Three of Canada’s Greatest Trial Lawyers
Edward “Eddie” Greenspan (1944–2014)
On my walk at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto, I discovered the grave of the legendary defence lawyer, Eddie Greenspan.
Born in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Eddie graduated from Osgoode Hall and was called to the Bar in 1970. Over a prolific career, he became one of Canada’s most high-profile and influential criminal lawyers. Among his many clients were newspaper magnate Conrad Black, theatre impresario Garth Drabinsky, and Robert Latimer, the Saskatchewan farmer at the centre of a high-profile euthanasia case.
Theatre impresario Garth Drabinsky Trial.
Greenspan’s reputation for courtroom brilliance, media savvy, and legal advocacy made him a household name. He died suddenly in December 2014 while on vacation in Arizona. He was 70.
Joseph Sedgwick (1898–1981)
At historic St. James-the-Less Cemetery in Toronto, founded in 1844, I discovered the grave of one of Canada’s great legal minds and orators, Joe Sedgwick.
Born in Leeds, England, Sedgwick arrived in Toronto as a young boy in 1898. The son of a furniture polisher, he would go on to attend the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall, becoming one of Canada’s most celebrated trial lawyers.
Witty, incisive, and deeply persuasive, Sedgwick made his mark across the country. He famously prosecuted the kidnappers of London brewery magnate John Labatt and personally reviewed contracts for the Dionne Quintuplets, among other high-profile legal engagements.
He passed away in Toronto on December 27, 1981, at the age of 83.
John Josiah (J.J.) Robinette (1906–1996)
Buried at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, John Josiah Robinette, a gifted trial lawyer and one of Canada’s most respected legal figures.
Born in Toronto, Robinette attended the University of Toronto Schools (UTS), alma mater of such notable Canadians as John Tory, David Frum, and Nobel Laureate John Polanyi. After graduating from Osgoode Hall, he quickly rose to national prominence.
Robinette was the lead prosecutor in the infamous Evelyn Dick murder trials in Hamilton and later defended the notorious bank robbers known as The Boyd Gang. He was known for his eloquence, calm demeanour, and commanding presence in the courtroom.
Evelyn Dick Trial, Hamilton, Ontario.
Beyond law, Robinette served as Chancellor of Trent University and is remembered as one of the greatest legal minds in Canadian history. He died in Toronto on November 18, 1996, at the age of 89.
Since my original visit to the Robinette family plot, the monument has been cleaned.
See my related site of another great Canadian lawyer, Clayton Ruby and his father, publisher Lou Ruby.
