The Society’s Library is open during Courthouse hours (8:30-4:30) and after hour access is available with membership card. To gain after hours access, have your member card ready to present to the Commissionaire.
The Barristers’ Gowning Room is open at the Law Courts. Please contact the Society’s Library staff at [email protected] or call (902) 425-2665 or connect with the Sheriffs upon entry to the courthouse to receive the room access code.
Library Supports for Lawyers
The Society’s Library supports all members – with a focus on practising lawyers and articled clerks – with the following:
- Identifying relevant materials to help answer an information need;
- Troubleshooting difficulties with online information sources;
- Determining if material in the Halifax Barristers’ Library is available for loan;
- Borrowing circulating materials;
- Accessing materials from another library through interlibrary loan;
- Carrying out a legislative history; and
- Obtaining a copy of a case, statute or article not directly available to the lawyer.
We do not perform in-depth research for lawyers. Contact us for a current list of researchers who provide legal research services.
Library Resources
These online resources licensed for lawyer use are available on the library user computers at the Barristers’ Library in Halifax, and the Simon J. Khattar Memorial Barristers’ Library in Sydney:
- Four divisions (I – Commercial and General, II – Corporations, IV – Leases & V – Wills and Trusts) of O’Brien’s Encyclopedia of Forms in WestlawNext Canada
- Halsbury’s Laws of Canada legal encyclopedia, the Pleadings, Motions & Facta filings gallery, as well as a wealth of commentary such as journals, law reviews and premium texts & treatises. Key areas of practice covered include Criminal Law, Family Law, Wills & Estates Law and Civil Litigation in LexisNexis Advanced Quicklaw
- LexisNexis Practical Guidance provides authoritative, step-by-step guidance in managing matters and completing tasks efficiently while avoiding potential pitfalls through tools such as checklists, practice notes, precedents with drafting notes, alternative clauses and current awareness legislation trackers and articles. Key areas of practice include Real Estate, Corporate, Commercial, Employment, Family, Wills & Estates, and Litigation.
- HeinOnline (U.S. and Canadian journals, U.S. primary law and case law links)
We provide access to current, practical Canadian legal resources to meet the basic needs of practising lawyers in Nova Scotia and the information needs of Society staff.
The Society provides desktop access to the Irwin Law eBook Collection, offering full-text Canadian legal commentary for members.
Find the Lawyers’ Reading Room on the navigation bar in the members area of the Society’s website. Access is restricted to members of the Nova Scotia Bar, and NSBS staff.
NSBS Library & Information Services
The Law Courts, seventh floor
1815 Upper Water Street
Halifax, NS B3J 1S7
T: 902 425 2665
Toll-free: 1 866 219 1202
F: 902 422 1697
[email protected]
Questions? Contact the Library at [email protected] or call 902-425-2665
Lawyers' Reading Room
Find the Lawyers’ Reading Room on the navigation bar in the members area of the Society’s website. Access is restricted to members of the Nova Scotia Bar, and NSBS staff.
Learn More Lawyers' Reading Room
Legislation
Nova Scotia’s Office of the Legislative Counsel provides bills, statutes and proclamations from the 1998-1999 session to date, as well as Statutes at Large, 1758 to 1835. The most current Table of Public Statutes and Index to Local and Private Acts are also provided.
Learn More Legislation