New judges are both University of Saskatchewan College of Law alumni
Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Justice and Attorney General has announced the appointments of Ian William Mokuruk and Bryce Pashovitz to the Provincial Court of Saskatchewan.
Judge Mokuruk will serve as a provincial court judge in North Battleford.
Mokuruk is a criminal lawyer who has operated his law firm, Mokuruk & Woods Law Office, until his appointment. For almost 18 years, he has practised criminal defence litigation, primarily in northern Saskatchewan.
Mokuruk began his legal career as an associate at Slusar & Co. He then assumed a staff lawyer position at the Saskatchewan Legal Aid Commission and worked as an associate at Roe & Co.
In 2013, Mokuruk co-founded Mokuruk & Woods Law Office in Saskatoon. Aside from his legal practice, he has taught courses on sentencing and ethics at the University of Saskatchewan College of Law.
He received his law degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 2001 and was called to the bar in 2002.
“Judge Mokuruk joins the bench after a 20-year legal career in which he has conducted himself with patience, humility, and honesty,” Justice Minister and Attorney General Gordon Wyant said. “His experience and legal expertise make him a terrific addition to the judiciary, and I know he will go on to serve the people and community of North Battleford admirably.”
Judge Pashovitz will serve as a provincial court judge in Meadow Lake.
Pashovitz is currently an associate regional Crown prosecutor in Saskatoon.
Pashovitz has been in the public service for over 25 years. In 1996, he worked as a Crown prosecutor in Regina. In 2008, he served as a Crown counsel at the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, where he prosecuted drug offences.
After one year, Pashovitz moved to Saskatoon. Since then, he has prosecuted various offences and appeared at all levels of court in Saskatchewan. He was promoted to an associate regional crown prosecutor in 2019.
In addition to his Crown counsel duties, Pashovitz is an editor of a law textbook titled “Professionals Guide To: Investigating Impaired Drivers.” He also served as a treasurer for the Pense Minor Hockey Association Booster Club and various Saskatoon Minor Hockey Association teams.
Pashovitz obtained his law degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1995 and was admitted to the bar in 1996.
“Judge Pashovitz’s skills and credentials as a legal professional represent precisely what we look for in a member of the judiciary,” Wyant said. “I have no doubts that he will continue to serve our province well in his new capacity as judge.”
