Table of Early and Exceptional Ontario Male Lawyers of Diverse Communities
In the table below, the names of early and exceptional male lawyers of diverse communities are arranged in chronological order by year of call to the bar in Ontario. The entry for each lawyer includes name; year of birth if known (and in the case of living lawyers, if permitted); year of death where applicable; and the name of the diverse community or heritage to which he belongs (more than one community or heritage is possible).
To download biographies of these individuals, arranged either by year of call to the bar or by diverse community, and for more information on the project, please
click here for the Diversifying the Bar: Lawyers Make History home page.
| Name |
Birth - Death |
Year Called
to the Bar * |
Heritage or
Community |
| Hagerman, Nicholas |
1761 - 1819 |
1797 |
Dutch |
| Macdonell, Angus |
? - 1804 |
1797 |
Roman Catholic |
| Baby, Charles |
1806 - 1871 |
1828 |
Francophone;
Roman Catholic |
| O’Reilly, James |
1823 - 1875 |
1847 |
Irish Catholic |
| O’Connor, John, Jr. |
1824 - 1887 |
1854 |
Persons with
Disabilities;
Irish Catholic |
| Sutherland, Robert |
1830 - 1878 |
1855 |
Black |
| MacLellan, Archibald L. |
1832 - 1902 |
1860 |
Persons with
Disabilities |
| Kerr, William Simcoe |
1840 - 1875 |
1862 |
Aboriginal |
| MacLellan, Duncan |
1836 - 1920 |
1865 |
Persons with
Disabilities |
| Murphy, Nicholas |
c. 1842 - 1907 |
1865 |
Irish Catholic |
| White, Solomon |
1836 - 1911 |
1865 |
Aboriginal |
| Lapierre, Horace |
c. 1846 - 1882 |
1869 |
Francophone |
| O’Donohoe, John |
1824 - 1902 |
1869 |
Irish Catholic |
| Taillon, George |
1847 - 1885 |
1869 |
Francophone |
| Barry, John |
c. 1825 - 1887 |
1870 |
Irish Catholic |
| Foy, James J. |
1847 - 1916 |
1871 |
Irish Catholic |
| Klein, Alphonse Basil |
1851 - ? |
1874 |
German |
| Hellmuth, Isidore F. |
1854 - 1944 |
1877 |
Jewish |
| Olivier, Louis A. |
1850 - 1888 |
1879 |
Francophone |
| Bitzer, Conrad |
1853 - 1903 |
1881 |
German |
| Belcourt, Napoleon A. |
1860 - 1932 |
1884 |
Francophone |
| Valin, Joseph A. |
1856 - 1945 |
1884 |
Francophone |
| Davis, Delos R. |
1846 - 1915 |
1886 |
Black |
| Wissler, Henry |
1860 - 1953 |
1886 |
German |
| Ludwig, Michael H. |
1867 - 1937 |
1889 |
German |
| Rohleder, Frederick |
1863 - ? |
1889 |
German |
| King, Samuel |
1867 - 1963 |
1891 |
Jewish |
| Stewart, William |
? - ? |
1891 |
Persons with
Disabilities |
| O’Connor, Michael |
1862 - 1945 |
1892 |
Persons with
Disabilities |
| Caron, Jean Baptiste T. |
1869 - 1944 |
1898 |
Francophone |
| Dignan, Ralph H. |
1863 - 1935 |
1898 |
Roman Catholic |
| Levy, Gabriel H. |
1874 - 1941 |
1898 |
Jewish; German |
| Davis, Frederick H. |
1871 - 1926 |
1900 |
Black |
| Cohen, Arthur |
c. 1882 - 1975 |
1906 |
Jewish |
| Singer, Louis M. |
1885 - 1959 |
1908 |
Jewish; Polish |
| Davis, Lionel |
1884 - 1943 |
1909 |
Jewish |
| King, Oscar H. |
1886 - 1962 |
1910 |
Jewish |
