Côté, Suzanne (1958-…), became a puisne << PYOO nee >> (associate) justice of the Supreme Court of Canada in 2014. Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed her to the court. Prior to her appointment, Côté worked at the private law firm of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt. Côté was the first Supreme Court justice to be chosen directly from the private sector since 1998. She was also the ninth woman ever appointed to the court. Côté is an expert in civil and commercial litigation—that is, the action of carrying out a lawsuit.
Côté was born on Sept. 21, 1958, in Cloridorme, in southeastern Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula . She received a law degree from Laval University (Université Laval) in Quebec City in 1981. Côté then worked at several private law firms in Montreal and on the Gaspé Peninsula. She was a partner (joint owner) in a number of firms, including Stikeman Elliott, Côté & Ranger, and Michaud & Côté. She was also a partner and the head of the Montreal litigation group at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt.
In addition to practicing law, Côté has taught for the University of Quebec in Rimouski, the University of Montreal , and the Quebec Bar—that is, the professional society for lawyers in Quebec. Côté also has served on the board of directors of the Historical Society of the Gaspésie (now the Museum of the Gaspésie) and as president of the Chamber of Commerce and Tourism of Gaspé, Quebec. In 2011, Côté received the honorary lawyer emeritus distinction from the Quebec Bar for her contributions to the legal profession.
Prime Minister Harper announced Côte’s appointment to the Supreme Court on Nov. 27, 2014. She became a member of the court on December 1.
