Obituary for
William Joseph Simpson Q.C., LSM
Q.C., LSM
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of William (Bill) J. Simpson, Q.C., LSM. on Sunday, June 17, 2018. After a long and courageous fight, Bill died peacefully at home surrounded by his loving wife Rosemary Simpson, daughter Karyn Simpson and sister-in-law Kathryn Vondette. Bill and Rosemary had just celebrated their 56th Wedding anniversary the day before his death and he had been determined to meet that significant milestone.
During his 50 year career as a lawyer and member of the Bar, he was committed to serving his profession, whether in various activities within the Bar in Ottawa (County of Carleton Law Association Past President (1980), Co-Founder and Chair of the CCLA Annual Civil Litigation Update (1981 to 2015), Founding President of the Medical Legal Society of Ottawa), in the Provincial sphere with the Ontario Bar Association (President from 1997-1998), or as a Bencher of the Law Society of Upper Canada from 1999 to 2007.
Bill received his BA from St. Patrick’s followed by an LL.B from the University of Ottawa. He was called to the Ontario Bar in 1967. He received the Queen’s Counsel in 1980. In 1994, at the height of his career he received the prestigious Law Society Medal (LSM) awarded for services in accordance with the highest ideals of the legal profession. In 1999, Bill was further honoured by receiving the County of Carleton Law Association (CCLA) Medal.
In addition to his extensive volunteer work for the legal profession and his many years on the Board of the Gloucester Swim Club, Bill had a successful legal practice as a civil litigator emphasizing personal injury and medical malpractice as a partner with the distinguished law firm of Binks, Chilcott and Simpson from 1968 to 2004. After the firm dissolved in 2004, Bill spent two years practicing with Soloway Wright, then found a home as counsel with Tierney Stauffer from 1996 until just recently.
During his last term as a Bencher with the Law Society, he was Chair of the Paralegal Task Force and spent a great deal of time and energy leading up to our Task Force Report, passed by Convocation in September 2004, and then leading up to the passing of legislation in October 2006.
In recognition of his unique contribution to the regulation of paralegals, an annual provincial prize for the most distinguished paralegal was instituted by The Law Society of Ontario and named for Bill, the William J. Simpson Distinguished Paralegal Award.
Bill also found the time to co-author the text book “creditors Rights and Bankruptcy” and was the subject of a new biography authored by Lynne Cohen entitled “Let Right be Done”.
Friends are invited to visit at the Central Chapel of Hulse, Playfair & McGarry, 315 McLeod Street (at O’Connor) on Thursday, June 21 from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Funeral Mass will be held at Our Lady of Fatima Church, 153 Woodroffe Avenue on Friday, June 22 at 10 a.m., followed by a reception in the church hall. A donation in honour of Bill would be appreciated by the family to The Ottawa Hospital Foundation – Dr. Rebecca Auer Cancer Research.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of William Joseph Simpson QC LSM 1940 2018.source
Death notice for the town of: Ottawa, Province: Ontario