The Hon. W.D. Griffiths

This oral history interview with The Honourable W. David Griffiths provides a comprehensive account of his legal career spanning from the 1940s to his judicial appointment in 1975. Born in Owen Sound in 1925, Griffiths served in both the Air Force and Army during WWII before pursuing legal education at the University of Toronto under W.P.M. Kennedy’s Honour Law Course, followed by Osgoode Hall Law School. His legal career began in 1951 with articles at Haines & Haines under the prominent insurance lawyer Edson Haines, followed by Fraser & Beatty, before establishing a litigation practice with J. Donald Bell.

Griffiths’ career was characterized by extensive jury trial experience in the 1950s and 1960s, when significantly more cases proceeded to trial than today. His practice focused primarily on insurance defence work, particularly automobile negligence cases, though he also handled criminal matters including murder defences. He later joined Cassels, Brock as a partner in 1965, establishing their first litigation department. Beyond his practice, Griffiths was deeply involved in legal education through the Law Society of Upper Canada, organizing continuing education seminars including a notable 1976 advocacy program. He served as a Bencher and as vice-chair of the Ontario Legal Aid Plan in 1973, playing a crucial role in defending the private bar model against proposals for full-time government legal aid lawyers.

The interview provides valuable insights into the transformation of Ontario’s legal profession from the post-war era through the 1970s, documenting changes in trial practice, the development of legal aid, and the evolution of legal education. Griffiths’ account of the famous televised University of Toronto Caput disciplinary proceedings in 1974 against student protesters Shabis and Lea offers a unique perspective on legal proceedings during the era of campus unrest.

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