Local lawyer Lyle Phillips is retiring after 66 years.Moose Jaw’s Lyle Phillips, who has been given the title of Saskatchewan’s longest-serving lawyer, has decided to retire.

Phillips has served as a lawyer for 66 years.

Phillips talks about what he enjoyed most about his time serving as a lawyer.

“I enjoyed working with people and try to help them. Before legal aid started, we all took turns doing pro bono work. I got a lot of experience in criminal law then,” Phillips said. 

“It felt rewarding to do that. I just enjoyed the practice. I enjoyed the people.”

Phillips graduated from Central Collegiate in Mose Jaw. He graduated from the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan in 1953 and was admitted to the bar in 1954.

Phillips joined Chow McLeod at the age of 80 and worked there for the past 13 years.

He talked about what retirement has in store for him.

“(I plan to) play a little golf and hopefully if this pandemic gets over with we’ll travel again in the wintertime. We’ve always gone away in the winter for anywhere from two weeks to five so I’d like to continue doing that,” he said.

In 2018, he was awarded the Queen’s Council Designation for significant contributions to the legal profession, justice system and community.