In Memoriam: Law remembers Frank Jones for his dedication to community

Frank Jones, a former Dean of the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Law, passed away on Aug. 2, 2024 at the age of 88. A member of the Faculty for more than 30 years, Jones is remembered for his enormous contributions to the Faculty, for his commitment to his students, and for improving the study of law and the legal profession writ large.

Frank was born and raised in Edmonton and obtained his bachelor of arts from the University of Alberta in 1956. He followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather by obtaining his law degree at Dalhousie University. His daughter Heather would later become the fourth generation to graduate from the school.

Jones later pursued an LLM in taxation law at the University of Toronto and, after graduation, became tax counsel at what is now the Canada Revenue Agency.

The U of A Faculty of Law offered him the position of Dean in 1976. He was Dean until 1986 and was a Faculty member until his retirement in 2001.

When Jones took the reins of the Faculty, it was in the midst of unprecedented growth. The graduating class of 1970 had 64 students taking a standardized curriculum. However, by 1974, there were more than 200 first-year law students who were able to take many optional and specialized courses.

Jones worked quickly to foster an open and friendly atmosphere. At the time, the rapid growth in student numbers left some law students looking for opportunities to have their voices heard in the Faculty and its decision-making.

To this end, Jones held ‘bear pit sessions’ with overflowing crowds of students, inviting them to raise their concerns. These events were cancelled after two years as students began to feel confident that the Faculty understood their needs. Jones also instituted an event welcoming first-years students with a barbeque and hotdogs, and connecting them with members of the Faculty on the first day of school — a tradition that became to be known as ‘Dean’s Weenies.’

Also during his tenure, Jones helped to establish a solid and respectful relationship between the Faculty of Law and the Law Society of Alberta, and he developed closer ties with practicing lawyers by hosting seminars and urging Faculty members to participate in continuing legal education. While he was dean, judges who taught as sessional instructors could not receive remuneration for their teaching work. Jones acknowledged that sessional instructors — including judges — were vital in developing the curriculum in specialist areas.

As such, he created the Judges Fund, a system by which the Faculty of Law retained judge sessional instructor earnings in a fund that was available to be used on a variety of expenses. Further, Jones laid the groundwork for numerous fundraising initiatives, and, in 1978, launched the Faculty’s alumni magazine, Without Prejudice.

These are just a few examples of Jones' work. His career left an indelible mark on the Faculty of Law, and he helped shape it into the institution it is today.

In his personal life, Jones was known for his lust for life, his sense of humour and his generosity with his extensive wine cellar. He was a loyal friend, an avid player of intramural hockey, a former member of the Canadian Navy, and a loving husband of his wife, Patricia.

Patricia — who sadly passed away last April — was an active partner in Jones’ life and career. The couple always made a point of hosting his students and members of the Faculty at their home every spring and fall. Many Faculty of Law alumni continue to think on these events with fondness.

Frank is survived by his daughters with Patricia, Wendy and Heather, and is remembered as an outstanding member of the Faculty, the U of A and the field of law in Canada. A memorial in his honour will be held on Thursday, Aug. 22, at St. Paul's United Church, and flags at the U of A will be lowered that day.