The Hon. John Arnup

Justice John Arnup, one of the ten founding directors of the Advocates’ Society, provides a detailed account of the organization’s origins in 1963. The Society was conceived by Isadore Levinter and T.N. Phelan, two prominent negligence lawyers who observed poor advocacy skills among younger members of the bar. They enlisted senior barristers including John Robinette, Joseph Sedgwick, Arthur Martin, and Arnup himself, who had just become Treasurer of the Law Society.

The interview traces the Society’s evolution from its initial focus on improving advocacy skills through mentorship to its expansion into continuing legal education and policy advocacy. Arnup discusses the 1968 acquisition of Campbell House as permanent premises, initially opposing the costly move but later acknowledging its success in providing the organization with stability and a social center resembling the English Inns of Court.

Arnup reflects on how the Advocates’ Society fulfilled its original mission while adapting to changing needs, becoming an influential voice in legal education and judicial administration. He expresses satisfaction with his role in founding an organization that has maintained relevance and impact in Ontario’s legal community for over three decades.

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