John Richard
Encyclopedia
John D. Richard QC
(born July 30, 1934 in Ottawa
, Ontario) is the Chief Justice
of Canada's Federal Court of Appeal.
Richard was born in Ottawa
and received a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Political Science
from the University of Ottawa
in 1955, followed by his law studies at Osgoode Hall Law School
, where he received the Gold Medal and the Chancellor Van Koughnet Scholarship in 1959. He was called to the Bar of Ontario
in that year, continuing his studies for an Honours Licentiate in Political & Social Sciences from Louvain University
in 1960.
He then practised law as a trial lawyer at two firms throughout his legal career, from 1960 until 1994, when he was appointed as a judge. He was created Queen's Counsel in 1976. In 1994, he was appointed as a judge on the Federal Court of Canada
's Trial Division, followed by his appointment as Associate Chief Justice in 1998.
The court's name was changed to the Federal Court of Appeal, and he was appointed Chief Justice in 1999, having served until September 2009, when he retired.
He is now the Honorary Chairperson of Reach Canada
an NGO located in Ottawa that helps people with disabilities to get legal help.
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(born July 30, 1934 in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario) is the Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of Canada's Federal Court of Appeal.
Richard was born in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
and received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
in 1955, followed by his law studies at Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School is a Canadian law school, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and affiliated with York University. Named after the first Chief Justice of Ontario, William Osgoode, the law school was established by The Law Society of Upper Canada in 1889 and was the only accredited law...
, where he received the Gold Medal and the Chancellor Van Koughnet Scholarship in 1959. He was called to the Bar of Ontario
Law Society of Upper Canada
The Law Society of Upper Canada is responsible for the self-regulation of lawyers and paralegals in the Canadian province of Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1797, it is known in French as "Le Barreau du Haut-Canada"...
in that year, continuing his studies for an Honours Licentiate in Political & Social Sciences from Louvain University
Catholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
in 1960.
He then practised law as a trial lawyer at two firms throughout his legal career, from 1960 until 1994, when he was appointed as a judge. He was created Queen's Counsel in 1976. In 1994, he was appointed as a judge on the Federal Court of Canada
Federal Court of Canada
The Federal Court of Canada was a national court of Canada that heard some types of disputes arising under the central government's legislative jurisdiction...
's Trial Division, followed by his appointment as Associate Chief Justice in 1998.
The court's name was changed to the Federal Court of Appeal, and he was appointed Chief Justice in 1999, having served until September 2009, when he retired.
He is now the Honorary Chairperson of Reach Canada
Reach Canada
Reach Canada is a Non Governmental Organization that helps people with all types of disabilities obtain a lawyer referral. It is dedicated to educating and informing people with disabilities, lawyers and the general public about the rights and interests of persons with disabilities through...
an NGO located in Ottawa that helps people with disabilities to get legal help.