Current Council

Michelle Kelly is a Partner with Cox & Palmer and practices in commercial and insurance litigation.  Michelle was admitted to the Nova Scotia Bar in 2004 and graduated from UNB with her LLB in 2003.  Michelle has spent the last 20 years zealously representing her clients across Nova Scotia and has appeared at all levels of Court in the Province.

Within her Firm, Michelle has had the role of Finance Partner and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Partner as part of the Management Team at Cox & Palmer.  She currently acts as the Regional Chair of the EDI Committee and sits on Cox & Palmer’s Regional Board.

From 2019 to 2023, Michelle served as a Member of Bar Council and has also served on the Professional Responsibility Policies and Procedures Committee, the Supreme Court Liaison Committee and Co-Chaired the Gender Equity Committee.  Outside of NSBS, Michelle has served on various boards including Chairing the Board for Alice House for a number of years, serving on the Board of the Jamaican Cultural Association of Nova Scotia and sitting as a Member of the Advisory Council for the Status of Women before assuming the President role with that organization from 2018-2019.

Michelle received her QC (now KC) in 2021 and in 2023 was named one of Canada’s Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers by Canadian Lawyer.  She was also recently inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Candee McCarthy has over 20 years’ experience as a lawyer.

She served two terms on Council, was Co-Chair of the Society’s Gender Equity Committee, served on the Rural Practice Working Group and currently sits on the Law Office Management Standards Committee.

Candee has substantial board experience, including serving on boards that promote EDIA interests. She also has experience with Legal Aid and small to mid-sized law firms. She currently runs her own firm with three associates. 

Originally from Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, Cheryl Hodder brings deep executive leadership experience to the role of Chief Executive Officer for Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society. Cheryl has more than 30 years of legal, governance and executive business experience, earning the respect of her peers through leadership in corporate, legal, and community organizations regionally, nationally, and internationally.

Cheryl has most recently served as Chief Sustainability and Legal Officer with Canada Post Corporation (CPC), based in Ottawa, and she has been leading a team across a diverse portfolio that is directly relevant to NSBS’s mandate. Cheryl’s role saw her as executive responsible for Indigenous Reconciliation and with other executives shared responsibility for EDI, as a pillar of Canada Post’s ESG strategy. She also provided support to the work of a diverse employee group involved in developing a new anti-racism charter. And, as part of the learning path and process around the organization’s accessibility strategy, she has undertaken extensive consultation across the country involving diverse groups with lived experience, and she has had the opportunity to be involved in intensive unconscious bias training. Cheryl is an officer of the corporation and a member of the senior management team reporting to the CEO. CPC is one of Canada’s largest crown corporations, generating $8.2B in revenue annually, with more than 64,000 employees across Canada.

Prior to her role at CPC, she was a Partner at McInnes Cooper from 2005-2019, one of Canada’s 25 most prominent law firms. Her primary areas of practice were corporate governance and business. She was Managing Partner of the Halifax Office for four years and Vice-Chair of the firm. Cheryl was named one of the best lawyers in Canada in corporate governance every year from 2011-2018 by Best Lawyers in Canada. In 2010, she was named Atlantic Canada’s first Women of Influence and was appointed to the Queen’s Counsel. She was previously Vice President, Legal Services and Risk Management for a large Atlantic Canadian company, where she also acted as General Counsel to a group of private companies.

Cheryl is a corporate governance expert, a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors, and earned her ICD.D designation in 2012. She has served as a private company and crown corporation director and is currently a Mount Allison University Board of Regents member. She is a past director of Nova Scotia Business Inc., Halifax Chamber of Commerce, Scotsburn Dairy Cooperative, past chair of the Atlantic Chapter of the Institute of Corporate Directors, past chair of Film and Creative Industries Nova Scotia, and past chair of the national board of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. She has served as a board director of many volunteer organizations, including Lex Mundi, Symphony Nova Scotia, Neptune Theatre, and the QEII Health Foundation. Cheryl is also a past Honorary Consul of Sweden for Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland & Labrador. She has served as Academic Director and Facilitator for the Institute of Corporate Directors and has taught law and business courses at Dalhousie Law School and Saint Mary’s University. She has had direct experience as a regulator and served as Chair of the Human Rights Board of Inquiry.

Cheryl received the Canadian Bar Association’s Community Service Award for contributing to many community organizations and boards, including the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. In 2013, she received a Progress Woman of Excellence Award.

