Serving Portage la Prairie and area since 1920
103 Saskatchewan Ave E, Portage la Prairie
Our office hours: Mon - Fri
8:30am - 4:30pm
Closed 12:00pm - 1:00pm
History
Miller Pressey Selinger law office has been serving the community of Portage la Prairie and area since 1920. The following is a timeline of each partner of Miller Pressey Selinger.
William James Cooper (1860-1913)
His legal studies began at the Osgoode Hall in Toronto and continued under the Hon. Edward Blake.
He was called to the Ontario Bar in 1880 and came to Portage la Prairie in the spring of 1882. He was made a King’s Counsel in 1895 and served as a Bencher for the Law Society of Manitoba (1889-1904).
He was The District Registrar of the Portage Land Titles Office from 1902 to 1909 and upon retirement joined Arthur Meighen who, himself, began practicing in Portage la Prairie in 1903.
Law firm Operating as
COOPER & MEIGHEN
(1909 - 1913)
Arthur Meighen
(1874 - 1960)
Following a brief teaching career Meighen came to Winnipeg, Manitoba, to study law before arriving in Portage la Prairie in 1902. He was called to the bar in 1903 and practised with W.J. Cooper.
After Cooper’s death in 1913 Meighen practised alone until his articling student, William Raymond “Toby” Sexsmith, was called to the bar in 1915. The two practised above the P. & B. Cash grocery store in Portage la Prairie.
During his law career he was heavily involved in politics, first elected as a Liberal-Conservative MP from Portage in 1908, winning re-election in 1911, 1913, and 1917 and ultimately succeeded Sir Robert Borden as Prime Minister in 1920.
Law firm Operating as
MEIGHEN & SEXSMITH
(1915 - 1920)
William Raymond “Toby” Sexsmith
(1885-1943)
Sexsmith bought out Meighen from the practise following his advancement into politics and partnered with Joseph Charles (“J.C.” or “Joe”) Miller who started articling with Sexsmith in 1917. Sexsmith was made King’s Counsel in January 1938.
Law firm Operating as
SEXSMITH & MILLER
(1920 - 1922)
Joseph Charles ("J.C." or "Joe") Miller
(1891-1987)
Born and raised in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba he articled with Cooper and Meighen and was called to the bar in 1918 and continuously practiced law in Portage la Prairie until his death in 1987.
In 1922 he and his brother, Calvert Charlton (“Cal”) Miller, branched off into their own firm “Miller & Miller”. Joe was involved in many associations within the legal profession including a Life Bencher of the Law Society of Manitoba, a life member of the Central Bar Association among others.
Joe was an active member in the community sitting on the City Council from 1930-1935 and becoming mayor of Portage la Prairie from 1933-1935. He worked at the firm until his death in 1987 at the age of 93 years old.
Law firm Operating as
MILLER & MILLER
(1922 - 1954)
The Law Office, located at 103 Saskatchewan Ave E, was built in 1926 by Joe and Cal and is still operating at this location nearly 100 years later.
Bruce Miller
(1930 - 1988)
Bruce received his education in Portage la Prairie and graduated with a law degree from the University of Manitoba Law School. Soon after graduation he partnered with his father and uncle in the family law firm where upon it became “Miller, Miller & Miller”.
He was a made Queen’s Council in 1964. Bruce was active in the Chamber of Commerce, the Elks Lodge, Rotary Club, the Conservative Party, of which he was a lifelong member and the Portage Figure Skating Club and later became President of the Canadian Figure Skating Association.
Calvert ("C.C." or "Cal") Charlton Miller
(1899-1978)
Educated in Portage la Prairie, Cal followed in his brother’s footsteps articling at the same firm of Meighen & Sexsmith. He was called to the bar in 1921 and in the following year partnered with his brother in their own firm.
Cal was a veteran of World War I and World War II and attained the rank of Captain with the Manitoba Mounted Rifles.
