Benched: Passion for Law Reform

by Nancy Morrison, Stevie Cameron (Foreword)

Fifty years in a law profession she loves, twenty-four of which were spent as judge, Nancy Morrison has stories to tell. Being a former judge, Nancy could not have written this book during the 24 years on the bench. It is very much a political book, focusing on the need for law reform. Entertaining, at times warm and witty, it is also a memoir that reminds us of dark days. Nancy Morrison’s career spanned three provinces and two territories, as a lawyer, arbitrator and judge. Although the book has a light touch, it also nudges us on the social and political issues of the day.

365 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2018

Reviews

[John Eldridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book about Nancy Morrison’s life in the law. The subtitle is Passion for Law Reform and author Morrison has unique insight into how our Canadian laws and legal system could improve. You don’t have to be a lawyer to enjoy the book though. It’s really just a good story about her law career including a lot of examples and opinions about how the law works or doesn’t work. Some of her stories are pretty funny.

It was hard for a young female lawyer to get started after law school back in 1963. She went looking for a job in Toronto but found there was an unwritten rule of “only male lawyers need apply.” It took a while for her to get started but she found work in Judy LaMarsh’s law firm in Niagara Falls while LaMarsh was off being a federal politician. She relates some good stories about that experience. Eventually Nancy Morrison moved to Vancouver where she practised law and later became a judge. She tells quite a bit about the life of a judge, including how isolating it is.

Benched has some good stories about several of our Canadian politicians of the last few decades that she knew. Very interesting for those of us that have long followed Canadian politics.

She shared much of her life with actor Bruno Gerussi and some of that relationship is in the book.

And if you happen to have worked in the law in British Columbia during the last 30 or 40 years you’ll probably recognize some of the names in the book.

I really enjoyed it.

[Hella Comat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t choose this book - a neighbor kindly bought it and offered me the ‘first read’ as she was recommending it for her book club.

Nancy Morrison is a lawyer who served 24 years as a judge as well. She covers all the controversial and difficult issues she encountered, mostly under the ‘family law’ umbrella: prostitution, child abuse, substance abuse, native rights, abortion, and her most critical - women’s rights.

Having started her career in the early 1960s, she’s seen a lot of change happen, mostly positive. She served in Ontario, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia.

Her friends and acquaintances that I recognized: Judy LaMarsh, Bruno Gerussi, Alan Fotheringham, Dalton Camp, this list goes on and on with many I didn’t know of and happily got to learn about.

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nancy Morrison was raised in Yorktown, Saskatchewan. She graduated from Osgood Law School and got a job with Judy LaMarsh in Niagara Falls, except that Judy was leaving for a cabinet position in the federal government in 3 hours when Nancy arrived. I enjoyed this Canadian memoir very much as I, at my senior age, recall many of the Canadian characters mentioned, for example Doris Anderson and Barbara Fromm. She discusses and brings to the forefront many issues that are ongoing - prostitution, human trafficking, learning disabilities, drug trafficking. Her years with Bruno Gerussi of the Beachcombers are aptly described. Thank you, Hella, for this recommendation.

[Lorene Shyba · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a pleasure working with Nancy on her book. She is a consummate professional and her stories are very valuable as examples of life in the courtroom, as a judge and as a lawyer.

[Margaret Pillay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book painted a very interesting picture of women in law during times when women lawyers were not common, and were not appreciated. Nancy was berated for taking a man's place in university and was frequently told by male lawyers that they would only hire her over their dead bodies. Her passion for social justice is evident in her many stories of her life as a lawyer and a judge in several provinces and across many decades.