Jennifer C. MacDonald is a Partner at Portside Law LLP in Sydney, with a practice focused largely on family and children’s law. Jenn was admitted to the New Brunswick Bar in 2009 and the Nova Scotia Bar as a transfer in early 2011. She has worked extensively in child protection, both doing Agency work and representing Respondents. Jenn spent the last three years working in Eskasoni First Nation representing Mi’kmaw Family and Children’s Services of Nova Scotia in Indigenous child protection. She worked for five years in family, child protection and social justice law with Nova Scotia Legal Aid and the four years prior working in general litigation and family law in private practice in both Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. She has appeared at all levels of court in Nova Scotia and has served on a number of Bench and Bar committees through the courts.

Jenn is a passionate advocate for access to justice and has served on a number of access to justice initiatives. She acts as a per diem Summary Advice Counsel, has been a volunteer Parent Information Program facilitator at the courts since 2014 and served on Legal Aid’s Children and Family Services Act (CFSA) and Gender Equity Committees. She has served on the Family Services of Eastern Nova Scotia’s Board of Directors since 2018 and presently serves as the Executive Treasurer and is a past Board Member for Junior Achievement New Brunswick and was a committee member for Nova Scotia’ chapter of Health Providers Against Poverty.

Jenn has a Bachelor of Laws from University of New Brunswick (2008) and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Memorial University (2005). She founded and ran a small business consulting firm as a law student and in 2007 was named the Student Entrepreneur of the Year for New Brunswick by Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship and CIBC Small Business. Jenn is also a self-professed adrenaline junkie, marathoner, skydiver, downhill skier, hiker and world traveller. She lives in Sydney, Cape Breton with her husband, 6-year-old daughter and rescue pup.

Desiree Jones-Matthias (she/her) is an African Nova Scotian woman from the community of Upper Hammonds Plains. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Law and Society. She graduated from the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University in 2020 and was admitted to the Nova Scotia Bar in 2022. She articled with Nova Scotia Legal Aid prior to joining the African Nova Scotian Justice Institute as Junior Legal Counsel in July 2022. Her practice focuses on criminal defence and social/racial justice policy reform.

During law school, she won the Sarah Jane Welch Prize for Criminal Law for her essay analyzing the role of anti-Black racism in miscarriages of justice. She completed a term at Dalhousie Legal Aid Clinic, an internship at Innocence Canada, served as Chair of the Dalhousie Student Union Judicial Board, and participated in Pro Bono Dalhousie projects. As a summer law student at NSBS, she contributed to the revamp of the cultural competency component of the Skills Course and the development of the Equity Lens Toolkit.

Desiree has been awarded for her high level of community commitment and service. Desiree gave birth to her son during her final year of law school, who continues to be her motivation for continuous learning, pursuing justice and social equity. In 2020, she received the Judge Corrine Sparks Award and the Nova Scotia Criminal Justice Association Student Award, both of which recognized her commitment to using her legal education for the benefit of community. She served as Vice President and Community Liaison for the Dalhousie Black Law Students’ Association. She is a long-term member of the Upper Hammonds Plains Community Development Association and sits on the Nova Scotia College of Pharmacists Hearing Committee. She was appointed to the NSBS Racial Equity Committee in January 2023.

Jane O’Neill has a reputation as one of the leading commercial litigators in Nova Scotia. With a practice focused on dispute resolution, Jane is committed to finding solutions that make sense for her clients and their businesses.

Highly regarded for her practice, Jane advises clients on all areas of dispute resolution, including commercial litigation, contract disputes, shareholder disputes, securities litigation, class actions, appeals, judicial review and alternative dispute resolution.

Jane is a past member of the firm’s Board of Directors. She is a former law clerk to the Honourable Justice Bastarache at the Supreme Court of Canada and the Honourable Justice McKeown at the Federal Court. She has appeared in all courts and has extensive knowledge of Nova Scotia Supreme Court, Federal Court and Supreme Court of Canada practice. Jane is a member of the Barristers’ Society of Nova Scotia, the Law Society of Ontario and the Law Society of Nunavut. Jane received her Queen’s Counsel Designation in 2017. She is also an active supporter of children’s groups and mental health organizations.

Rob Kennedy is a Senior Crown attorney with the Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service (PPS).  He graduated from Saint Mary’s University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Dalhousie Law School in 2008 with a Bachelor of Laws.  He was admitted to the Nova Scotia Bar in June 2009.

After a brief time carrying on a general practice, Rob was appointed a per diem Crown attorney in December 2009, conducting prosecutions throughout the province.  In March 2011, he was appointed a Crown attorney in the Dartmouth office of the PPS.  In September 2020, he transitioned to his current role with the Appeals and Special Prosecutions Section, where he handles cybercrime offences and other major cases throughout the province.  Within the PPS, Rob presents to Crown colleagues at conferences and mentors new Crown attorneys and law students. 

