March InForum - Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society

March InForum: Submit your At-Large Nomination, District Election Results

Nominations Open for the At-Large Election

Are you interested in contributing to the profession as an NSBS Council member? We encourage all eligible members to submit your nomination for the At-Large Election by April 5th.

The At-Large Election is the second phase of the Council Election process. All lawyers and non-practising members from anywhere in Nova Scotia who are in good standing are eligible to be nominated. All members are eligible to vote in the At-Large election. To submit a nomination:

Complete the Society’s member At-Large nomination form
Complete and include your candidate biography form and a colour or black and white head & shoulders photo with your submission.
Send all documents to the Executive Director at [email protected] on or before Monday, April 5, 2021.

Diversity of representation on Council is a key priority as we want to ensure our governing body reflects Nova Scotia’s legal profession as we work towards our 2019-2022 Strategic Goal of ensuring that Nova Scotians are served by a legal profession that is diverse, inclusive and culturally competent.

Questions? Review our Council Election FAQs, email [email protected] or call 902 422-1491.

2021 Halifax District Election Results

From left to right: Angelina Amaral, Morgan Manzer, Josie McKinney and Melanie Petrunia

Four members were elected to the Society’s Council Monday, March 15^th following the 2021 Halifax District Election. They will begin their two-year terms (2021-2023) following the 2021 Annual Meeting on June 19^th.

The successful candidates were Angelina Amaral, Morgan Manzer, Josie McKinney and Melanie Petrunia. As Council members, these successful candidates will lead the Society and lend their voices and unique insights to decisions that impact Nova Scotia’s legal profession. Learn more about the newly elected Council members.

2021 Halifax District Election Results

Angelina Amaral, 401 votes, 16%
D. Fraser MacFadyen, 333 votes, 13%
Morgan Manzer, 409 votes, 16%
Josie McKinney, 389 votes, 15%
Melanie Petrunia, 437 votes, 17%
Mark Rieksts, 278 votes, 11%
Terry Sheppard, 323 votes, 13%

Voter turnout for this election was 41.65%, with 828 of a total of 1988 eligible voters casting electronic ballots. Voter turnout increased 10.69% compared to the Society’s 2019 Halifax District Election.

Thank you to our members who participated in the 2021 Halifax District Election!

Provide Your Input on Draft Criminal Law Standards: Charter Applications and Cultural Competence

The Society’s Criminal Law Standards Committee is seeking your feedback on the following two new proposed Criminal Law Standards:

Cultural Competence – This draft standard will help to identify accused persons for whom there are additional legal requirements, and to understand what those requirements are and how they work. Brandon Rolle and Christa Thompson were the principal drafters of this Standard.
Charter Applications – This draft standard provides guidance on how to identify and litigate a Charter issue. Patrick Young QC was the principal drafter of this Standard.

These Standards would apply to everyone practising criminal law if passed by the Society’s Council.

Your feedback on the draft standards is essential as we need firsthand insight from practising lawyers on how these standards would be applied.

How to Provide Feedback:

Review the draft Criminal Standards – the draft Cultural Competence Standard and the draft Charter Applications Standard.
Submit your feedback by completing our online form(s) specific to the standard you are providing feedback on or by emailing your feedback to [email protected]
Provide your feedback by Friday, April 30, 2021. Feedback will be compiled and provided to the Criminal Law Professional Standards Committee.

The Committee uses your direct feedback to improve the draft and eventually bring the revised draft to Council for approval. Once approved, the Standard becomes a requirement pursuant to the NSBS Regulations. Standards are valuable reference tools to help practitioners stay up-to-date and avoid pitfalls. Learn more about how a Standard is created.

If you have any questions about the Standards process or how to integrate them into your practice, connect with the Society’s Legal Services Support Lawyer, Rob McCleave at [email protected].

Thank you for your time and valued insight into these draft Standards.

Lawyers’ Insurance Association of Nova Scotia

Changes in Category: February 25, 2021-March 24, 2021

In every issue of our newsletter InForum, we provide updates on category changes.

The following members have changed to Practising status:

Mallory Erna Barbara Arnott

Ashley Jennifer Hill

Jessica Sarah Finlayson Irving

Morgan Kenny Knox

Christina Marion Lazier

Alyssa Micheal Rahey

Stefan Peter Schmidt

The following members have changed to Non-Practising status:

Sarah Julianne Belong

Kathleen Elizabeth MacKay Boyle

Suhanya Pushpam Edwards

Claire Frances Gillivan

Jennifer Lynn Madore

Joseph Royden Trainor

Mark Clayton Wells

The following members have Retired:

Derek S.T. Baldwin
Karin Ann McCaskill

For Your Information

Missing Wills

Name on will: Enrico Morrone
Last known residence: Halifax, NS
Any lawyers with information please contact: Mary Jane McGinty at [email protected] or 902-422-5881. Looking for original will which was drafted Sept.9th,1980. Have 3 copies of original. Law firm at the time was Donahoe, Davies, Watson, Gregg ,and McGillvery

Name on will: Audrey Garber
Any lawyers with information please contact: Geoff Garber (grandson) at [email protected] or 902-225-5708

Name on will: Gordon Jenkins
Any lawyers with information please contact: Emilie Jenkins at [email protected] or 902-825-3145

Name on will: Roderick “Cam” Camillus MacNeil
Last known residence: Eastern Passage, NS
Any lawyers with information please contact: Bradford Yull at [email protected] or 902-893-0243. Mr. MacNeil of 59 Cannon Crescent Eastern Passage, passed away September 11, 2020. He was a retired RCEME Royal Canadian Electronics Mechanical Engineer. The family believes he had a Will done in the Halifax area in 2012, but have been unable to locate the Will.

Men’s Court Attire For Sale

Trousers (32” waist, 28” inseam), waistcoat (38” chest) and gown. All in excellent condition. If you appreciate tradition, the gown was made in 1975 and has been worn in all levels of NS Courts, Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court of Canada. Selling all for $300. Suit bag included. Contact [email protected]

Fall River Law Office – Jo-Ann Parsons Retirement

Our Property Assistant Jo-Ann Parsons will be retiring at the end of March. Jo-Ann has been a property paralegal since 1972. She worked for Walter Hopkins and Bob Hines before joining Barb Mac Lellan and her team at Fall River Law in 2011.

Since Jo-Ann has been in the business for forty-nine years (!) we know that she has had many interactions with the real estate bar and has developed friendships with many of her fellow real estate professionals over the years. Since we can’t have the party we would like to have to celebrate Jo-Ann’s well-earned retirement, we are getting the word out to let people know she is retiring. Please pass this message along to your property assistants as well!

I am collecting well wishes to create a “virtual guestbook” for Jo-Ann (feel free to include a fun story if you have one). If you’d like to contribute please email to me at [email protected] with the subject “Jo-Ann’s retirement”. “Real” cards can also be sent to 3161 Highway 2, Fall River, N.S. PO Box 2038, B2T 1K6.

If you would like to stop in to say goodbye in person during Jo-Ann’s last week, feel free to reach out to her directly at [email protected].

Council News

March Council Meeting Package

News from the NS Courts

Career Opportunities

Upcoming Events

These events include NSBS events as well as professional development opportunities and related events posted to the events page on our website.