Mr. Justice Lawrence Thibideau

Justice Lawrence Thibideau provides a comprehensive account of his legal career spanning over four decades. Born in England in 1945 to a Canadian Army father and RAF-associated mother, Thibideau was educated at St. Augustine’s grade school and Cathedral High School in Hamilton before attending St. Michael’s College at the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall Law School from 1967-1970. He articled at the Bay Street firm Basil, Sullivan, Holland, Lawson, gaining extensive courtroom experience in motor vehicle litigation.

After briefly practicing in Hamilton with childhood friend Mike Moriarty Jr., Thibideau established a successful small-town practice in Cayuga with David Marshall, a doctor-turned-lawyer. His practice evolved to encompass traditional small-town law including real estate and family matters, but gained prominence through environmental law work in the 1970s when he successfully fought government plans to dispose of chemical waste in rural Ontario. This pro bono work brought him media attention and enhanced his reputation as a litigator willing to challenge authority.

Appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice in 2000, Thibideau served as local administrative judge for Brantford from 2006-2012, implementing mediation programs and fostering cooperation between court levels. His judicial work focused heavily on family law, particularly Children’s Aid Society cases, and he became known for his detailed written judgments addressing complex issues including open adoption. The interview reveals his commitment to helping disadvantaged people, from his law school involvement in establishing Legal Aid clinics to his judicial work with First Nations communities in the Six Nations territory.

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