The Regulations, made pursuant to the Legal Profession Act, set out the specific responsibilities and standards all lawyers are required to meet. These Regulations govern all aspects of the regulatory process including admission standards, administrative obligations of lawyers and law firms, requirements for the operation of trust accounts, complaint and hearing processes and more.
Part 1 – Definitions & General
Part 2 – Managing Society Affairs, Executive Director, Council, Elections and Committees
- 2.1 Executive Director is Chief Executive Officer
- 2.2 Annual Meeting
- 2.3 Council
- 2.4 Elections
- 2.5 Council Election Years
- 2.6 Second Vice – President Election
- 2.7 Appointed Council Members
- 2.8 Absence
- 2.9 Committees
- 2.10 Quorum
Part 3 – Admissions
- 3.1 Interpretation
- 3.2 Exceptional circumstances
- 3.3 Application for enrolment as an articled clerk
- 3.4 Requirement of Articled Clerks
- 3.5 Application to be a Principal
- 3.6 Society to Offer Program
- 3.7 Dalhousie Law School
- 3.8 Application for Admission
- 3.9 Call to the Bar
- 3.10 Internal Review by Review Subcommittee
- 3.11 Credentials Appeal Panel
Part 4 – Obligations of Lawyers and Law Firms
- 4.1 Compliance obligations of lawyers
- 4.2 Fees
- 4.3 Annual Lawyer Report
- 4.4 Notice to Society: Bankruptcy, Judgment, Criminal Charges, Guilty of Offence
- 4.5 Suspensions
- 4.6 Compliance Obligations of Law Firms and Sole Practitioners
- 4.7 Designated Lawyer
- 4.8 Registration of Law Firms
- 4.9 Self-Assessment
- 4.10 Operating a Trust Account
- 4.11 Annual Reporting
- 4.12 Cash Transactions
- 4.13 Client Identification
- 4.14 Member Records
Part 5 – Membership Categories, Changes of Category, Obligations, Suspensions
- 5.1 Interpretation
- 5.2 Exceptional Circumstances
- 5.3 Categories of Membership
- 5.4 Reinstatement of Former Judges
- 5.5 Change of Member Category to Non-practising, Retired or Life Member
- 5.6 Change of Member Category Non-Practising to Practising
- 5.7 Change of Category: Non-Practising to Retired or Life Member
- 5.8 Application to Resign
- 5.10 Application for Readmission
Part 6 – Lawyers From Other Jurisdictions
- 6.1 Interpretation
- 6.2 Temporary Mobility by a Member of another Canadian Jurisdiction
- 6.3 Permanent Mobility of Lawyers from within Canada
- 6.4 Permanent Mobility of Québec Notaries
- 6.5 Application for Permanent Mobility by a Lawyer from Outside Canada
- 6.6 Application for Temporary Practice by a Lawyer from Outside Canada
- 6.7 Foreign Legal Consultants
Part 7 – LLP’s and Law Corporations
- 7.1 Interpretation
- 7.2 Interjurisdictional Law Firms
- 7.3 Registration of a Nova Scotia LLP
- 7.4 Application for Law Corporation Permit
Part 8 – Standards
- 8.1 Code of Professional Conduct
- 8.2 Professional Standards – Real Property Transactions
- 8.3 Promotion of High Standards
- 8.4 Library
Part 9 – Professional Responsibility
- 1.1 Interpretation
- 9.2 Complaints
- 9.3 Fitness to Practise Committee
- 9.4 Review of Dismissal by Complaints Review Committee
- 9.5 Authority of the Complaints Investigation Committee
- 9.6 Lawyer Conduct in Another Jurisdiction
- 9.7 Review of Practice
- 9.8 Charges Laid
- 9.9 Proceedings Management Meeting
- 9.10 Notice of Hearing
- 9.11 Pre-Hearing Conference
- 9.12 Proposed Settlement Agreement
- 9.13 Evidence
- 9.14 Disposition of Charge
- 9.15 Sanction in Foreign Jurisdiction
Part 10 – Trust Accounts
- 10.1 Definitions
- 10.2 Receipt of Trust Property
- 10.3 Withdrawal from a Trust Account
- 10.4 Maintenance of Records
- 10.5 Service Nova Scotia Trust Account
- 10.6 Reporting and Addressing Errors
- 10.7 Audit by the Executive Director
Part 11 – Lawyers’ Fund for Client Compensation, Land Registration Act Compensation Fund
- 11.1 Interpretation
- 11.2 Purpose of Fund
- 11.3 Application for Compensation
- 11.4 Review of Claims
- 11.5 Consideration by Council
- 11.6 Assignment and Release of Information
- 11.7 Cap on Payments
- 11.8 Interjurisdictional Payments
- 11.9 Interpretation
Part 12 – Lawyers’ Insurance Association of Nova Scotia (LIANS)
- 12.1 Interpretation
- 12.2 Composition of Board
- 12.3 Board Meetings
- 12.4 Director
- 12.5 Expense Sharing Agreement
- 12.6 Deductible