Law Union of Ontario

The genesis of the original Law Union was in the "Village Bar" formed in 1967 at the University of Toronto by activists including social activist and journalist June Callwood and law students Clayton Ruby and Paul Copeland to provide legal assistance to young people attracted to Toronto's Yorkville neighbourhood and soon also to the nearby Rochdale College which, at the time, were bohemian cultural centres and a focal point of the 1960s youth counterculture in Toronto, particularly hippie and radical students. In 1974, the idea of a law union was revived after a number of progressive lawyers, many of whom had previously been involved with the Village Bar or the original Law Union, worked together in the defence of workers and activists who had been arrested during a long and contentious strike at Toronto's Artistic Woodworking Plant the previous year. Planning meetings for a new Law Union were held throughout the year and on 29 September 1974 a general meeting was held officially founding the Law Union of Ontario. ==See also==