Legal Research

Laura Legge, 1923-2010

By Connie Crosby

The Law Society of Upper Canada reports that Laura Legge, O. Ont., Q.C., passed away on October 5, 2010. Legge is best known as the first woman elected as a bencher of the Law Society (in 1975) and the first woman elected as Treasurer of the Law Society (in 1983). She was re-elected as Treasurer in 1984 and 1988.

According to the LSUC, she also served as president of the Women’s Law Association of Ontario and president of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada. Mrs. Legge was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1948 and acted as solicitor for the Ontario Department of Health. She established the firm Legge & Legge in 1955 with her husband, the late Major-General Bruce J. Legge, Q.C. She received a number of awards over the years, including the Order of Ontario in 2004. In 2007 the Law Society of Upper Canada established the Laura Legge Award to recognize woman lawyers exemplifying leadership in the law profession.

Related links:

• Laura Legge, O. Ont., Q.C. (Law Society of Upper Canada)
• Obituary: Laura Louise (Down) Legge (Toronto Star)
• Legge & Legge: Laura Louise Legge O. Ont., QC (law firm bio)
• Laura Legge Award (Law Society of Upper Canada)
• The careers of three York alumni celebrated (York University Gazette, Vol. 27, No. 28, April 16, 1997)

Photo source: York University Gazette

Full post as published by Slaw.ca on October 12, 2010 (boomark / email).