Mr. Nathan Strauss

Nathan Strauss, born in 1906 to Russian immigrants, was called to the Bar in 1928 and established a successful solo practice specializing in mechanics lien work. His career spanned the Great Depression through the 1980s, during which he became one of three leading experts in mechanics lien law in Ontario and successfully advocated for several amendments to the Mechanics Lien Act.

Strauss served as a Bencher of the Law Society of Upper Canada from 1962 until becoming a Life Bencher, playing a significant role on the Discipline and Unauthorized Practice committees. He was particularly active in discipline hearings, often serving as a substitute when out-of-town Benchers were unavailable. His experience included overseeing cases involving legal aid certificate fraud and various forms of professional misconduct.

Beyond his legal practice, Strauss was instrumental in founding the Reading Law Club in the 1940s as a response to discriminatory practices at the Toronto Lawyers’ Club, which excluded Jewish and Black lawyers. He served as president of the County of York Law Association around 1960 and was active in the Canadian Bar Association. The interview provides valuable insights into the evolution of legal education, the challenges facing lawyers during economic hardship, and the social barriers that existed within the legal profession in mid-20th century Ontario.

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