Mr. Stephen Traviss

This oral history interview with Stephen Traviss covers his extensive career at the Law Society of Upper Canada, beginning with his transition from articling at Kingsmill, Jennings to joining the Law Society staff in 1973. Traviss discusses his early work on the compensation fund arising from the Edwin Harris fraud case, his hiring process involving interviews with key Benchers, and his progression through various roles including Assistant Secretary and Secretary for Professional Conduct. He worked alongside senior staff like Clare Scott, Peter Bell, and Bob Anderson during a period of significant institutional development.

The interview extensively covers the controversial Lang, Michener affair involving lawyer Pilzmaker and the criticism of special prosecutor Stephen Sheriff’s handling of the case, which led to the Dewar Report that condemned Sheriff’s conduct. Traviss also discusses his involvement in developing discipline precedent materials, the establishment of the Archives program, and various Law Society initiatives including the Bar Admission Course, legal aid clinics, governance reforms, and the regulation of paralegals. His testimony provides valuable insight into the Law Society’s organizational structure, the role of Benchers in day-to-day operations, and the evolution of professional conduct standards over approximately 20 years of service during a transformative period in Ontario’s legal profession.

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