Judge Jean M. Whalen was sworn in to the Nova Scotia Provincial and Family Courts in Sydney on Friday, February 6th. The ceremony was held in the Sydney Justice Centre and was followed by a public reception at the Sydney Marine Terminal..

Judge Whalen was appointed to the Bench on January 16th by Attorney General and Justice Minister, Cecil Clarke.

Most recently, Judge Whalen had been an instructor and senior Crown Attorney in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. She is also one of the founding members of the Black Lawyers' Association of Nova Scotia. She has been the vice-chair of the Race Relations Committee of the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society. And she has been a member of the Sexual Harassment Committee at the Nova Scotia Community College.