Mr. Alan Wolfish

This extensive oral history interview with Alan Wolfish provides detailed insight into two major phases of his legal career in Ontario government service. The first portion covers his groundbreaking work from 1979-1987 as Director of Child Representation at the Office of the Official Guardian, where he established Ontario’s first systematic program for legal representation of children in family and child protection proceedings. Wolfish describes the significant challenges he faced in creating this program from scratch, including establishing provincial panels of lawyers, developing training workshops, creating tariff systems, and navigating the contentious “wishes versus best interests” debate that dominated early children’s legal advocacy.

The interview also covers his subsequent role as Legal Director for the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities from 1987 onward. In this capacity, Wolfish oversaw legal services for major education reforms including Bill 160, managed complex negotiations following the extension of Catholic school funding, and developed expertise in education law and policy. Throughout both roles, he emphasizes the importance of building effective teams, establishing proper administrative systems, and achieving consensual resolutions to avoid litigation wherever possible.

The interview provides valuable historical perspective on the evolution of government legal services, the professionalization of children’s advocacy in Ontario, and the changing relationship between law and policy in provincial government operations during a period of significant institutional reform.

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