Family law: Sons follow in footsteps of legendary Winnipeg criminal lawyers

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This article was published 08/08/2015 (3963 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Sheldon Pinx. Hymie Weinstein. Richard Wolson.

They are three of the biggest and most respected names in the Manitoba justice system, with a combined 132 years of experience between them and a long list of many of the province’s most notorious cases under their belts.

But these legal heavyweights also share another trait – their sons have followed in their footsteps, obtained law degrees and joined the practice.

For them, every day is Take Your Kid to Work Day.

The Free Press sat down this week with the only three father-and-son combinations involved in local criminal law at their respective downtown law offices, discussing their unique situations and how their careers have truly become a family affair.

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Jonathan Pinx will never forget his first jury trial.

He was about eight years old, and he was trying to convince his father, Sheldon, to let the family get a pet chinchilla.

So young Jonathan commissioned a jury of his peers, in the form of 12 stuffed animals, and launched into an impressive cross-examination of his father.

“You’ve always hated pets, haven’t you?” Jonathan blustered. He then rolled a VHS tape to support his argument. Exhibit A, if you will. The proverbial smoking gun.

It showed Sheldon playing the role of a judge at a fundraising event for Crime Stoppers. As part of his lighthearted duties, Sheldon was caught on camera sentencing a man in a stuffed bunny costume to jail.

Game, set, match.

“I impeached his credibility,” Jonathan said with a chuckle.

Sheldon had no doubts his boy was destined for big things.

“He was obviously more into being a lawyer than we thought,” he said.

Nowadays, the pair is taking on slightly more serious topics than whether crepuscular rodents make good house pets. They routinely represent people accused of serious drug crimes and have racked up many legal victories by raising charter violations against their clients.

“I’m so proud to have my son working with me,” Sheldon said. His only regret is his parents, who both died in the 1980s, didn’t get to see the dynamic duo together professionally.

“I know what it would have meant if they lived to see the day he walked through these doors,” he said.

Sheldon has been going strong since being called to the bar in 1973. Jonathan joined him at Pinx & Co. after obtaining his degree in 2011.

“I think I’m a little bit more patient, a little more calm,” Jonathan said when asked to compare himself to his father. “He’s much more able to go off the cuff. The biggest benefit is having access to that experience.”

Sheldon said they feed off each other, with him often utilizing his son’s “real keen mind” to focus on the issues at hand in their cases, which can often involve complex legal arguments.

“We spend a lot of one-on-one time. He’s extraordinarily well-prepared. He’s got fabulous organizational skills and an ability to summarize things very concisely. It’s really a collaboration,” said Sheldon.

Jonathan said he never felt pressure to follow his father’s lead in life, but he knew being a criminal lawyer was the perfect fit.

“I never at any point pushed him in any direction,” Sheldon said. “Jonathan has always been an independent thinker.”

Sheldon said having his son at his side will definitely extend his own career.

“I love teaching. One of my passions is to share with others my experiences to help them become better lawyers,” he said. “My parents would have been so proud.”

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They are an imposing presence, especially when side by side. One stands 6’8″, the other is 6’5″.

But you get the impression Josh and Hymie Weinstein would be just as comfortable on a comedy-club stage than making closing arguments in a courtroom.

“I should be in the front. I’m better-looking,” Hymie said as a Free Press photographer set up shop in their office.

“And obviously senile,” Josh cracked instantly.

They’re just getting warmed up.

“It was easy for Josh to follow in my steps. We both have size-16 shoes,” Hymie said.

Hymie is a true titan in the local legal landscape. He’s been practising since 1967 and shows no signs of slowing down. Josh joined him at Myers Weinberg LLP after obtaining his law degree in 1997.

“He wanted me to consider going to the Crown’s office, like he had done to start his career. I just knew ideologically where I was at. I knew I wanted to do defence work,” said Josh.

Initially, Josh entertained the idea of becoming a doctor. But he said his mother, Shaaron, gently “bribed” him with the idea of getting him the golden retriever he’d always wanted if he stayed in Winnipeg and studied law. He admits there was some initial nervousness about beginning his career in the shadow of his father.

“It was a silent understanding. I would develop on my own. He wasn’t there to feed me files,” Josh said.

“I didn’t think he needed protection. He’s three inches taller than I am,” added Hymie.

Despite working in the same office, the two have done very few cases together. But they routinely consult each other, acting as “sounding boards” based on the perspectives they can bring.

“That’s the biggest benefit, having that guidance,” said Josh. He said his father has taught him valuable lessons about “respecting the Crowns, respecting the process.”

“I’m happy my son has the same set of ethics I do,” Hymie said. Josh has recently become a managing partner at the firm, which does a wide variety of work including representation of Winnipeg police officers in criminal and union matters.

“It’s really disgusting he can order me around now,” Hymie said. In reality, he is cherishing the quality time they get to spend together, dedicated to the profession they both love.

“I haven’t even thought of retirement. But if I do, I know who can take my files,” Hymie said.

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His father has been known to make even the most stoic witnesses wince in their seat and buckle under intense scrutiny on the stand – often with just the icy stare he has become well-known for.

But Daniel Wolson admits he still has a ways to go to master “the Look.”

“That’s the goal,” Daniel says with more of a twinkle than a glare in his eye. He’s been watching his father, Richard, perfect his craft for years, often accompanying him to court as a teenager to see what it was all about. Now, he routinely is at his side, having been called to the bar in 2011.

“When you start out as a young lawyer and walk into a courtroom for the first time, it’s intimidating. You add a prominent last name, and there’s added pressure,” said Daniel.

Richard, who’s been practising law since 1973, said his son has quickly carved out his own reputation in this city. He recalls a funny story when the chief justice scolded him for his trademark aggressive questioning of a witness once, only to say “Now that is how to cross-examine” after Daniel had a go at another witness in the same trial.

“I cherish these days,” said Richard. “This is an extremely interesting practice. From a human perspective, I’m not sure you can find anything this interesting.”

He briefly had it twice as good when his daughter, Sarah, got her law degree nearly a decade ago and joined the firm at Gindin Wolson Simmonds Roitenberg. She is now working in Ontario.

“I’ve always loved the practice of criminal law. But to mentor your kids, to watch them enjoy the same work I’ve enjoyed for so long, is fantastic. It’s an honour to work with your kids,” Richard said.

Father and son have now done dozens of cases together. They also share an incredible bond with Sheldon and Jonathan Pinx, one of those “only in Winnipeg” types of stories.

Richard and Sheldon were classmates together in law school and graduated at the same time. The ended up living on the same street. Daniel and Jonathan were born on the same day. At the same hospital. Delivered by the same doctor, three hours apart.

Remarkably, Daniel and Jonathan ended up going to law school together at the same time, in England. And being called to the bar on the same day.

Daniel admits he briefly entertained the idea of going to the “other” side and becoming a Crown attorney. Richard said he would have supported such a decision, just as he supported his son pursuing whatever career he chose.

“I pushed education. I didn’t push law necessarily,” Richard said.

But Daniel said he always knew he’d follow a similar path.

“From an early age, it’s what I knew I wanted to do. It’s in the house, it’s at the dinner table,” he said.

www.mikeoncrime.com