Teamster president James R. Hoffa has canceled his previously announced Nov. 5 address to the Harvard Law School Forum. In a telegram sent yesterday morning to the Forum, Hoffa said that his "heavy schedule" would not allow him to meet the speaking commitment.

The gap in the Law Forum's program will be filled by Gyalo Thondup, brother of the Dalai Lama, the exiled ruler of Tibet. Thondup, currently in New York to present the Tibetan case against Communist China before the United Nations, will address the Forum on the evening of Nov. 4.

Under the present arrangement, Hoffa will probably fulfill his obligation to the Forum early in 1960, Forum president John S. Samuels 3L said yesterday. The union leader had agreed to speak here provided that the date be subject to change at any time.

Still Committed to Speak

According to Samuels, Hoffa is still committed to come to Harvard, and only the date remains to be settled.

Although local papers have blown Hoffa's withdrawal "somewhat out of proportion," Samuels explained, the Forum's plans will not be greatly upset.

"This sort of thing happens all the time," he commented. "Nearly one out of three speakers is forced to reschedule his appearance."

Thondup was not contacted as a substitute for Hoffa, Samuels emphasized. The Forum asked him to speak some time ago, and "just happened to complete the plans in the past few days," he said.

Samuels denied the rumor that the Forum had been considering the Rindge Technical High School Auditorium as a site for the Hoffa speech, in the event of an overflow crowd.