John Lawrence Finlay
Husband. father, lawyer, stand-up comic and beloved friend. Born Oct 2,1950, in Kingston. Died Aug. 13 in Victoria of cancer, aged 50.
If ever someone was born to wear the silk of a senior barrister, it was John L Finlay. A brilliant, warm and multitalented man, he made words dance to his tune. For 23 years, in case after case, John triumphed with eloquence, wit and grace under pressure. John was in his prime when sudden illness struck him down.
John's
distinctively musical voice is one of my first memories of law school,
ringing out in our contracts course at Queens', held at the ungodly hour
of 8:30
a.m. While the rest of us flailed away under the profs questioning because
we hadn't
prepared. John, equally unprepared, always had something to say.
John was also the star of our advocacy class. While most of us weren't sure we belonged in law school at all, his reasoned arguments on fictitious cases, laced with his trademark humour, further convinced us we were in the wrong place.
After articling with a large Toronto firm, John decided that it did not offer enough opportunities to appear in court, so went off to the Federal Department of justice, where he thrived on juicy tax prosecutions. But John soon yearned for new challenges, and so he joined what was acknowledged as the greatest litigation group in Canada, led by J.J. Robinette and John's mentor and hero, Douglas K. Laidlaw, at McCarthy and McCarthy (as it was then named).
Within a very short time, it was obvious that McCarthy's had another superstar. His good humour and self-deprecating manner often fooled his opponents into underestimating him; they were more bemused than angry when he beat them. Not that John did not have the occasional courtroom setback, but he dealt with these in classic "Fin" manner. Striding down the office corridors, John invited everyone to join him in his office for a Finlay "at home" where, over a wee glass of something, we would lay low the tyrants of the bench.
For personal reasons, John left his blossoming Toronto practice for Victoria. While John continued the courtroom success he had had in Ontario, his heart was always at home with Karen, an accomplished art curator, and their two precious children, Elspeth and Evan.
Karen and John had known each other virtually from childhood in Kingston, and It was obvious to all that they were each others' best friend. They could communicate with a glance, instinctively aware of the other's needs and thoughts. Both lived for their bright and talented children. It was a special joy for John, whose slicing serve had plagued me and his other tennis opponents for over 20 years, that both children love and excel at the game their father enjoyed so much.
John was a master teacher of law students and young professionals.
He was also an incomparable raconteur of legal lore, enlightening
us with
stories
of his
own legal adventures as well as those of the giants, living and
dead. One of the many tragedies of John's premature demise is that he will
not have
the opportunity
to write Doug Laidlaw's biography when he retired, as he had planned
to do in 2005. Like everything John turned his hand to, it would
have
been an insightful and entertaining work.
With the devoted and unceasing help of so many relations and friends, but above all, Karen and his sister, Pat, John's last months mixed joy to dilute the pain. Love and concern poured in from across the country, from Supreme Court justices to neighbourhood children, the myriad of people whom John had touched with his kindness and wit. John's faith also helped sustained him. I just hope that his services are available in the heavenly court before God passes judgment upon us.
I am just one of countless others who cannot believe he is gone.
Gerald Sadvari
Gerald Sadvari was John's law and tennis partner, and friend.
