The Hon. A.M. Austin

This extensive oral history interview documents the legal career of The Hon. Allan Austin, spanning from his articling at Mason, Foulds in 1952 through his retirement from the Ontario Court of Appeal in 2003. Austin recounts his early years as a litigator, working on significant cases involving combines investigations, workers’ compensation, constitutional law, and civil disputes. He provides detailed insights into the evolution of legal practice in Ontario, including his experiences with combines prosecutions under the old Combines Investigation Act and his extensive involvement in the Shell Canada petroleum inquiry.

Austin’s judicial career began in 1987 when he was appointed to the Ontario Superior Court. He offers valuable perspectives on trial court practice, including his experiences on the Assizes circuit across Ontario, damage assessments, and criminal law despite having limited criminal experience as a lawyer. His appointment to the Ontario Court of Appeal in 1992 marked a transition to appellate work, where he participated in significant decisions on constitutional law, employment standards, defamation, and administrative law.

Throughout the interview, Austin provides frank assessments of judicial colleagues, legal developments, and institutional changes including the Courts of Justice Act, court technology failures, and evolving legal procedures. His commentary on cases like the Separate School Funding Reference, Myers v. CBC, and various employment law decisions offers insider perspectives on major legal developments in late 20th century Ontario.

This description was written by AI and may contain some inaccuracies.