The Hon. Peter Cory

Peter de Carteret Cory provides a comprehensive oral history covering his family background, legal education, and distinguished career. Born in Windsor in 1925, Cory served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II before attending Osgoode Hall Law School from 1947-50. He articled at Lang, Michener & Ricketts before establishing himself as a litigation lawyer in Toronto.

The interview focuses extensively on Cory’s pivotal role as a founding member and fourth president (1968-69) of The Advocates’ Society. He discusses the organization’s origins in the early 1960s, driven by young lawyers seeking continuing education and professional development beyond what the Canadian Bar Association offered. As chair of the Legislation Committee and later president, Cory helped establish key programs including educational conferences and the acquisition of Campbell House as the Society’s permanent headquarters.

Cory’s account illuminates the development of litigation practice in Ontario during the 1950s and 1960s, including the emergence of administrative law and the challenges of court reform. His involvement in Bench and Bar committees and court administration improvements demonstrates the Society’s influence on judicial processes. The interview concludes with his appointment as a Bencher of the Law Society of Ontario before his eventual elevation to the Supreme Court of Canada.

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