LogoutDr. H. Allan Leal
Dr. H. Allan Leal (1917-) was born in Beloeil, Quebec, to a mixed English-Canadian and French-Canadian family, moving to Tweed, Ontario at age 4. After studying Honours History at McMaster University (1936-1940) and serving as an artillery officer in WWII, he attended Osgoode Hall Law School in 1945 as part of the post-war veterans’ class of 315 students. His diverse legal career encompassed roles as law professor, dean, and extensive involvement in law reform initiatives.
Leal’s career was marked by significant contributions to Canadian legal development, particularly in international private law through his work with the Hague Conference on Private International Law. He served as President of the Medical-Legal Society of Toronto (1969) and held the prominent position of Deputy Attorney General of Ontario (1977-1981). His involvement extended to constitutional matters during the Charter of Rights debates and patriation negotiations, as well as serving as Chancellor of McMaster University and receiving the Order of Canada. Leal considered law reform his greatest professional achievement, reflecting his commitment to advancing the Canadian legal system throughout his distinguished career.
This description was written by AI and may contain some inaccuracies.
References
The following are a selection of topics discussed in this oral history.
- County Courts
- Family Division
- Magistrates Court
- Masters Office
- Ontario Court of Appeal
- Provincial Courts
- Small Claims Court
- Supreme Court of Canada
- Supreme Court of Ontario
- Dalhousie Law School
- Harvard Law School
- McGill University
- McMaster University
- Osgoode Hall Law School
- University of Toronto Faculty of Law
- University of Western Ontario
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Fire Marshal's Office
- Ministry of Justice Ottawa
- Ministry of the Attorney General
- Premier's Office
- 1984 federal election
- Charter of Rights debates
- Constitutional Negotiations
- Great Depression
- Patriation of the Constitution
- post-war period
- Student unrest 1960s
- World War I
- World War II
- Australia
- Belgium
- British Columbia
- Canada
- England
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland
- Norway
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Quebec
- Scotland
- United States
- Blake Cassels
- Fraser & Beatty
- Labour Convention case
- Makin case
- Regina v. Kobell
- Scapinka case
- Tasmania Dam case
- Vapor case
- Bill Davis
- Bora Laskin
- C.A. Wright
- Frank Miller
- G. Howard Ferguson
- H. Allan Leal
- Harry Thode
- Horace Krever
- J.C. McRuer
- James Casner
- Jean Sauve
- John D. Falconbridge
- John Robinette
- John Willis
- Mrs. Kates
- Paul Crepeau
- Pierre Elliott Trudeau
- Roy McMurtry
- Sidney Smith
- Sterling Lyon
- Walter Williston
- Canadian Bar Association
- Hague Conference on Private International Law
- Law Society of Upper Canada
- Medical-Legal Society of Toronto
- Ontario Hockey Association
- Order of Canada
- Uniform Law Conference of Canada
- 1917
- 1920s
- 1930s
- 1940s
- 1945
- 1950s
- 1960s
- 1970s
- 1980s
- Administrative Law
- Bills and Notes
- child abduction
- Civil Procedure
- Conflicts of Law
- Constitutional Law
- Contracts
- corporation law
- Criminal Law
- Family Law
- international private law
- Labour Law
- land law
- Legal Aid
- Medical-Legal Issues
- Tax Law
- Torts
- Uniform Law
- Wills and Trusts
Some of these references were generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
Archive Details
Files consist of oral history records documenting the life and career of Herbert Allan Leal (b. 1917), a lawyer who taught at Osgoode Hall from 1950 until 1966, became Dean in 1958, and was later made Deputy Attorney General. Interview topics include: McMaster University; articling with Frank Erichsen - Brown; lecturing at Osgoode Hall; being Dean of Osgoode Hall; differences between the University of Toronto Law School and Osgoode Hall; being Deputy Attorney General; the Constitution. Interviewer is unknown. File includes 10 audio cassette recordings from a series of eight interviews and a transcript with index (310 p.).