Object Type: Folder
In root of archive
Archival fonds and collections of lawyers and law associations. Includes photographs and textual records.
The Law Society of Ontario has been calling lawyers to the bar since 1797. It was not until 1936, however, that families and friends of candidates were welcome to attend the call ceremony. The number of ceremonies per year and the location of ceremonies has expanded over time, and the profession has witnessed a growing diversity amongst the candidates, but the purpose of the ceremony remains constant - to call and welcome new lawyers to the bar of Ontario. The Law Society grants the degree of Barrister-at-Law when candidates are called to the bar. In 1957, an amendment to the Law Society Act gave the Law Society of Upper Canada the power to grant LL.B. degrees for the law school's academic course. Students who commenced the study of law at Osgoode Hall Law School in 1957 were the first to receive the LL.B. degree when graduating in 1960. The Law Society of Upper Canada continued to grant LL.B. degrees until 1970, two years after Osgoode Hall Law School moved to York University. The degree granting rights the Law Society of Upper Canada received in 1957 gave it the power to award honourary degrees. Since 1960, the Law Society has recognized distinguished members of the profession and the public by awarding Doctor of Laws degrees, honoris causa (LL.D.). The granting of honourary degrees first took place at the Osgoode Hall Law School academic convocations and later at the call to the bar ceremonies.
Collection consists of digitized versions of the Osgoode Hall Law School calendars that were put out for students each year.
Collection consists of digitized versions of the Osgoode Hall Law School Class Photographs.
Collection consists of digitized photographs maintained by the Archives. Included are photographs of lawyers, students, Justices, Osgoode Hall, court rooms, law offices, and events.
Collection consists of postcards primarily of of Osgoode Hall maintained as part of the Archives Department collection.
Publications created by the Law Society of Upper Canada and other legal associations that relate to the practice and study of law in Ontario.
Interviews with three past Treasurers of the Law Society as part of the Treasurers Oral History Project, an initiative of the Heritage Committee. Interviews with John D. Arnup, Laura Legge, and Brendan O'Brien, took place between May and July of 2004.
1/1/04, 12:00 AM
The Wallace Nesbitt Essay Competition began following the donation of $10,000 in Uruguay bonds (later changed to Province of Ontario bonds) by Wallace Nesbitt in February 1929. Wallace Nesbitt (1858-1930) was a former Treasurer of the Law Society of Upper Canada and donated the money for legal educational purposes. The decision was made by Convocation to call his donation the Wallace Nesbitt Trust, this Trust was used to occasionally host guest speakers at the law school, for bursaries and for the Wallace Nesbitt Essay Competition. The essay competition began in 1932 for second and third year law students to enter with the possibility of being awarded monetary prizes. In 1946 another essay competition was introduced for barristers who had been called to the bar in the previous two years. Each of these competitions had strict regulations in terms of closing dates, essay topics and form. The judges were lawyers and judges chosen by Convocation and had complete authority when making decisions about the award winners. Decisions such as no winners or just a second or third place winner were not uncommon. The results were reported to Convocation yearly. The essay competition continued until the 1960s when it was eventually phased out, possibly due to lack of interest.
