Famous Canadian Lawyers

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 1 
Jagmeet Singh
(Canadian Politician and Leader of the New Democratic Party)
Jagmeet Singh
6
Birthdate: January 2, 1979
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Scarborough, Toronto, Canada

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.

 2 
Brian Mulroney
(18th Prime minister of Canada (1984 - 1993))
Brian Mulroney
5
Birthdate: March 20, 1939
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Baie-Comeau, Quebec, Canada

Brian Mulroney is a Canadian politician who served as the 18th prime minister of Canada. He was in office from September 1984 to June 1993. He is a lawyer by qualification. As the prime minister, he implemented major economic reforms and championed immigration. His tenure also saw the addition of significant new national parks. 

 3 
Kim Campbell
(19th Prime Minister of Canada (June 1993 - November 1993))
Kim Campbell
5
Birthdate: March 10, 1947
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Port Alberni, British Columbia, 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.

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 4 
Robin Sharma
(Writer, Public Speaker)
Robin Sharma
4
Birthdate: June 16, 1964
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Port Hawkesbury

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.

 5 
Paul Martin
(21st Prime Minister of Canada (2003 - 2006))
Paul Martin
5
Birthdate: August 28, 1938
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Windsor, Canada

Though a qualified lawyer, Paul Martin never practiced law. He focused on business instead and purchased the domestic-freight carrier Canada Steamship Lines. He later joined the Liberal Party and also served as the prime minister of Canada. He has also received awards such as the Companion of the Order of Canada.

 6 
John Turner
(17th Prime Minister of Canada (June 1984 - September 1984))
John Turner
4
Birthdate: June 7, 1929
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Richmond, Surrey, England
Died: September 19, 2020
John Turner was the Canadian prime minister from June to September, 1984, for only 79 days, which was the second-shortest tenure in the history of Canada. He had been the leader of the Liberal Party, and of the Opposition, and had held important posts, such as the minister of finance.
 7 
Wilfrid Laurier
(7th Prime Minister of Canada (1896 -1911))
Wilfrid Laurier
4
Birthdate: November 20, 1841
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Saint-Lin-Laurentides, Canada
Died: February 17, 1919

Wilfrid Laurier was a Canadian politician who served as the seventh prime minister of Canada; he was in office from 1896 to 1911. Counted amongst the country's greatest statesmen, he envisioned Canada as a “land of individual liberty and decentralized federalism.” He was placed first on Maclean's historical ranking of Canadian prime ministers in 2011.

 8 
John Tory
(65th Mayor of Toronto)
John Tory
4
Birthdate: May 28, 1954
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Toronto, Canada

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. 

 9 
Garry Hoy
(Canadian Lawyer Who Killed Himself Accidentally)
Garry Hoy
4
Birthdate: 1955 AD
Died: July 9, 1993
 10 
Erin O'Toole
(Canadian Politician)
Erin O'Toole
5
Birthdate: January 22, 1973
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Montreal, Canada
 11 
David Shore
(Film director, Screenwriter, Film producer, Writer, Lawyer)
David Shore
3
Birthdate: July 3, 1959
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: London
 12 
David Johnston
(Diplomat, Academic, University teacher, Lawyer)
David Johnston
3
Birthdate: June 28, 1941
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Greater Sudbury

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. 

 13 
Maxime Bernier
(Canadian Politician)
Maxime Bernier
5
Birthdate: January 18, 1963
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: St-Georges-de-Beauce, Quebec, Canada
 14 
Jean Charest
(Politician, Lawyer)
Jean Charest
3
Birthdate: June 24, 1958
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Sherbrooke
 15 
Robert Borden
(8th Prime Minister of Canada (1911 - 1920))
Robert Borden
4
Birthdate: June 26, 1854
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Grand Pré, Canada
Died: June 10, 1937

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. 

 16 
Deborah Coyne
(Lawyer)
Deborah Coyne
3
Birthdate: February 24, 1955
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Canada

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.

 17 
John Abbott
(Politician, Lawyer)
John Abbott
3
Birthdate: March 12, 1821
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: St.-André-Est, Canada
Died: October 30, 1893
 18 
Guy Gavriel Kay
(Lawyer, Writer)
Guy Gavriel Kay
3
Birthdate: November 7, 1954
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Weyburn
 19 
Beverley McLachlin
(17th Chief Justice of Canada)
Beverley McLachlin
3
Birthdate: September 7, 1943
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Pincher Creek, Canada
 20 
Daryl Katz
(Lawyer)
Daryl Katz
4
Birthdate: May 31, 1961
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Edmonton
 21 
R. B. Bennett
(Politician, Lawyer, Diplomat)
R. B. Bennett
3
Birthdate: July 3, 1870
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Hopewell Hill, New Brunswick
Died: June 26, 1947

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.  

