Mr. Harvey Strosberg

Harvey Strosberg provides a comprehensive account of his legal career spanning from the 1960s to the early 2000s. Born in Windsor, Ontario to a Jewish family, he attended Osgoode Hall Law School (1966-1969) and articled at Fasken & Calvin, where he met future Supreme Court Justice John Sopinka and developed lasting friendships with John Laskin and Eddie Greenspan. After a brief stint at McTague, Clark, Holland law firm in Windsor, he joined Gignac, Sutts as a partner in 1972, building a successful litigation practice.

Strosberg became deeply involved with the Law Society of Upper Canada, serving as a Bencher from 1987 and chairing several committees including Discipline (1992-1994) under Treasurer Allan Rock. His most significant contribution was leading the Insurance Crisis Taskforce in 1994, which revealed a $152 million deficit in the lawyers’ professional indemnity program. He fundamentally restructured the insurance system, implementing transaction levies, creating the standalone Lawyers’ Professional Indemnity Corporation, and hiring professional management.

Elected Treasurer in 1997, Strosberg achieved major legislative reforms including amendments to the Law Society Act and the creation of Legal Aid Ontario. He implemented significant changes to legal education, expanded Bar Admission Course access, and controversially admitted 27 students who had failed examinations based on individual circumstances. His tenure was marked by decisive leadership, modernized financial management under Vern Krishna, and successful litigation against copyright claims. He also established programs for homeless meals at Osgoode Hall and receptions for various community groups, demonstrating his commitment to access to justice and professional inclusivity.

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