There will be a changing of the guard in the Hastings County Crown Attorney position.
Lee Burgess has announced he is retiring after 35 years as the longest serving Crown Attorney in Ontario and is being replaced by Mike Lunski in an acting capacity.
Lunski, who has been an Assistant Crown Attorney since 2004, joined the Belleville office in 2009 and has worked in Picton and North York.
In announcing Lunski’s appointment, Director of Crown Operations for Ontario’s East Region Julie Scott stated his experience, knowledge, good judgement and easy manner make him a natural leader.
She added Lunski has been official and unofficial mentor to ACAs within the office.
He has also acted as Articling Principle and the Supervising Lawyer for both the Law Placement Program Students and, the Supervising Lawyer for all five of the Aboriginal Law Summer Student Program Students in Belleville.
Burgess is officially calling it a career on Dec. 31, but not before reducing hours to part-time as of Dec. 8.
Called to the Bar in 1988, Burgess began his career as an Assistant Crown Attorney in 1990 in Ottawa and he joined Belleville in 1993 prosecuting serious and notorious cases during his time as an ACA and then as Crown Attorney, a role he was appointed to in 2003.
In her statement, Scott praised Burgess’ experience, mentorship and advocacy during his 20-plus years of leadership.
