Peter Wardell Hogg, dean emeritus and professor emeritus at Osgoode Hall Law School and one of Canada’s leading constitutional law scholars, died Feb. 4. He was 80 years old.

Hogg was appointed a professor of Law at Osgoode Hall Law School in 1970 and became dean in 1998, serving until 2003, when he joined the Toronto law firm Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP as a scholar in residence.

“He was a good friend and mentor to many current and former faculty members and students,” said Osgoode Hall Law School Dean Mary Condon in her letter to the community.

As scholar in residence at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Hogg combined his scholarly and counsel work with rendering opinions and expert testimony in Canadian constitutional law cases, government liability and trusts. He was the author of Constitutional Law of Canada (Carswell, 4th ed., 1997), the most cited book in the history of the Supreme Court of Canada, and Liability of the Crown (Carswell, 3rd ed., 2000 with former Osgoode Hall Law School Dean Patrick J. Monahan), as well as other books and articles. He appeared as counsel in constitutional law cases. Hogg was cited by the Supreme Court of Canada more than twice as much as any other author: Black and Richter, “Citation of Academic Authority by the Supreme Court of Canada, 1985-1990” (1993) 16 Dalhousie L.J. 377, 389.

Hogg held the following distinctions: Queen’s Counsel, Ontario, 1980; University Professor, York University, 1986; Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, 1988; Officer of the Order of Canada, 1991; Award for Legal Research and Law Reform, Can. Assn. of Law Teachers and Law Reform Commission of Canada, 1992; Mundell Medal for Letters and Law, Attorney General of Ontario, 1993; Law Society Medal, Law Society of Upper Canada, 1996; Teaching Excellence Award, Osgoode Hall Law School, 1996; LL.D. (Hon.), Law Society of Upper Canada, 2003; Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Law, CBA, 2003; Companion of the Order of Canada, 2003; and LL.D. (Hon.), York University, 2006.

Born March 12, 1939 in Lower Hutt, New Zealand, Hogg attended Nelson College, graduating in 1956. He earned his LLB from the University of New Zealand in 1962, his LLM from Harvard Law School in 1963, and his PhD from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, in 1970.

Details about a memorial service are being finalized and will be communicated to the community once known.