The official opening of the J. Edward Thompson, Q.C. Classroom at Osgoode Hall Law School – named in honour of an alumnus who dedicated his life to the law and to his family – took place at the law school on Aug. 23.
Rita Thompson, wife of the late J. Edward (Ted) Thompson (1944-2002), and the couple's sons, Adam and Aidan, were on hand for the dedication of Room 107 in recognition of Thompson's "outstanding contributions to the administration of justice in Canada, and his particular gift for mentoring young counsel."
Left: From left, Patrick Monahan, Rita Thompson, Aidan Thompson and Adam Thompson
The state-of-the-art, high-tech classroom – the first to be named in appreciation of an alumnus – was made possible by a generous gift from Rita Thompson who thought it fitting that her husband, who was so dedicated to the law, should be honoured "in the place it all began."
Thompson graduated from Osgoode in 1974 with an LLB. He began his long and distinguished career in the Department of Justice as an articling student, and after his call to the Ontario Bar, he continued working for the department as a civil litigator and a criminal prosecutor. His exceptional abilities did not go unnoticed, and in 1982 he was appointed general counsel, group head of the Civil Litigation Section. In 1986 he was promoted to director and senior general counsel of the Ontario Regional Office (Toronto) – then known as the Toronto Regional Office. He moved to Ottawa in 1993 to accept the role of assistant deputy attorney general, civil litigation and, from 1997 until 2002, he was the assistant deputy minister, business law, and counsel to the Department of Industry.
A plaque, installed at the entrance to the J. Edward Thompson, Q.C. Classroom, reads in part as follows: "Ted Thompson (LLB '74) was an honourable advocate in the finest tradition of the profession. Well known for his professional excellence and humour, he discharged his obligations to clients, bench and bar with courtesy, integrity, respect, and extraordinary humanity."
The J. Edward Thompson, Q.C. Classroom is the fourth Osgoode classroom renovation in about the past five years. The other three classrooms are each named in honour of law firms that have given generously to the law school, namely Goodmans LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP and Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP.