Edward Greenspan
Encyclopedia
Edward Leonard Greenspan, QC
(born February 28, 1944 in Niagara Falls, Ontario
) is a Canadian
lawyer
and prolific author of legal volumes. He is one of the most famous defence lawyers in Canada, owing to several high-profile clients and to his national exposure on the popular Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
radio series, The Scales of Justice (1982–1989).
A graduate of University College, Toronto, and Osgoode Hall Law School
at York University (1968), Greenspan is the senior partner of the Toronto law firm of Greenspan Partners. He is a vice-president of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
. He is a member of the Quadrangle Society of Massey College
at the University of Toronto
. Edward Greenspan became a Queen's Counsel
in 1982.
A Canadian of Jewish heritage, Greenspan has been a vocal supporter of Israel
and related issues. On October 10, 2002, he and fellow Toronto lawyer David C. Nathanson published an opinion piece in the National Post
arguing that the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency
should recognize the Magen David Adom
as a charitable organization.
He is the brother of Brian Greenspan
, also a well-known Canadian lawyer. He is not related to Alan Greenspan
, and is not to be confused with Edward Greenspon
, former Editor in Chief of The Globe and Mail
.
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 February 28, 1944 in Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls is a Canadian city on the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario. The municipality was incorporated on June 12, 1903...
) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and prolific author of legal volumes. He is one of the most famous defence lawyers in Canada, owing to several high-profile clients and to his national exposure on the popular Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
radio series, The Scales of Justice (1982–1989).
A graduate of University College, Toronto, and 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...
at York University (1968), Greenspan is the senior partner of the Toronto law firm of Greenspan Partners. He is a vice-president of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
Canadian Civil Liberties Association
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association or CCLA, is Canada's leading national organization devoted to the defence of civil liberties and constitutional rights, both inside and outside the courts. The organization's work focuses on constitutional litigation, law reform, advocating on civil...
. He is a member of the Quadrangle Society of Massey College
Massey College
Massey College is a postgraduate residential college at the University of Toronto, established in 1963 with an endowment by the Massey Foundation. Similar to All Souls College, Oxford, members of Massey College are nominated from the university community, and are elected by and as fellows of the...
at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
. Edward Greenspan became a Queen's Counsel
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...
in 1982.
A Canadian of Jewish heritage, Greenspan has been a vocal supporter of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and related issues. On October 10, 2002, he and fellow Toronto lawyer David C. Nathanson published an opinion piece in the National Post
National Post
The National Post is a Canadian English-language national newspaper based in Don Mills, a district of Toronto. The paper is owned by Postmedia Network Inc. and is published Mondays through Saturdays...
arguing that the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency
Canada Customs and Revenue Agency
Canada Customs and Revenue Agency was a department of the government of Canada and existed from November 1, 1999 until December 12, 2003. It was created from the merging of the Department of National Revenue with Canada Customs....
should recognize the Magen David Adom
Magen David Adom
The Magen David Adom is Israel's national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service. The name means "Red Star of David"...
as a charitable organization.
He is the brother of Brian Greenspan
Brian Greenspan
Brian H. Greenspan, is a Canadian lawyer. He is one of the most famous and well-regarded defence lawyers in Canada, owing to several high-profile clients and to his record in both trial and appellate law....
, also a well-known Canadian lawyer. He is not related to Alan Greenspan
Alan Greenspan
Alan Greenspan is an American economist who served as Chairman of the Federal Reserve of the United States from 1987 to 2006. He currently works as a private advisor and provides consulting for firms through his company, Greenspan Associates LLC...
, and is not to be confused with Edward Greenspon
Edward Greenspon
Edward Greenspon is vice president, business development for Star Media Group, a division of Torstar Corp. Before that, he was the editor-in-chief of The Globe and Mail newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada for seven years...
, former Editor in Chief of The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
.
Clients
Among Greenspan's many famous clients have been:- Conrad BlackConrad BlackConrad Moffat Black, Baron Black of Crossharbour, OC, KCSG, PC is a Canadian-born member of the British House of Lords, and a historian, columnist and publisher, who was for a time the third largest newspaper magnate in the world. Lord Black controlled Hollinger International, Inc...
, publishing magnate (client was convicted) - Garth DrabinskyGarth DrabinskyGarth Howard Drabinsky, OC is a former Canadian film and theatrical producer and entrepreneur. In 2009, he was convicted and sentenced to prison for fraud and forgery. His sentence is stayed, pending appeal.-Biography:...
, TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
impresario (client was convicted) - Robert LatimerRobert LatimerRobert William "Bob" Latimer , a Canadian canola and wheat farmer, was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of his daughter Tracy . This case sparked a national controversy on the definition and ethics of euthanasia as well as the rights of people with disabilities, and led to two...
, SaskatchewanSaskatchewanSaskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
farmer who killed his disabled daughter (client was convicted) - Gerald ReganGerald ReganGerald Augustine Regan, PC is a Canadian politician, who served as the 19th Premier of Nova Scotia from 1970 to 1978....
, former Nova ScotiaNova ScotiaNova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
premier (charges dropped due to age of client) - Karlheinz SchreiberKarlheinz SchreiberFriedrich Karlheinz Hermann Schreiber is a German and Canadian citizen, an industrialist, lobbyist, fundraiser, arms dealer and businessman...
, German financier (client was convicted) - Stephen Williams, author of a book on Paul BernardoPaul BernardoPaul Kenneth Bernardo, also known as Paul Jason Teale , is a Canadian serial killer and rapist, known for the sexual assaults and murders he committed with his wife Karla Homolka and the serial rapes he committed in Scarborough.-Early life:Bernardo's mother, Marilyn, was the adopted daughter of a...
(no info on trial outcome) - Daniel BaileyDaniel BaileyDaniel Everton Bailey is a male sprinter from Antigua and Barbuda who specialises in the 100 metres. He carried the flag for his native country at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympics and was a 100 m semi-finalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.He came to prominence in 2009 with a...
, soccer player (no info on trial outcome) - Marc Stuart DreierMarc Stuart DreierMarc Stuart Dreier , formerly an American lawyer from New York City, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on July 13, 2009. He is scheduled for release on October 26, 2026. He is housed at FCI Sandstone, Minnesota. He had pleaded guilty on May 11, 2009 to eight charges in the United States...
, prominent New York lawyer charged with hedge-funds related fraud (client was convicted) - Kevin SmithKevin SmithKevin Patrick Smith is an American screenwriter, actor, film producer, and director, as well as a popular comic book writer, author, comedian/raconteur, and internet radio personality best recognized by viewers as Silent Bob...
, filmmaker (no info on trial outcome) - P. ReignP. ReignP. Reign is a Canadian hip hop artist, songwriter and rapper of Guyanese origin. He is signed with Reps Up Records..-Career:...
, rapper charged with gun possession charges in TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
(client was acquitted)
Publications
Greenspan has published or edited over twenty-five books. Below are just a few titles:- Greenspan, The Case for the Defence. Autobiography, co-written with George Jonas.
- The Canadian Charter of Rights Canada Law Book, 1982-
- Counsel for the Defence: the Bernard Cohn Memorial Lectures in Criminal Law Irwin Law, 2005.
- The Criminal Procedure and Practice. Toronto: Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, 1976- (many later editions).
- The Dubin Lectures on Advocacy, 1998-2002. Canada Law Book, 2004.
- Martin's Annual Criminal Code. Toronto: Canada Law Book, [1955]-
- Perspectives in Criminal Law: Essays in Honour of John L. J. Edwards, edited by Anthony N. Doob and Edward L. Greenspan. Canada Law Book, 1985.
- The Practice of Criminal Law. Edward L. Greenspan and Brian H. Greenspan. University of Toronto. Faculty of Law.