The Hon. Lynn King

This interview chronicles the career of Lynn King, who was appointed to the Provincial Court of Ontario in 1986. Born in Sudbury to lawyer Harry Waisberg, King studied political science and economics at the University of Toronto before pursuing an M.A. at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and eventually law degrees at McGill and U of T. Her early legal career was defined by social activism and involvement with progressive causes including women’s shelters, censorship challenges, and municipal politics.

King’s practice evolved from family law into groundbreaking Charter litigation, particularly the landmark OFAVAS case challenging Ontario’s censorship laws – one of the first Charter cases on freedom of expression. She worked with firms including Copeland, King and later Cornish, Sachs & Waldman, representing marginalized communities and participating in numerous boards including Interval House and Theatre Passe Muraille. Her extensive writing included “What Every Woman Should Know About Marriage, Separation and Divorce” and contributions to legal reform discussions.

The interview reveals the challenges and opportunities for women lawyers in the 1970s-80s, King’s strategic use of legal aid to build her practice, and her transition from activist lawyer to judge. Her appointment by Attorney General Ian Scott represented efforts to diversify the bench, and she describes the stress of private practice with young children as a factor in seeking judicial appointment. The conversation provides insight into Toronto’s legal community, progressive politics, and the intersection of law and social change during a transformative period in Canadian legal history.

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