On September 18, 2026, the Council of the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society passed a motion to adopt the Competencies for Entry to Legal Practice (CELP), with the addition of an African Nova Scotian competency section, to replace the Society’s existing entry-to-practice competency framework.
The motion to adopt CELP is the first step in the work to integrate the framework into the articling and admission program. Those starting articles in June 2027 will not be affected.
The new CELP competency profile is the product of extensive collaboration among five Canadian law societies and the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLED). The decision to adopt the new framework has been informed by broad consultation, including focus groups with principals, recently called lawyers, government and in-house counsel, law firms, legal educators, and other interested parties across Nova Scotia.
The Society’s current competency framework has remained substantially unchanged since 2017. During that time, legal practice has evolved significantly through advances in technology, changing client expectations, and an increasingly mobile legal profession. The new competency profile strives to modernize the competencies expected of entry-level lawyers while aligning Nova Scotia with British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, all of which have adopted the CELP.
The adoption of the new CELP signals a new, modern, and consistent approach to lawyer development across five of Canada’s common law jurisdictions. More information regarding the new framework will be released in the coming months.
Should you have any questions please reach out to Jonathan Saumier at licensing@nsbs.org.