In June 2012, Greenspan receives his honorary doctorate from University Chancellor Ned Goodman.

The Brock community is deeply saddened to learn of the death today (Dec. 24)  of legendary lawyer, Niagara native and Brock honorary alumnus Eddie Greenspan.

Greenspan died in Phoenix, Arizona, surrounded by his family. He was two months shy of his 71st birthday.

Born and raised in Niagara Falls, Greenspan went on to become Canada’s most famous defence lawyer by taking on such high-profile clients as Robert Latimer, Conrad Black, Karlheinz Schreiber and former Nova Scotia premier Gerald Regan. His busy career also included successful chapters as a journalist, author, TV host and social advocate.

Greenspan was also a friend of Brock University.

In June 2012, with his beaming family looking on, Greenspan was presented with an honorary doctorate degree at Brock. Always proud of his roots, Greenspan used his convocation address to regale his fellow graduates and their families with tales about growing up in Niagara.

Then during the 2013 winter term he taught a credit course in political science. In February 2013 he appeared on the cover of Surgite, the University’s alumni magazine.

Greenspan’s impact on the course of Canadian justice reached far beyond the celebrity status of some of his clients, and many say he played a key role in keeping capital punishment abolished in Canada.

At a time when public opinion was swinging in favour of the death penalty, Greenspan in 1986 and ’87 spent a lot of his own time and money touring the country, imploring the public and politicians to think carefully before putting the issue to a parliamentary vote. Ultimately, a House of Commons proposal to restore capital punishment was voted down.