In a ceremony held at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront, the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society recognized the recipients of our annual Distinguished Service Award (DSA), Award for Mi’kmaq & Indigenous Peoples Excellence in the Legal Profession (AMIE), and Longstanding Service Award for 50 years of practice.
The afternoon saw colleagues and family members come together in celebration of the longstanding careers and achievements of this year’s award and certificate recipients.
“We often speak about legal excellence in terms of outcomes or milestones, but what we’re recognizing here tonight goes beyond that,” said Candee McCarthy, Acting President of the NSBS. “It’s also about dedication and service. The kind that doesn’t always make headlines but that builds trust in our profession over time. The kind that strengthens communities, supports colleagues, and quietly sets the standard for those who follow.”
Longstanding Service Awards
This year saw seven lawyers receive the Society’s Longstanding Service Award for 50 years of practice within the legal profession. Those recognized included:
- Peter Belliveau
- A. Lawrence Graham KC
- Charles Lienaux
- Michael Power KC
- Gerard Tompkins KC
- George White KC
- Maurice McGillivray KC
Distinguished Service Award
Following the Longstanding Service Awards, Candee McCarthy presented the 2025 Distinguished Service Award to Gordon Hebb KC with his family in attendance. The DSA recognizes an individual of unimpeachably good character, whose professional service and achievements have helped enrich their community and the practice of law in Nova Scotia. The recipient espouses the highest ideals of the legal profession, with a focus on bettering not only the legal profession but the community around them, setting a standard towards which all members can look for inspiration.
Learn more about Gordon Hebb KC here.
Award for Mi’kmaq & Indigenous Peoples Excellence in the Legal Profession
The final award of the evening was the 2025 Award for Mi’kmaq & Indigenous Peoples Excellence in the Legal Profession. This year’s award recipient was Jennifer Cox KC. The AMIE recognizes Mi’kmaq or Indigenous lawyers who over the course of their legal career have shown a commitment to community service, legal reform, leadership, and mentorship. The award was presented to Ms. Cox by Tina Northrop, NSBS Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee, who had the following to say:
Jennifer is an incredible Mi’kmaw lawyer who has been a strong leader and advocate for the Mi’kmaq and for Indigenous peoples across Canada. She has made significant contributions throughout her career to Indigenous communities across the country, including through her leadership in the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and her work on amendments to the Children and Family Services Act and associated regulations and policies […] Her trailblazing work has forged a path for others in the legal profession and shows that positive change is achievable. Her actions embody the spirit of the AMIE Award.
In her acceptance speech, Ms. Cox spoke to the importance of awards like the AMIE to spotlight the achievements of Indigenous lawyers across the province, which often remain unseen and unrecognized by the larger legal profession. She also emphasized the need for greater support of up-and-coming Indigenous lawyers to help meet the needs of communities across Nova Scotia.
Learn more about Jennifer Cox KC here.
Candee McCarthy closed the evening by reflecting on what the legal profession can be at its best: “thoughtful, committed, and grounded in service to others.”
Many of the individuals we are recognizing tonight have also given their time and energy beyond their own practices—mentoring younger lawyers, contributing to the profession and the Society, and helping shape its direction in ways that often go unseen, but are deeply felt […] So while we are here to celebrate individual achievements, we are also, in a broader sense, recognizing the values that define this profession at its best—and the people who have carried those values forward with consistency and care.
Congratulations to all the 2025/2026 award and certificate recipients.
If you would like copies of any photos from the event, please contact communications@nsbs.org.