| Singer, Joseph |
1890 - 1967 |
1911 |
Jewish; Polish |
| Chevrier, Edgar R. |
1887 - 1956 |
1912 |
Francophone |
| Mehr, Samuel M. |
1885 - 1968 |
1912 |
Jewish; Russian |
| Singer, Abraham |
1887 - 1966 |
1912 |
Jewish |
| Singer, Ephraim F. |
1889 - 1953 |
1912 |
Jewish |
| Herlick, Carl M. |
1891 - 1966 |
1913 |
Jewish |
| Phillips, Nathan |
1892 - 1976 |
1913 |
Jewish |
| Carruthers, Charles W. |
1886 - 1976 |
1914 |
Persons with
Disabilities |
| Factor, Samuel |
1891 - 1962 |
1915 |
Jewish |
| Shulman, Percy |
c. 1893 - 1968 |
1916 |
Jewish |
| Finkle, Henry M. |
1893 - 1962 |
1917 |
Jewish |
| Goodman, David B. |
c. 1894 - 1969 |
1917 |
Jewish |
| Cohen, Jacob L. |
c. 1902 - 1950 |
1918 |
Jewish |
| Rotenberg, Meyer |
1894 - 1958 |
1918 |
Jewish; Polish |
| Goldfield, Benjamin |
1891 - 1944 |
1919 |
Jewish |
| Pearlstein, Jacob D. |
1894 - 1983 |
1919 |
Jewish |
| Plouffe, Joseph A. |
1893 - 1964 |
1919 |
Francophone |
| Ryan, John A. |
c. 1894 - 1931 |
1919 |
Persons with
Disabilities |
| Glass, John Judah |
1895 - 1973 |
1920 |
Jewish |
| Kert, Lawrence |
1896 - 1976 |
1920 |
Jewish |
| Luxenberg, Benjamin |
1897 - 1993 |
1920 |
Jewish |
| Levinter, Isadore |
1898 - 1980 |
1921 |
Jewish; Austrian |
| Roebuck, Joseph |
1898 - 1968 |
1921 |
Jewish |
| Schott, Maxwell |
1895 - 1982 |
1921 |
Jewish |
| Desmarais, Jean-Noel |
1897 - 1983 |
1922 |
Francophone |
| Fox, Benjamin |
1897 - ? |
1922 |
Jewish |
| Mercier, Raoul |
1897 - 1961 |
1922 |
Francophone |
| Denberg, Dan S. |
1895 - 1982 |
1923 |
Jewish |
| Humeniuk, Theodore |
1891 - 1978 |
1923 |
Ukrainian |
| Croll, David A. |
1900 - 1991 |
1924 |
Jewish; Russian |
| Cross, E. Lionel |
1890 - ? |
1924 |
Black |
| Goldstick, David |
c. 1896 - 1944 |
1924 |
Jewish |
| Keyfetz, Murray |
1900 - 1985 |
1924 |
Jewish |
| Roebuck, Manning H. |
1901 - 1997 |
1924 |
Jewish |
| Grudeff, John |
1894 - 1985 |
1926 |
Bulgarian |
| Lieff, Abraham H. |
1903 - 2007 |
1926 |
Jewish; Polish |
| Pitt, Bertrand Joseph |
1892 - 1961 |
1928 |
Black |
| Catzman, Frederick M. |
1907 - 2003 |
1929 |
Jewish |
| Borins, Norman |
1906 - 1991 |
1930 |
Jewish; Russian |
| Finkelman, Jacob |
1907 - 2003 |
1930 |
Jewish; Russian |
| Gotfrid, Samuel |
1907 - 2007 |
1932 |
Jewish; Polish |
| Tuchtie, Walter |
1906 - 1980 |
1932 |
Ukrainian |
| St. Aubin, Alibert |
1902 - 1993 |
1933 |
Francophone |
| Yatchew, John |
1895 - 1958 |
1933 |
Ukrainian |
| Topping, Victor |
1896 - 1937 |
1934 |
Persons with
Disabilities |
| Cosentino, Joseph A. |
1908 - 1981 |
1935 |
Italian |
| Laskin, Bora |
1912 - 1984 |
1936 |
Jewish; Russian |
| Agro, Angelo J. |
1911 - 1999 |
1937 |
Italian |
| Watson, James E. |
1911 - 1998 |
1937 |
Black |
| Himel, Irving |
1915 - 2001 |
1938 |
Jewish |
| Lickers, Norman |
1913 - 1987 |
1938 |
Aboriginal |
| Maki, Kauko E. |
1914 - 1989 |
1940 |
Finnish |
| Vannini, I. Anthony |
1915 - 1998 |
1943 |
Italian |
| Dubin, Charles L. |
1921 - 2008 |
1944 |
Jewish |
