Learned Friends: A Tribute to Fifty Remarkable Ontario Advocates, 1950–2000

by Jack Batten, Advocates' Society

Successfully appealing Evelyn Dick's sensational murder conviction. Defending three men charged with espionage in the wake of Igor Gouzenko's defection. Financing law school on the professional football fields. These are a few examples of the experiences described in Learned Friends , a book that looks at the lives and careers of fifty distinguished Ontario advocates who practised between 1950 and 2000. All were singularly devoted to their calling and shared the characteristics of integrity, diligence, and civility. All proved themselves to be leaders of the bar in their respective communities, and their legacies have shaped the practice of litigation in Ontario. Until now, much of what we have known about these advocates, and others like them, has come to us through an oral tradition. Those who were fortunate enough to know these advocates have told stories of their successes, failures, habits, and idiosyncrasies to the next generation. But as time has passed, the need for a more durable record has become increasingly apparent. This beautifully illustrated book has been published as part of The Advocates' Society's Fortieth Anniversary celebrations, as a permanent tribute to talented advocates who are no longer actively litigating or sitting as judges. It acknowledges the significant contributions of remarkable men and women who, in pleading cases in courtrooms across our province, set the standards of excellence to which the current generation of advocates aspires. In so doing, Learned Friends promotes and records the strong and vibrant tradition of advocacy that has long existed in Ontario.

123 pages, Paperback

First published June 20, 2005

About the author

Jack Batten, after a brief and unhappy career as a lawyer, has been a very happy freelance writer for many years. The author of thirty-five books, Batten writes the weekly Whodunnit column in the Toronto Star, has reviewed jazz for the Globe and Mail, and has reviewed movies on CBC Radio for twenty-five years. He has written over thirty books on subjects that include biography, crime fiction, law and court cases, and sports. Not surprisingly, jazz, movies, and crime turn up frequently in Crang’s life. He lives in Toronto.