Law society of Ontario

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LAW SOCIETY OF ONTARIO

Official blazon

Arms : Sable on a chevron between two stags trippant in chief and a rose in base Argent barbed and seeded, an open book proper bound Azure edged and clasped Or between two maple leaves Gules
Crest : Upon a rocky mount proper a mantle Ermine lined Murrey thereon a beaver couchant proper holding in its mouth a sprig of two maple leaves Or
Supporters : Dexter the figure of Hercules holding in the dexter hand a club, sinister the figure of Justice holding in the sinister hand a sword erect proper pommel and hilt and with a balance Or suspended from the blade, both standing on a grassy mount Vert
Motto : LET RIGHT PREVAIL

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on May 15, 2019.

The use of black and white alludes to the courtroom vesture of lawyers. The stags are taken from the arms of Sir John Beverley Robinson, Bt., an early Treasurer of the Society and the Chief Justice of Upper Canada from 1829 to 1862. The white rose is a symbol of York, the former name of Toronto, where the Society has been located since 1799. The open book refers to the Law, and the two red maple leaves pay tribute to the members of the Society who gave their lives in the two world wars in the 20th century.

The beaver, a symbol of Canada, is taken from the seal of the Society, created in 1823. The rock alludes to the firm foundation of justice, and the scarlet and ermine cloth refers to judicial robes. The gold maple leaves are taken from the arms of the province of Ontario.

Hercules, shown here girded with the pelt of the Nemean lion, and the allegorical figure for Justice both appear on the Law Society’s seal. Together, they represent fortitude and justice.

The motto is a phrase based on the traditional maxim Fiat justitia ruat caelum, meaning “Let right prevail [i.e., let justice be done] though the heavens fall.”