| Yaremko, John |
1918 - 2010 |
1944 |
Ukrainian |
| Yip, Kew Dock |
1906 - 2001 |
1945 |
Chinese |
| Bassel, John P. |
1921 - 2000 |
1947 |
Greek |
| Goodman, Edwin A. |
1918 - 2006 |
1947 |
Jewish |
| Robins, Sydney L. |
1923 - 2014 |
1947 |
Jewish |
| Okuloski, John E. |
1922 - 1965 |
1948 |
Polish |
| Vass, Ferenc |
1914 - c 1990 |
1948 |
Hungarian |
| Agro, John L. |
1919 - 1998 |
1949 |
Italian |
| Campbell, C. George |
1915 - 2003 |
1949 |
Greek |
| Carter, George E. |
1921 - 2018 |
1949 |
Black |
| Perry, Lloyd W. |
1919 - 1997 |
1950 |
Black |
| Floras, Frederick |
1924 - |
1951 |
Greek |
| Vorvis, William |
1927 - |
1951 |
Greek |
| Alexander, Lincoln |
1922 - 2012 |
1953 |
Black |
| Petrone, Alfred |
1925 - 2009 |
1953 |
Italian |
| Zalev, Carl |
1928 - |
1953 |
Jewish |
| Oiye, Kazuo G. |
1926 - |
1954 |
Japanese |
| Beaulne, Jean-Pierre |
1925 - 2009 |
1955 |
Francophone |
| Fouriezos, Charles T. |
1930 - |
1955 |
Greek |
| Geller, John A. |
1930 - 2015 |
1955 |
Jewish |
| Kovacs, Francis |
1930 - 1999 |
1955 |
Hungarian |
| Coros, George W. |
1930 - |
1956 |
Greek |
| Ebers, Cornell G. |
1917 - 1994 |
1956 |
Hungarian |
| Manjuris, George |
1928 - 2000 |
1956 |
Greek |
| Toth, Bernard |
1930 - 2010 |
1956 |
Hungarian |
| Loukidelis, Spyros D. |
1930 - 2001 |
1957 |
Greek |
| Allan, A. Steven |
1925 - 2009 |
1958 |
Greek |
| Braithwaite, Leonard A. |
1923 - 2012 |
1958 |
Black |
| Meyer, Willem J. |
1931 - 2010 |
1958 |
Dutch |
| Poolman, Willem G. |
1923 - 2009 |
1958 |
Dutch |
| Speal, George N. |
1932 - 2008 |
1958 |
Greek |
| Wang, Kechin |
1919 - 2000 |
1958 |
Chinese |
| Kokonis, James D. |
1932 - |
1959 |
Greek |
| Loukidelis, Ernest |
1934 - |
1959 |
Greek |
| McCormack, Charles S. |
1929 - 1992 |
1959 |
Persons with
Disabilities |
| Scott, Ian |
1934 - 2006 |
1959 |
LGBTQ2+ |
| Friedland, Martin L. |
1932 - |
1960 |
Jewish |
| Isaac, Julius A. |
1928 - 2011 |
1960 |
Black |
| Paul, Nicholas P. |
1935 - |
1960 |
Greek |
| Shamess, Alfred E. |
1932 - |
1960 |
Lebanese;
Antiochian Orthodox |
| Sopinka, John |
1933 - 1997 |
1960 |
Ukrainian |
| Stortini, Ray |
1929 - |
1960 |
Italian |
| Thomas, Bruce A. |
1933 - |
1960 |
Lebanese |
| Ali, Syed M. |
1926 - 2009 |
1962 |
Muslim; South Asian |
| Tokiwa, Paul Y. |
1927 - 1994 |
1962 |
Japanese |
| Ianni, Ronald W. |
1935 - 1997 |
1963 |
Italian |
| Roach, Charles |
1933 - 2012 |
1963 |
Black African |
| Stayshyn, Walter |
1934 - |
1963 |
Roman Catholic;
Ukrainian |
| Salhany, Roger |
1937 - |
1964 |
Arab |
| Verbeek, Leonard |
1915 - 2000 |
1964 |
Dutch |
| De Sommer, Joseph A. |
1928 - |
1965 |
Hungarian |
| Pitt, Romain W. |
1935 - 2020 |
1965 |
Black |
| Couto, Ayres V. |
1930 - |
1966 |
South Asian |
| Isaacs, Peter |
1938 - |
1966 |
Aboriginal |
| Staats, Howard E. |
1940 - |
1966 |
Aboriginal |
| Yachetti, Roger D. |
1940 - 2018 |
1966 |
Italian |
| Vasilaros, Leslie |
1932 - |
1967 |
Greek |
| Beaulieu, Lucien |
1933 - |
1968 |