Call was extensively involved in the community and was elected President of the Manitoba Associated Boards of Trade (presently known as Portage la Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce) from 1943 to 1945.
In 1946 he won election in the constituency for Portage la Prairie, and served in the House of Commons until 1949. In 1959 he was appointed to the Court of Queen’s Bench, and in October of that year was elevated to the Court of Appeal. In March of 1961 he became Chief Justice of Manitoba.
Law firm Operating as
MILLER, MILLER & MILLER
(1954 - 1979)
Orest William Pressey
(1931 - 2011)
Following Clive’s appointment to the bench, Joe and Bruce brought on a new partner, Orest Pressey.
Pressey was Manitoba born and received his formal education in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He began his legal career in Regina, Saskatchewan as counsel for Imperial Oil but later returned to Manitoba in 1965 practicing in Virden and later became the District Registrar at the Land Titles Office in Portage la Prairie.
He took up private practise again in 1980 with Joe and Bruce where upon the firm became “Miller, Miller, Pressey”. Pressey was elected to City Council in Portage in 1967 and served until 1970.
Following the passing of Joe in 1987 and then Bruce’s unexpected passing in 1988, Pressey was practising alongside his associate, Cathy Sherman, until Gordon Selinger was brought into the firm.
Clive Miller
(1928 - 2008)
Much like his brother, Bruce, Clive attended school in Portage la Prairie and graduated from Portage Collegiate Institute. In 1952, he graduated from U.B.C. law school and then worked in Vancouver for the CN Rail Legal Department.
In 1962, he joined the family law firm Miller, Miller and Miller in Portage la Prairie following his father’s appointment to Chief Justice. However, in 1979, he was appointed to the position of Judge in the Court of Queen's Bench and retired in 1991.
Clive was a member of the Portage la Prairie School Board, council member for the City of Portage la Prairie, former president of the Portage Rotary Club and served on the Board of Service for Seniors.
Law firm Operates as
MILLER, MILLER, PRESSEY
(1979 - 1994)
Gordon Timothy Selinger
(1951 - present)
Selinger began his high school education at Notre Dame College in Wilcox, Saskatchewan. Following graduation, he attended the University of Saskatchewan (Regina Campus) where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree before taking a year off to work pipeline construction. He later returned to his studies in Nova Scotia at Dalhousie University graduating with a law degree in 1976.
Selinger first came to Manitoba in 1976 and articled for John Wilson at Wilson, Yerex, Young and was called to the bar in the following year. He became partner in the firm “Wilson, Yerex, Young, Selinger & Webster” in 1978, mainly working out of a satellite office in Carman, Manitoba.
While in Carman, Selinger played baseball with the Carman Goldeyes and became involved with the Southeast Intermediate Men’s Baseball League which later morphed into the Red-Boine Senior Baseball League. He was elected as President of that league for six years.
Selinger came to the firm Miller, Miller, Pressey in 1988 and became a partner to Orest Pressey in 1994 forming “Miller, Pressey, Selinger”.
His love for baseball and community service lead him to various volunteer positions and positions as board member of the Portage la Prairie Minor Baseball Association, the Manitoba Baseball Association and a position as Manager of Team Manitoba Midget Baseball Team in 2008 and Manitoba Youth Team in 2009.
Selinger’s passion for community service isn’t limited to baseball, he is a long-time board member of the Portage la Prairie Rotary Club (30+ years), President of Portage & District Recycling Inc. (30+ years) long time board member, current President, of Project S.A.M. Inc., and board member of Lake Manitoba Camp Legacy.
Past Associates Includes;
Associate, Cathy Sherman practised with Miller, Miller, Pressey from 1986 – 1990.
Associate, Brad Patzer practised with Miller, Pressey, Selinger from 1998-2001 ultimately leaving the firm to work for the Department of Justice in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories;
Associate, Eric Freedman who articled to Gordon Selinger and then practised at Miller, Pressey, Selinger from 2016-2021.