Evelyn M. ten Cate, Partner at Fosters Law LLP in London, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in London. Justice ten Cate replaces Justice B.G. Thomas (London) who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective September 1, 2023.
“I wish Justices Boucher, Carnegie, Wojciechowski, ten Cate, and Shaw every success as they take on their new roles. I am confident they will serve Ontarians well as members of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario.”
—The Hon. Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Biography
Justice Evelyn M. ten Cate is the daughter of Dutch and Swiss immigrant parents. She grew up in Brockville, Ontario on the beautiful St. Lawrence River. She received her BA (Hons) from Queen’s University in economics (1988) and her LLB from the University of Western Ontario (1992) where she worked at the legal clinic. She received the Greta Grant Award for community service in 1992 and was admitted to the Ontario bar in 1994.
Justice ten Cate worked as a family lawyer at Bastedo Stewart Smith in Toronto and then for Landry Law Firm in London. In 1996, she joined Cockburn Foster Townsend and Graham in London (now Fosters Law LLP) and became a partner in 2004. She worked as a personal injury and insurance defence litigator for 28 years, appearing at all levels of the Ontario courts. Her practice focused mainly on motor vehicle, accident benefits, medical negligence, property loss, and professional negligence claims. In September of 2021, she joined the bench of the Small Claims Court as a Deputy Judge.
Justice ten Cate was a frequent lecturer and demonstrator for Osgoode Professional Development, the Ontario Bar Association, and the Middlesex Law Association. She was a founding member and the long-time treasurer of the Southwest Region Women’s Law Association, and helped found a grassroots organization called “Ukraine Help Middlesex”, which has assisted in the relocation of over 250 Ukrainian families to the London area.
Justice ten Cate is an avid equestrian, sailor, and kayaker. She now lives near Strathroy with her husband. They have a teenage son and adult daughter who is a lawyer in Toronto.