Scott Johnston
Scott was born in Russell, Manitoba, and raised in Carman where he graduated from Carman Collegiate in 1984. He attended the University of Manitoba and he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1990 and his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1993. He articled in Dauphin, Manitoba with the law firm Johnston and Company, and practised law there, becoming a partner in 1995. Scott moved back to Carman in 2011. Scott joined Bob McCulloch and Tom Mooney, and the law firm changed its name to McCulloch Mooney Johnston LLP at that time.
Community involvement has always been a priority. He currently is the Vice President of the Carman Chamber of Commerce and President of Golden Prairie Arts Council.
Chris Bowler
Chris grew up in Treherne, Manitoba. Prior to attending law school at the University of Manitoba, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Manitoba, majoring in psychology. Before completing his degree in psychology, he worked for a number of years in the biopharmaceutical industry. Chris articled with a major Winnipeg law firm in 2012. He continued to work with the same firm following his Call to the Bar in 2013.
In the fall of 2015, Chris began working at MMJS and in the summer of 2016 he moved back home to Treherne where he continues to live with his son and daughter.
Community involvement is important Chris. He is the president and chairman of the Tiger Hills Community Foundation, the president of the local Chamber of Commerce, is an active member of the Treherne Kinsmen Club, and helps organize the Treherne Marathon every fall.
In his spare time Chris enjoys a variety of sports including hockey, basketball and golf. When not working, volunteering or playing sports, he can be found spending time with his kids, attending the occasional Jets game or relaxing at the cottage.
Tom Mooney
Tom attended the University of Manitoba where he received an Agriculture degree in 1967 and a law degree in 1972. He has been practising law since 1973 when he moved to Carman to join the Robert McKenzie Law Firm. Since then,he and his wife Susan have resided in the Town of Carman and in the RM of Dufferin. He has been active in community organizations and has served on the boards of directors of the Carman Curling Club, the Carman Golf Club and the Carman and Community Foundation, as well as on the committee responsible for the construction of the new Carman swimming pool in 2001. He has also served as a Councillor for the Rural Municipality of Dufferin. The majority of his practice is in the areas of wills and estates, powers of attorney and real estate-related matters.
Kelly Kennedy
Kelly grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Prior to completing her law degree, she worked in Fort Frances Ontario for eight years at Northern Community Development Services as a Case Manager in the area of employment and training. In 2012, Kelly moved back to Manitoba to go pursue a career in law. During her undergrad she worked at Psychological Service Centre (PSC) at the University of Manitoba as the PSC Coordinator and Administrative Supervisor. She continued to work in a part-time capacity at the PSC until she completed her law degree in 2019.
Prior to attending law school, she received her Bachelors of Arts from the University of Manitoba in Criminology. Kelly earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Manitoba and completed her articles in 2019/20 with Gindin Wolson Simmonds Roitenberg in Criminal Defence. During law school, she summered at the Legal Help Centre; and volunteered with the Criminal Law Group; Pro Bono Students Canada; the University Law Centre; and the Criminal Law Group.
Over the past 10 years, Kelly has been involved in many volunteer roles. She has volunteered as a Restorative Youth Justice Facilitator in Ontario and was the Chair of the Citizen Advisory Committee for Winnipeg Urban Parole. She also served on a National Committee for Women Offenders and was the Co-chair of the Women’s Network Project which provided women with resources to reintegrate back into the community.
In her spare time, Kelly enjoys fishing, hiking and travelling. She has travelled to 11 different countries including studying overseas for a semester in Israel. Kelly has also worked overseas, farming along the east coast of Australia and living out of a converted Mitsubushi camper van.
Kelly’s Grandparents and extended family grew up in the rolling hills of St. Lupicin and farmed the land until the 1970s. Kelly is looking forward to working at MMJS and she is excited to reconnect to her ancestral roots and make Roland her home.
Kelly is currently away on maternity leave, she looks forward to returning in January 2024.
Julie Toews
Julie was born and raised in Edmonton. She attended the University of Alberta and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 2012 and law degree in 2017. She relocated to Manitoba upon graduation and articled with Legal Aid. After being called to the Manitoba bar, Julie completed a legal internship with UNICEF in Vietnam through the Canadian Bar Association’s Young Lawyers International Program. Upon her return to Manitoba, she worked in a private practice with a mid-sized Winnipeg firm.
She now lives in Morden with her husband and their three cats and her past times include tennis, golf, hiking, and cooking.
Julie is currently away on maternity leave, she looks forward to returning in March 2023.
Bob McCulloch
Bob was called to the Bar in 1983 and moved to Morden with his wife, Nancy in 2017. Prior to that, he lived in Treherne (since 1990) with their daughters, Lindsay and Madison, arriving on the scene shortly thereafter. Bob has volunteered locally, provincially and on many organizations over the years. Provincially, Bob is a Life Member of Council of the Manitoba Bar Association and a lecturer for the Manitoba Bar Association and the Law Society of Manitoba on Wills and Estates and Practice and Technology issues. Nationally, Bob is the former Chair of the General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Forum of the Canadian Bar Association and has served on the National Board of Directors of Community Foundations of Canada and was selected to serve on the Canadian Bar Association's National Membership Fee Review Working Group. Bob is also an unabashed Winnipeg Blue Bomber and Winnipeg Jets fan.
Bob retired on July 2021 and is now enjoying his time off golfing and having fun with his grandkid.
Harley Shepherd
Harley Shepherd received his Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Manitoba in 2008 and received his Bachelor of Laws in June, 2011. Harley was one of eight members of his class selected to participate in the Solomon Greenberg Moot Court Competition, a distinction given to those who demonstrate excellence in trial advocacy. Harley was called to the Bar on June 21, 2012. Growing up on a grain and beef cattle farm southwest of Elkhorn, Manitoba Harley comes from a household that never had any great affection for lawyers. Understanding that meeting with a lawyer is often one of the more stressful things someone will do, Harley uses his country upbringing to help make clients feel at ease and make the experience of dealing with a lawyer as pleasant as the circumstances allow. Harley is committed to practicing law in rural Manitoba and enjoys the many wonderful things rural communities have to offer. In 2014 Harley was one of the presenters at the Manitoba Bar Association Mid-Winter Conference on the topic of Family Law and Farm Financing. He is also a co-author of farm business structure guides published by the Manitoba Department of Agriculture, which include guides to sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, and joint ventures. Outside the office, Harley is the Sergeant-at-Arms for Carman Branch #18 of the Royal Canadian Legion. Harley and his family live in Carman and are active in community life in both Carman and Roland.
Stephen Beernaert
Stephen is an associate at MMJS who has a business law and litigation practice. His areas of focus are real estate, corporate commercial, estates, labour and employment and civil litigation.
Stephen has appeared before various levels of court, including the Alberta Court of Appeal and the Federal Court of Appeal. Stephen has also appeared before a number of administrative tribunals including human rights commissions, grievance arbitration boards, the Alberta Labour Relations Board and adjudicators under the Canada Labour Code.
Stephen has been a member of the Alberta Bar since 2009 and the Manitoba Bar since 2014. In addition to the practice of law, Stephen farms near Deloraine, MB
Education
University of Manitoba, B.Sc., 2005
University of Manitoba, L.L.B. 2008