Famous Canadian Lawyers & Judges

Jagmeet Singh is a Canadian politician and lawyer. Since 2017, Singh has been serving as the leader of the popular Canadian political party, New Democratic Party. Jagmeet Singh serves as an inspiration to other Canadian politicians of Indian origin as he is the first member from a visible minority group to lead a prominent federal political party in Canada.

Canadian politician and Progressive Conservative leader Kim Campbell made headlines when she became the first woman to serve as the prime minister of Canada and remains the only woman to have achieved the feat. After quitting her doctoral studies, she studied law and joined the British Columbia Bar.

Jennifer Mulhern Granholm is a politician, lawyer, educator, and author. She is currently serving as the 16th United States Secretary of Energy, in office since February 2021. Previously, she was the 47th governor of Michigan, the first woman to serve in this position. She was made a Commander of the Royal Order of the Polar Star in 2010. 

Canadian writer Robin Sharma is best known for his The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari book series. A qualified lawyer, he is an alumnus of the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University. He has published several books on stress management and spirituality. He is the founder of the training company Sharma Leadership International.

John Tory is a Canadian politician who is serving as the current mayor of Toronto. Before establishing himself as a politician, Tory was a businessman, lawyer, and political strategist. John Tory has several honors under his belt, including the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. In 2011, he was honored with a Harry Jerome Award. 

David Johnston is a Canadian academic, author, and politician. He served as the governor-general of Canada from 2010 to 2017. He attended Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and Queen's University and pursued an academic career. Alongside his academic career, he also involved himself with politics and public service. He is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. 

Canadian constitutional-lawyer, professor, and author Deborah Coyne, niece of second Governor of Bank of Canada James Elliott Coyne, worked for some time in Prime Minister's Office of John Turner. Her professional endeavours also include working for Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. Her first child, daughter Sarah Elisabeth Coyne, was born through her relationship with former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.

Robert Borden was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as the eighth prime minister of Canada from 1911 to 1920. World War I started during his tenure, and he received much admiration for his leadership throughout the war. As the prime minister, he introduced women's suffrage for federal elections. 

Louis St. Laurent was a Canadian politician who served as the prime minister of Canada from 1948 to 1957. He was a successful lawyer before he entered politics and began his political career as the minister of justice under Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King. He then rose through the ranks to succeed King upon his retirement.

R. B. Bennett was the 11th prime minister of Canada and was in the office from 1930 to 1935. A lawyer by profession, he established a successful law firm before venturing into politics. His tenure as the prime minister was marked primarily by the Great Depression. He tried to combat the crisis with laissez-faire policies, albeit unsuccessfully. He was defeated in the 1935 election.  

Lucien Bouchard is a French Canadian diplomat, lawyer, and retired politician. He is known for his role in the 1995 Quebec referendum, during which he became the leading figure for the Yes side. From 1996 to 2001, he served as the premier of Quebec. Over the years, Bouchard has been honored with many awards including the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal.

The first North American Black woman to publish a newspaper, USA-born Mary Ann Shadd was the founder of the Canadian newspaper, The Provincial Freeman. Concurrently serving as its anonymous editor and contributor, she also became one of the first women to pursue journalism in Canada. She was also one of the first Black women to earn a degree in law.

Arthur Meighen was a Canadian lawyer turned politician who served as the ninth prime minister of Canada. He held office from July 1920 to December 1921 and from June to September 1926. He was a member of the Conservative Party. He returned to his law practice after retiring from politics. Many schools are named in his honor.

Robert Bourassa made headlines when, in 1970, he became the youngest premier of Quebec. After a crushing defeat 6 years later, following corruption scandals, he moved to Europe and the U.S., where he taught while in exile. In the mid-1980s, he reclaimed the Liberal Party leadership and became a premier again.

Louise Arbour is a Canadian lawyer, jurist, and prosecutor. She made history when she indicted Slobodan Milošević for war crimes; Milošević became the first sitting head of state to be summoned before an international court. Arbour's attempt to indict Bosnian Serb war criminals inspired a 2005 TV film titled Hunt for Justice, where Louise Arbour was played by Wendy Crewson.

Frank McKenna is a Canadian businessman who is currently serving as the Toronto-Dominion Bank's Deputy Chairman. A former politician, McKenna served as the premier of New Brunswick between 1987 and 1997. An influential and authoritative leader, McKenna was expected to lead the federal Liberal Party in 2008 after the resignation of Stéphane Dion. However, he didn't contest for the position.

Apart from teaching law at McGill University, Irwin Cotler has also been a Canadian MP for Mount Royal, the Minister of Justice, and the Attorney General of Canada. He has gained fame as a global human rights lawyer, too, serving as a counsel to prominent political prisoners such as Nelson Mandela.