About
Justice Keith Allan Flanigan (born 1924) provides a comprehensive account of his legal career spanning from the 1940s to the 1990s. Born in Cornwall and raised in Kirkland Lake, Flanigan served as an air bomber in World War II before pursuing legal education at Queen’s University and Osgoode Hall Law School. His early career was marked by articling with the prominent Toronto mining law firm Roberts, Archibald, Seagram & Cole, where he gained expertise in corporate law and mining industry work under Kelso Roberts, the former Attorney General. Flanigan established his practice in Kingston with Gibson & Sands from 1953 to 1970, specializing in litigation, particularly negligence work and insurance defence. His judicial career began with appointment to the County Court in 1970, followed by a significant role as the first Chair of the Tax Review Board from 1971-1975, where he helped clear a substantial backlog of cases. Returning to the County Court, he served as Senior Judge for Ottawa from 1977-1989, overseeing the construction of the new Ottawa courthouse and managing court operations during a period of significant growth. The interview provides valuable insights into the evolution of the Canadian legal system, including the impact of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, court merger in 1990, and changes in legal practice from the 1950s through the 1990s. Flanigan discusses landmark cases involving DNA evidence, his involvement in founding the Canadian Judges Conference, and his views on various aspects of the justice system including preliminary hearings, sentencing, and family law.