Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Martin Teplitsky

The Faculty of Law is saddened to hear of the passing of alumnus Martin Teplitsky, LLB 1964, on July 14, 2016. A native of Toronto, he was a law professor, a senior and founding partner of boutique litigation firm Teplitsky, Colson LLP and one of Canada’s most respected mediators-arbitrators. He was also a prolific writer and authored numerous journal articles on access to justice, tort law, arbitration and mediation. Teplitsky wrote Making a Deal: The Art of Negotiation, and he played important roles in settling many disputes between the province, and the education and healthcare sectors. In addition, he was a strong advocate for those less fortunate, and he founded the Lawyers Feed the Hungry Program at Osgoode Hall, which now feeds more than 1,000 people three times a week.

Since his graduation from law school, he has generously supported several programs and bursaries, including the Jack and Ida Teplitsky Memorial Bursary, in memory of his parents, and the Teplitsky Colson Entrance Scholarship. In 2005, he made a magnanimous gift to support the groundbreaking Law in Action Within Schools (LAWS) program, Canada’s first law and justice theme educational support and mentoring program for high school students. This program would not have been possible without his generous donation.

Martin Teplitsky has been honoured with two honorary doctorates, the Law Society Medal, the Order of Ontario and many other awards. Friends, clients and associates had established in 2006 the Martin Teplitsky Bursary, matched with a university gift, to endow an annual bursary for a JD student in any year on the basis of financial need.

The Faculty of Law extends its deepest sympathies to his family and friends.

Read his full obituary here.