 22 
Maurice Duplessis
(Politician)
Maurice Duplessis
3
Birthdate: April 20, 1890
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Trois-Rivières, Canada
Died: September 7, 1959
 23 
Bob Rae
(25th Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations)
Bob Rae
3
Birthdate: August 2, 1948
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Ottawa, Canada
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 24 
Dalton McGuinty
(Politician, Lawyer)
Dalton McGuinty
3
Birthdate: July 19, 1955
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Ottawa
 25 
Pierre Laporte
(Politician, Lawyer, Journalist)
Pierre Laporte
3
Birthdate: February 25, 1921
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Montreal
Died: October 17, 1970
 26 
Jim Prentice
(Canadian Lawyer and Politician)
Jim Prentice
3
Birthdate: July 20, 1956
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: South Porcupine, Ontario, Canada
Died: October 13, 2016
 27 
Louis St. Laurent
(Politician, Lawyer, Diplomat)
Louis St. Laurent
3
Birthdate: February 1, 1882
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Compton
Died: July 25, 1973

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.

 28 
Ralph Goodale
(Lawyer, Politician)
Ralph Goodale
3
Birthdate: October 5, 1949
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Regina
 29 
Erik Nielsen
(3rd Deputy Prime Minister of Canada)
Erik Nielsen
3
Birthdate: February 24, 1924
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Regina, Canada
Died: September 4, 2008
 30 
Vincent Massey
(18th Governor General of Canada)
Vincent Massey
3
Birthdate: February 20, 1887
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Toronto, Canada
Died: December 30, 1967

Vincent Massey was a Canadian lawyer and diplomat. He served as the governor-general of Canada from February 1952 to September 1959. He was the first governor-general of Canada who was born in Canada. As the governor-general, he was committed to uniting Canada’s diverse cultures and desired to establish an entirely Canadian honors system. He was also involved in philanthropy.  

 31 
Robert Bourassa
(Politician, Lawyer, Non-fiction writer, Economist)
Robert Bourassa
2
Birthdate: July 14, 1933
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Montreal
Died: October 2, 1996

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.

 32 
Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr.
(Lawyer, Politician)
Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr.
0
Birthdate: August 17, 1914
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada
Died: August 17, 1988
 33 
Ujjal Dosanjh
(Politician, Lawyer)
Ujjal Dosanjh
2
Birthdate: September 9, 1947
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Jalandhar
 34 
Jim Flaherty
(Lawyer, Politician)
Jim Flaherty
3
Birthdate: December 30, 1949
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Montreal
Died: April 10, 2014
 35 
Lesra Martin
(American-Canadian Lawyer, Motivational Speaker and Writer)
Lesra Martin
2
Birthdate: April 11, 1963
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Queens, New York City, New York, United States
 36 
Caroline Mulroney
(Canadian Businesswoman, Politician, and Lawyer)
Caroline Mulroney
1
Birthdate: June 11, 1974
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
 37 
Dominic LeBlanc
(Lawyer, Politician)
Dominic LeBlanc
2
Birthdate: December 14, 1967
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Ottawa
 38 
Louise Arbour
(Canadian Lawyer, Prosecutor and Jurist)
Louise Arbour
2
Birthdate: February 10, 1947
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

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.

 39 
Roman Baber
(Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic Nationality: Canadian)
Roman Baber
0
Birthdate: 1980 AD
Birthplace: Russian
 40 
Ted Rogers
(Businessman)
Ted Rogers
3
Birthdate: May 27, 1933
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Toronto, Canada
Died: December 2, 2008
 41 
Arthur Meighen
(Politician, Lawyer, Diplomat)
Arthur Meighen
3
Birthdate: June 16, 1874
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Ontario
Died: August 5, 1960

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.

 42 
Peter Lougheed
(Politician, Lawyer)
Peter Lougheed
2
Birthdate: July 26, 1928
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Calgary
Died: September 13, 2012
 43 
Gurratan Singh
(Politician, Lawyer)
Gurratan Singh
0
Birthdate: May 13, 1984
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: St. John's, Canada
 44 
Ray Hnatyshyn
(Politician)
Ray Hnatyshyn
2
Birthdate: March 16, 1934
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Saskatoon, Canada
Died: December 18, 2002
 45 
Louis-Joseph Papineau
(Politician)
Louis-Joseph Papineau
2
Birthdate: October 7, 1786
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Montreal, Canada
Died: September 23, 1871
 46 
Alan Eagleson
(Lawyer, Politician, Trade unionist)
Alan Eagleson
3
Birthdate: April 24, 1933
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: St. Catharines
 47 
Brian Jean
(Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche)
Brian Jean
3
Birthdate: February 3, 1963
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Kelowna, Canada
 48 
John Sparrow David Thompson
(4th Prime Minister of Canada)
John Sparrow David Thompson
2
Birthdate: November 10, 1845
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Halifax, Canada
Died: December 12, 1894
 49 
Robert Stanfield
(Politician)
Robert Stanfield
2
Birthdate: April 11, 1914
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Truro, Canada
Died: December 16, 2003
 50 
Irwin Cotler
(Lawyer, Politician, Human rights activist, University teacher)
Irwin Cotler
2
Birthdate: May 8, 1940
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Montreal

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.