The Honourable John Hogan, KC, Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Attorney General, today announced the appointment of two new Provincial Court Judges.
Karen Rehner is appointed to the Provincial Court in Grand Bank, and Jennifer Standen is appointed to the Provincial Court in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Biographies of both appointees can be found in the backgrounder below.
Both appointments are effective immediately.
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“Congratulations to Judge Karen Rehner and Judge Jennifer Standen on their appointment to the Bench. To create the strongest possible Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, appointees are among the most capable, conscientious and energetic members of the legal profession. These appointments also express the diversity of the judiciary, as more than half of our Provincial Court Judges are now women. Both Ms. Rehner and Ms. Standen demonstrate high levels of professionalism, legal acumen and decisiveness, and their appointments will be of great benefit to the province.”
Honourable John Hogan, KC
Minister of Justice and Public Safety
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BACKGROUNDER
Biographies of Newly Appointed Provincial Court Judges
Karen Rehner
Since 2020, Karen Rehner has served as Crown Counsel with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador and in Toronto, Ontario.
Prior to this, Ms. Rehner spent over ten years working as a staff solicitor with the St. John’s Area Office, as well as Special Defence of the Legal Aid NL.
A dual citizen of Canada and the United States, Ms. Rehner attended Interlochen Arts Academy and Brown University in the U.S., and graduated from Osgoode Hall Law at York University in Toronto with Juris Doctorate in 2010.
A board member of Perchance Theatre at Cupids, and with Nickel Independent Film and Video Festival, she also worked as a freelance costumer for theatre and film from 1994 to 2007.
Karen Rehner lives in St. John’s with her partner Simon Babineau.
Jennifer Standen
Jennifer Standen graduated from the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan in 2009.
Upon her graduation, she was recognized with the Roger Carter Scholarship, the Harvey Bell Scholarship, and the Chief Justice of Saskatchewan Access to Justice Prize for her academic achievement, indigenous ancestry, and community involvement, as well as promoting access to justice.
Ms. Standen has served the public as Senior Crown Attorney-Eastern Region, with the Department of Justice and Public Safety since 2018; and prior to this, she served as Crown Attorney and Senior Crown Attorney with the department in Happy Valley-Goose Bay for six years.
A practicing member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Law Society since 2010, she has also worked in Nova Scotia as a Civil Litigation Associate with Muttarts Law Firm, and as a per diem Crown Attorney with Nova Scotia Public Prosecutions.
Originally from Benoit’s Cove, Ms. Standen is a proud Mi’kmaw woman and member of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation. She lives in St. John’s with her husband, Andrew and their three children Jack, Avah and Ashton.