John S. D. Tory

Tory was born in Toronto to John Alexander Tory Sr. (1869–1950) and Abigail Georgina Buckley (1875–1961). Tory's father was the youngest of three children and was a company director who became the head of the Ontario division of Sun Life Assurance Company.[2]

Tory's great-grandfather, James Tory, was a soldier in the 71st Scottish Regiment. He was captured during the American Revolution and held as a prisoner of war. He later settled in Nova Scotia during the 1780s.[2]

J.S.D. Tory attended Upper Canada College and the University of Toronto Schools. He graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School at the top of his class, and he earned a SJD degree from Harvard University.[3][4]

Tory was called to the Ontario bar and later worked at the W. N. Tilley law firm in Toronto for a few years. In 1941, he launched his own firm (now known as Torys LLP) with a focus on corporate law.[3]

He was also a director of A.V. Roe Canada. A literary award at the University of Toronto was named in his honour.

Tory married Kathreen Jean Arnold. They had three children – daughter Virginia, and fraternal twin sons John A. Tory and James Marshall Tory. Both sons later joined his law firm. His grandson is Toronto mayor John Tory, a former Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leader and member of his grandfather's firm. Tory and Arnold separated when their children were in their twenties.[2]

• Torys LLP biography of John S. D. Tory