Each year the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society conducts a survey of our membership to create an annual snapshot of the Nova Scotia Legal Profession.
These results help us better understand the diversity of the legal profession in our province but also allow us to see how the landscape of the profession is changing with each new year.
Here are a few highlights from this years Statistical Snapshot 2025.
To view the full Statistical Snapshot 2025 click here.
To view previous reports, please visit out Annual Reports & Financial Statements page.
Statistical Trends 2024 to 2025
*Bracketed materials represent change from numbers and percentages reported in the Statistical Snapshot 2024
Membership grew by 159 Individuals
- Membership grew from 3,543 to 3,702 in 2025 (reported October 2025).
- While members category distribution remained relatively stable, the two membership categories that saw the greatest increases were Practising (+49) and Non-Practising, included retired (+47).
Increase in Practising Lawyers based Outside NS
- The number of Nova Scotia practising lawyers based “Outside Nova Scotia” increased from 146 to 168 (+22): an increased geographical distribution of 0.8% from the previous year.
- The geographical distribution of lawyers in Halifax Regional Municipality and Southwestern Nova Scotia showed marginal increases (+0.2% and +0.4%, respectively)
- The geographical distribution of lawyers in Central Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Nova Scotia showed marginal decreases (-0.1% and -0.3%, respectively)
Increase in Members of Equity Deserving Communities
- Amongst Practising Lawyers there was a reported increase in Members of Equity Deserving Communities in the 0-7 years since call category.
- These results represented reported identification, because of this, numbers may vary due to the comfort-level of individuals to self-identify as belonging to a particular community.
| Years Since Call | African N.S. | African Descent | Mi’Kmaq | Indigenous | Racialized | 2SLGBTQ+ | Person with a Disability |
| 0-7 | 30 (+4) | 39 (+7) | 18 (0) | 19 (+2) | 53 (+14) | 86 (+19) | 54 (+16) |
| African N.S. | African Descent | Mi’Kmaq | Indigenous | Racialized | 2SLGBTQ+ | Person with a Disability | |
| Total (Change from 2024) | 61 (+7) | 58 (+7) | 48 (+3) | 39 (+7) | 84 (+18) | 149 (+30) | 119 (+30) |
Most Common Areas of Practice
- Corporate / Commercial / Banking: 10.4% (-0.6%)
- Real Estate: 9.0% (-0.2%)
- Criminal – Prosecution: 7.3% (+0.6%)
- Family – Other than Child Protection: 6.9% (-0.4%)
- Wills, Estates & Trusts: 6.5% (+0.5%)
Least Common Areas of Practice
- Elder: 0.2% (0)
- Indigenous: 0.4% (+0.1%)
- Bankruptcy and Insolvency: 0.5% (-0.2%)
- Intellectual Property / Franchises / Patents: 0.6% (+0.1%)
- Marine / Shipping / Fisheries: 0.6% (-0.1%)
- Military / Aviation: 0.6% (+0.1%)
Largest Increase in Area of Practice
- Criminal – Prosecution: 7.3% (+0.5%)
- Wills, Estates & Trusts: 6.5% (+0.5%)
- Family – Child Protection: 3.3% (+0.4%)
Largest Decrease in Area of Practice
- Corporate / Commercial / Banking: 10.4% (-0.6%)
- Family – Other than Child Protection: 6.9% (-0.4%)
- Environmental / Natural Resources / Energy: 0.9% (-0.3%)