Rudolph Bratty Receives Honourary Doctor of Laws
Rudolph P. Bratty, CEO of The Remington Group and founder of Brattys, LLP, was awarded an honourary Doctor of Laws degree during York University’s third fall convocation ceremony in October. During his speech to graduands of the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies, Mr. Bratty stressed that success hinges on a strong educational foundation.
“I suppose it all started about 70 years ago when I finished high school,” said Mr. Bratty. “I told my dad that I wanted to build houses and be a developer and be a small builder, and he said ‘no’, in his broken English … he said ‘you go school.’ I said, ‘Dad, I want to be a builder’, and he said, ‘you go school.’ “So, I had two choices: I go to school or I go to school.”
Following his father Donato Bratty’s directive, he went to school and earned a bachelor’s degree. He then went back to his father for more advice, saying again that he wanted to be a developer, to which his father replied: “You go school.” At that time, Bratty recalls having more “acceptance about going to school.”
And his father had yet more advice about exactly which path that education should take, suggesting he become a professional – a lawyer, a doctor, an accountant – and use his Italian background to help the huge wave of immigrants coming over from Europe at that time.
“So I became a lawyer,” said Mr. Bratty, who obtained his law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School, was called to the bar in 1957 and was appointed to the Queen’s Council in 1970. “Interestingly enough, it is 60 years now that I’ve been a lawyer. My firm still exists, we’re busy as heck … and I’m extremely proud of it.”
And, through The Remington Group, he has more than fulfilled his dream of becoming a developer. Referred to as ‘The Man Who Built Toronto’, Mr. Bratty has established himself as one of Canada’s pre-eminent real estate developers. “Education is so important,” said Mr. Bratty. “Education breeds intelligence, intelligence breeds understanding and understanding breeds resolution.”
The Remington Group salutes Mr. Rudolph P. Bratty and celebrates his success and lifelong commitment to excellence.