Francophone |
| Khoorshed, Minoo F. |
1938 - |
1968 |
South Asian |
| Le Dain, Gerald Eric |
1924 - 2007 |
1968 |
Francophone |
| Gerretsen, John |
1942 - |
1969 |
Dutch |
| Lampkin, Vibert A. |
1933 - |
1969 |
Black |
| Felkai, Frank |
1942 - |
1970 |
Hungarian |
| Gottlieb, Gary L. |
1943 - |
1970 |
Orthodox Jewish |
| Iacobucci, Frank |
1937 - |
1970 |
Italian |
| Poon, Sidney S. |
1936 - |
1970 |
Chinese |
| Binavince, Emilio |
1935 - |
1971 |
Filipino |
| Norton, Keith |
1941 - 2010 |
1971 |
LGBTQ2+ |
| Rosemay, Vibert T. |
1935 - |
1971 |
African Canadian |
| Lofchik, Thomas R. |
1943 - |
1972 |
Hungarian |
| Marrocco, Frank N. |
1945 - |
1972 |
Italian |
| Takach, Gabor |
1944 - |
1973 |
Hungarian |
| Coomaraswamy, Ari |
1932 - 1988 |
1974 |
Tamil |
| Juriansz, Russell |
1946 - |
1974 |
South Asian |
| Morten, Marvin |
1944 - |
1974 |
Black |
| Tsampalieros, Gabriel |
1947 - 2009 |
1975 |
Greek |
| Willemse, Conrad A. |
1947 - |
1975 |
Dutch |
| Amerasinghe, Christopher |
1940 - |
1976 |
South Asian |
| Wappel, Tom |
1950 - |
1976 |
Hungarian |
| Czutrin, George |
1950 - |
1978 |
Hungarian |
| Palmay, Frank |
1949 - |
1978 |
Hungarian |
| Fraser, Hugh |
1952 - |
1979 |
Black |
| Anand, Raj |
1955 - |
1980 |
South Asian |
| Imai, Shin |
1950 - |
1980 |
Japanese |
| Preobrazenski, Christophe |
1951 - |
1981 |
Polish |
| Nahwegahbow, David |
1956 - |
1982 |
Aboriginal;
Anishnabe /
Ojibway |
| Krishna, Vern |
1943 - |
1983 |
South Asian |
| Lynk, Michael |
1952 - |
1984 |
Arab |
| Whitehall, Ivan G. |
1942 - |
1985 |
Hungarian |
| Yee, Gary |
1959 - |
1985 |
Chinese |
| Wong, Chi- Wah (Tony) |
1948 - 2009 |
1987 |
Chinese |
| Case, Patrick |
1950 - |
1988 |
Black |
| Ducharme, Todd |
1959 - |
1988 |
Aboriginal; Métis |
| Lévesque, Gérard |
|
1988 |
Francophone |
| Nakatsuru, Shaun |
1960 - |
1988 |
Japanese |
| Andal, Ramon |
1955 - |
1989 |
Filipino |
| Kissoon, Dhaman P. |
1956 - |
1991 |
South Asian |
| Lal, Stindar K. |
1942 - |
1991 |
South Asian |
| Turnbull, Brian |
1944 - 2006 |
1991 |
Persons with
Disabilities |
| Persaud, Mark M. |
1961 - |
1993 |
Indo-Guyanese |
| LeVasseur, Gilles |
|
1994 |
Francophone |
| Watkins, Christopher C. |
1959 - |
1995 |
Persons with
Disabilities |
| Assaf, Dany H. |
1969 - |
1996 |
Arab |
| Chandhoke, Inderpaul S. |
1952 - |
1996 |
Sikh; South Asian |
| Shannon, David W. |
1963 - |
1996 |
Persons with
Disabilities |
| Detlor, Aaron |
1967 - |
1998 |
Kanienkehaka /
Haudenosaunee |
| van der Steen, Ronald H. |
1959 - |
1998 |
Dutch |
| Naqvi, Yasir |
1973 - |
2001 |
Muslim |
* Date is year called to the bar in Ontario; however, if the date given is before 1889, and if the lawyer was a solicitor and not a barrister, this date is the year admitted to the courts as a solicitor. Before 1889, lawyers could be solicitors without being barristers; from 1889, all
lawyers admitted to practice were admitted as both barristers and solicitors, and all were called to the bar.