The Hon. Robert Montgomery

This oral history interview with The Honourable Robert Montgomery, Q.C., provides a detailed account of his remarkable legal career and significant contributions to the legal profession in Ontario. Born in Southern Rhodesia in 1925 to medical missionary parents, Montgomery’s path to law began after military service in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II, followed by education at University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall Law School (1949-1953). He articled with George Ferguson, later forming the firm Ferguson, Montgomery, Cassels & Mitchell in 1953, where he developed a successful litigation practice specializing in insurance defense work and negligence cases.

Montgomery’s most significant contribution to Canadian legal history was his role as a founding member and third president of the Advocates’ Society in 1963. Along with colleagues including Bunny Levinter and Charlie McKeon, Montgomery helped establish this organization to provide mentorship and specialized training for litigation lawyers – filling a gap not adequately addressed by existing legal associations. The Society’s most ambitious project was the preservation and relocation of historic Campbell House to its current location at University Avenue and Queen Street in Toronto, a complex undertaking involving negotiations with multiple stakeholders and significant financial risk undertaken by Montgomery and nine other guarantors.

The interview reveals Montgomery’s dedication to legal education and professional development, evident through his service as a Bencher of the Law Society of Ontario (1975-1977), his involvement with the Legal Aid Committee, and his lectures in the Bar Admission Course on civil procedure. His appointment to the bench in August 1977 marked the culmination of a distinguished career devoted to litigation excellence and institutional development within the Ontario legal profession.

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