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Robinette: The Dean of Canadian Lawyers
Book by Batten, Jack
250 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1984
1 person want to read
About the author
Jack Batten
53 books25 followersJack 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.
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December 12, 2025
Surprisingly entertaining book despite the material being rather dry.
Robinette is a famous Canadian lawyer known for his advocacy at trial. The book goes into his personal history and some key cases he’s done. Writing is rather technical at some points, but the author does a good job at explaining legal issues succinctly.
Some parts are entertaining for the humour - like the aside that the coroner in the Evelyn Dick’s case was surnamed “Deadman”. It’s quite well written.
There’s also this excerpt which I found reproduced elsewhere:
This is one of the things that are only believable in real life. Her surname is Dick. It was a very famous Canadian case.
Some parts of advocacy probably have relevance today: sensitivity to the judge and where they are headed. Lucidity, clarity, and succinctness. It’s an interesting insight into Canadian legal history.
Robinette is a famous Canadian lawyer known for his advocacy at trial. The book goes into his personal history and some key cases he’s done. Writing is rather technical at some points, but the author does a good job at explaining legal issues succinctly.
Some parts are entertaining for the humour - like the aside that the coroner in the Evelyn Dick’s case was surnamed “Deadman”. It’s quite well written.
There’s also this excerpt which I found reproduced elsewhere:
"Tell the court how many men you’ve had sexual intercourse with then," the lawyer says.
"Maybe 150," Evelyn says.
"Mrs. Dick," says the lawyer, "I want you to name these men for the court right now. Who are they?"
"Well, his son for one," she replies.
"Were you indicating his honour?" the lawyer asks.
"Yes, the judge’s son."
At this point in the show, narrator Greenspan steps in: "The judge issued a restraining order preventing newspapers from publishing the names Evelyn revealed. How he dealt with his son is not a matter of public record."
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilt...
This is one of the things that are only believable in real life. Her surname is Dick. It was a very famous Canadian case.
Some parts of advocacy probably have relevance today: sensitivity to the judge and where they are headed. Lucidity, clarity, and succinctness. It’s an interesting insight into Canadian legal history.
Displaying 1 of 1 review