Series consists of John Diefenbaker's legal records and traces his legal career from his call to the Bar of Saskatchewan in 1919 to his emergence as one of Canada's leading defence lawyers. The series is divided into four sub-series: Case files, Collection files, Request for Assistance files and Administrative files.
The Case files include both reported and unreported cases of a civil and criminal nature. Files include routine correspondence with clients, Diefenbaker's handwritten notes on the case, transcripts of trials and hearings, affidavits and related clippings. In many instances the information is sufficient to provide a full history of the litigation, but there are many other files which are incomplete.
The Collection files are indicative of the amount of time Diefenbaker devoted to the collection of unpaid loans, sales, rents and other debts. These files represent the difficult financial times experienced by many westerners during the depression years. In many cases a tersely worded letter warning of possible legal action was sufficient to gain payment, but on occasion a suit for reimbursement was launched. The cases which required extensive litigation are arranged in the Case files.
The Request for Assistance files contains correspondence between Diefenbaker and clients, or prospective clients, who sought legal advice on a wide range of matters. The Administrative files contain various files on the day-to-day operation of Diefenbaker's law office. Documents include financial records, legal diaries, correspondence with stationery and office equipment suppliers. Other files within this grouping provide insight into Diefenbaker's relations with his law partners, other lawyers, law societies and judges. Additional miscellaneous documents accumulated by Diefenbaker during his legal career are also arranged into the Administrative files sub-series.
The series represents all of the known records relating to Diefenbaker's law career. The files in the series also reveal other business matters Diefenbaker conducted through his law office such as his activities in the insurance and real estate fields. Some aspects of his political career, especially during 1955 and 1956, are documented in the legal diaries, including information regarding appointments, speeches, trips and conferences.
Available on microfilm reels M-6803 to M-6814.