Since September 2017, Rob has been an adjunct professor in the Criminology Department at Saint Mary’s University, teaching Criminal Law, as well as Sexualized Violence.  He previously taught Business Law at Acadia University from September 2012 to September 2017.  He regularly supervises and mentors law students through the Criminal Clinic Program and acts as a judge for law students preparing for the Gale Cup Moot.  Rob is a faculty member of the Halifax Regional Police Cadet Program where he presents on criminal law topics.  He is also an editor of textbook manuscripts for Oxford University Press.

Rob has been very involved in the local soccer community for many years.  He currently coaches youth soccer with Suburban FC.  He also refereed soccer for over 20 years, officiating many national tournaments throughout Canada, mentoring young officials, participating in governance locally, and presenting at symposiums to fellow officials. 

Rob is the father of two daughters, Elyse (10) and Farrah (8).

J. Patrick Young is a Senior Crown Attorney with the Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service in Pictou. He was called to the Bar in Nova Scotia in 2010, having previously been admitted to the P.E.I. Bar in 2006 and Alberta in 2007, and has appeared in all levels of Court in the province.

Patrick was elected to Council in 2019 to represent the Central District. He has been a member of the Society’s Law Professional Standards (Criminal) Committee since 2013, and serves on the Governance Committee, and the Distinguished Service Award Committee. He has also served on the Executive of the Pictou County Barristers’ Society since 2011, and in 2016 he became its President. He currently sits as Co-Chair of the PPS Education Committee.

Patrick regularly presents to Crown Attorneys at conferences and education workshops, various police agencies, and public groups on the subject of criminal law and justice.

Patrick and his wife, Melanie, a lawyer in a busy private practice, have two children. He coaches their baseball teams, is Chair of their school’s Parent Advisory Committee, and has volunteered at their breakfast program.

Jamie has practiced personal injury and insurance law since 1994, and exclusively since 1999.  He is the principal and founder of MacGillivray Law which is now one of the region’s leading Plaintiff personal injury practices and the largest in Atlantic Canada.  Jamie has extensive trial experience with 39 entries for decisions in the CanLii case law database.

D. Fraser MacFadyen graduated from Dalhousie Law School in 1985. He proceeded to article and then practice in BC until 1989.

In 1989, Fraser returned to Nova Scotia and joined Stewart McKelvey where he currently practices in the commercial area with a current concentration in more complex commercial property matters.

He has previously an instructor for several years with the Society’s Bar Admission program and he co-instructed Corporate Finance at Dalhousie Law School. Fraser was also previously the President of the CBA Real Estate Subsection for NS.

Fraser has contributed to his community throughout his career and is the past Chair of Feed Nova Scotia (2005-2010) and he was a board member at Halifax’s Sacred Heart School.

Nicole MacIsaac leads Valley Family Law, a full-service family law firm in the Annapolis Valley. In addition to notable experience handling intimate partner violence and power imbalances in relationships, Nicole has the capacity to see her clients through negotiations and litigation in emotionally trying times with compassion and a practical approach to resolving their legal issues.

As a certified mediator and collaborative family lawyer, Nicole encourages her clients to engage in alternative dispute resolution whenever possible. Nevertheless, Nicole regularly appears in the Supreme Court Family Division and relies upon her experience whenever litigation is necessary. Nicole obtained her B.Sc. Psychology at Dalhousie University, and her LL.B. at University of New Brunswick (2011). She is a member of the ADR Institute of Canada, the Association of Collaborative Family Law Professionals of Nova Scotia, and the Collaborative Professionals of Canada.

Colin J. M. Fraser practices at Hood Fraser d’Entremont in Yarmouth.  Colin was called to the Nova Scotia Bar in 2008 and represents many clients throughout Western Nova Scotia.  He has a general practice in civil litigation, criminal law, family law, real estate and wills & estates.

Colin was elected Member of Parliament for West Nova in 2015, serving until 2019. He is currently President of the Yarmouth County Barristers’ Society and serves on the Board of Juniper House and the Yarmouth Refugee Support Group.

Patricia Jones graduated from the University of Alberta and then joined Legal Aid as an articled clerk in 2006.  She began her practice with the Dartmouth Criminal Legal Aid office the following  year, transferring to the HRM Duty Counsel Office in 2015.  She became the manager of that office in the fall of 2022.   

Patricia is active on several committees relevant to her practice of criminal law.  She volunteers her time as second year moot judge for the Schulich School of Law and for the Schulich School of Law Gale Cup.  She also supervises students as part of the HRCE coop each year, and has mentored articled clerks.

In her spare time, she enjoys various volunteer roles such as being the Co-Director of the Youth Running Series, and the former Run Organizer for the Dartmouth Terry Fox Run.  She is an active volunteer within the running community, and has been present to cheer on runners as a volunteer at each finish line of the 17-leg, 30-hour Cabot Trail relay for the last 10 years.

