Thomas W. Ritchie

One of the most prominent members of the provincial bar was T. W. Ritchie, who specialized in the practice of commercial law in Montreal and represented many important corporations in his professional connection. A native of Hatley, Quebec, he was born in 1828. After careful preparation for active law practice he was called to the bar in 1852 and opened an office in Sherbrooke. In 1860 he removed to Montreal and became a member of the firm of Rose, Monk & Ritchie. It was in 1867 that he was appointed queen’s counsel. No dreary novitiate awaited him at the outset of his professional career. He brought to its starting point several rare gifts, strong individuality, marked strength of character and high professional ideals, in addition to comprehensive knowledge of the principles of law and ability to correctly apply these. He continued in active practice as a member of the firm of Rose, Monk & Ritchie until Mr. Monk was appointed to the bench. The partnership relation under the firm style of Rose & Ritchie then continued until Sir John Rose left Canada for England. Mr. Ritchie was then joined by J. L. Morris and W. Rose, but the latter left soon afterward and later Mr. Morris retired. Mr. Ritchie then took in as partner Mr. G. H. Borlase, who remained with him until 1879, when he retired. Mr. Ritchie then admitted his son W. F. Ritchie to a partnership under the firm style of Ritchie & Ritchie. The father was one of the most prominent members of the bar of the province, ranking high as an advocate in the department of commercial law and sustaining many important professional relations. At the time of his death, on the 4th of September, 1882, he was solicitor to the Bank of Montreal and the Hudson’s Bay Company and was both director and solicitor to the Montreal, Portland & Boston Railway. For many years he acted as crown prosecutor for the district of Montreal. The court records attest his high standing and his ability whereby he engraved his name high on the keystone of the legal arch. It is the theory of the law that the counsels who practice are to aid the court in the administration of justice, and perhaps no representative of the Montreal bar has been more careful to conform his practice to a high standard of professional ethics than did T. W. Ritchie.