justice since the founding of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court in 1754. He retired in 1998. From 1998 to 1999, he was the Chair of the Memorial Advisory Committee of Swissair Flight 111.

In 1999, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2002, he was awarded the Order of Nova Scotia.

He married Mary Lou MacLeod. They had three children: Nora, George and Colin.