Glenn Hubbard is a Senior Crown Attorney with the Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service (PPS), practicing in Halifax.  He graduated from the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts in History (Distinction) before continuing his education at the U of S Law School, where he graduated in 2001. 

Beginning his career in Vancouver, B.C., Glenn was called to the Bar in 2002.  Initially working as a criminal defence lawyer, Glenn moved to Nova Scotia in 2008 to work for the PPS.  Although now primarily involved in appellate work, he has argued criminal cases before all levels of Court, including on three occasions, to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Glenn is involved in youth sports programs in Nova Scotia including coaching minor basketball as well as assisting in the development of junior elite provincial/national/international tennis players.

Bryan Darrell, P. Eng, FEIC of Halifax was appointed as a Public Representative on Council in 2019 and also currently serves on the Governance & Nominating Committee.  

A professional engineer, Bryan is the Senior Executive Director, Infrastructure Department of Seniors & Long Term Care for the Province of Nova Scotia, where he oversees the development, planning and delivery of major provincial health care projects. He is recognized nationally as an expert in health care infrastructure management. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Acadia University, a Diploma in Engineering from Saint Mary’s University and a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering from the Technical College of Nova Scotia (TUNS).

Bryan brings vast board and governance experience to the Society, having served as both a Councillor and President of Engineers Nova Scotia, as board member of the Capital District Health Authority, as Chair of the Dalhousie Legal Aid board, as Treasurer of the Halifax Community Investment Fund and the St. Margaret’s Sailing Club, among others. From 2008 to 2018, he sat on the National Research Council’s Standing Committee on Energy Efficiency in Buildings.

An active community member, Bryan volunteers with local organizations such as Feed Nova Scotia, Hope Blooms, Ride for Cancer and Harbour Swim.

Kothai Kumanan is an Academic Quality Assurance Consultant at the Nova Scotia Community College. She has worked extensively in policy analysis, research, and strategy. Kothai has worked on numerous projects and programs for the Nova Scotia Health Authority and has a strong background in working with public and private sector organizations.

Kothai has a Master’s degree in Health Administration from Dalhousie University, a Diploma in Health Administration, and a Bachelor of Science degree from King’s College. Kothai has co-authored numerous publications on healthcare and healthcare administration.

Kothai also serves on the Board of Directors of Im/migrant Women’s Association of Halifax (IMWAH), volunteers with Hospice Halifax, and is a past Program Co-Chair for the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC).     

Micah MacIsaac is a proud member of the African Nova Scotian community, with generational ties to Africville, and nearly 18 years of public service.  

After majoring in Political Sciences at Mount Saint Vincent University, he went on to graduate from Dalhousie University’s School of Social Work, starting his professional practice in Northern Alberta, working with Indigenous children and families.

Holding a practice licence in Nova Scotia through the NS College of Social Workers, he returned to beautiful NS to work with the Department of Community Services, working to support children and families at risk, in several roles, both front line and eventually at their Head Office in a consulting capacity.

At the time, with 15 years of government service working on files related to examining root causes for complex social issues, in 2021, he became the Senior Project Lead for the development of the African Nova Scotian Justice Action Plan at the Department of Justice.

Through collaborative partnerships with African Nova Scotian community members, leaders, and service providers, the department supported the implementation of The African Nova Scotian Justice Institute; a historic first for Nova Scotia and recognized nationally for its unique program and service delivery model. In 2022, he produced a What We Heard report, based on 32 community engagement sessions with ANS communities talking about their experiences with the justice system, that was released jointly by Minister Johns and Minster Dunn, to Nova Scotians.

Currently Micah is working at the Nova Scotia Government’s Executive Council Office, as a Cabinet Advisor to the Executive Branch. Most recently, Micah had been working in NS Department of Justice’s Office of Strategic Advisor to the Deputy Minister, as a Senior Policy Analyst supporting the creation of Nova Scotia’s Indigenous Justice Action Strategy.

When not working, he enjoys quality time with his family, coaching youth basketball, and completing the MBA Essentials program, through the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management.     

Carole Lee Reinhardt has enjoyed an extensive career in executive leadership and management supplemented by a Graduate Degree in Management and a CPA designation. Her expertise in organizational development, strategy and financial management saw her leading major initiatives in investment, immigration, innovation, policing, and productivity. During her three-decade career in the public sector, she produced over a thousand policies, three hundred business plans and over a hundred strategic plans through collaborative processes.  For the past six years, she has focused on leading member-based organizations and consulting on policy and governance matters. 

Carole Lee lives in Mahone Bay and enjoys getting out on her water on her vintage Boston Whaler, mountain biking and restoring her mid-century modern home. She is a dedicated member of the “Home Exchange Network” and loves to travel.