November InForum

Published on

November InForum: A New Tool to Help You Find Practice Resources, Upcoming Wellness Session & more

Back to Email Newsletter

Society News

Society Introduces a New Tool to Help Members Find Practice Resources

We’re excited to introduce a new tool on our website to help you find practice resources on our website to support you in your legal practice. 

The Society’s new practice resource search, accessible on our website at nsbs.org, will help you find websites, articles, webinars, podcasts, videos and more on topics from law firm management to equity and cultural competence. We’ll update this search often so you find relevant, updated and useful resources. 

How to search for a practice resource:  

  1. Type a search term into the search bar (e.g., succession planning) 
  1. Related resources will drop down below the search term
  1. Click on the resource you’re interested in – please note that many resources are links to external websites and will open up a new tab in your browser.
  1. Alternatively, you can scroll down the page to view our eight categories and either browse through the subcategories or click on the title of the category to view all resources under that category.
Access the practice resource search

Are you seeking a specific practice resource? Connect with our Legal Services Support team at [email protected]. 

Unlock and Create Space for Joy: Upcoming Wellness Session

Join the Society and LIANS on Tuesday, December 7, 2021, from 10:00-11:30 AM for “Unlock and Create Space for Joy”, a wellness session hosted by Kim MacDonald, MBA from 13 FACTORS for Business Growth.

This session may be eligible to count towards your annual CPD requirements. Lawyers and staff are welcome to attend this free virtual wellness session held via Zoom.

About Unlock and Create Space for Joy

Today’s health statistics and current environment make a strong case for taking stock as we go into the holiday season, especially after all the changes we have managed through over the last two years. Join us in this webinar that will explore what influences our thinking and responses to change, why we struggle with balance in our lives and provide solutions we can put into practice.

Have you thought about the differences between joy, happiness and other significant emotions that are part of the human experience? Can you translate that understanding to positive change that sticks in your workplace or personal life? Why care about the differences? Because your long-term mental health depends on it. Joy is part of the secret recipe for human thriving and long-term wellbeing.

Our speaker, Kim MacDonald, will challenge you to think differently about joy, stress and work. With very few exceptions until a few years ago, psychological science and positive psychology has largely neglected the systematic study of human joy. Today we know more; about its importance and how to shift behaviour and thinking. We can’t however talk about joy and work without talking about stress. We will dive into that relationship. We know it is essential for our overall health, personal motivation and to help us stay alert to what is important in life. But that doesn’t mean it is easy to deal with or even to understand.

In the session, we will explore stress at work, sources of joy and provide tips to move you toward better balance and space for a new perspective.”Register for Unlock and Create Space for Joy

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Please let us know if you have any accessibility accommodation requests to facilitate your participation by contacting Cynthia Nield at [email protected].

NSBS Library Open by Appointment Only on Tuesdays and Thursdays

The Society’s Library will re-open on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, to members/authorized secondary clientele on Tuesdays and Thursdays by appointment only. 

How the appointment system will work:

  • Members/authorized secondary clientele wishing to conduct a database search or library material search are asked to email the library at [email protected] or call (902) 425-2665 to book an appointment. Appointment bookings can be made anytime starting November 8th for the appointments starting Tuesday, November 16th.
    • Library appointments are for a maximum of 60 minutes, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Appointments are available at 9 am, 10:30 am and 2 pm.
    • If you reach the end of your research period and need another appointment, please speak with staff.
  • You must be fully vaccinated. Please provide your proof of vaccine in advance or have your proof of vaccination ready to show upon arrival to the appointment prior to entry. Refusal to complete this process will result in the cancellation of your appointment.
  • You are required to bring AND wear your own face covering and to follow safety guidelines while in the Library. Refusal to wear a face covering will be grounds for cancellation of your appointment.
  • Please arrive on time for your appointment. We want to ensure you have maximum time for your research and we need time to sanitize stations prior to the next appointment.
  • Photocopying and printing is available during your appointment, however, only staff will have access to the photocopier and will copy on your behalf. Members can invoice for all copies or print jobs. We will not accept cash at this time.

The health and safety of our members and staff is our top priority. We are complying with public health order directives including social distancing and cleaning requirements.

If you are ill on the day of your appointment, please contact the Library and reschedule your appointment. If you arrive at the library and show signs of illness and you have not cancelled the appointment, library staff reserve the right to cancel your appointment. Another appointment will be offered, if available.

We continue to offer “curbside” pick-up and drop-off and members can continue to access the library catalogue. The Lawyers’ Reading Room is accessible by logging into the member area of the Society’s website.

Please note that appointments are not available for general work/study, and we will not be able to accommodate walk-ins. After-hours access remains suspended for the foreseeable future.

Additional questions? Connect with us at [email protected] or review our contact information.

Complimentary Services from LexisNexis Sponsored by the Society’s Library

Legal Research & Practice Materials

Between December 1 and February 28, 2022, register for complimentary access to 2 key tools to support you in your legal research and practice management.  Access to these tools will be available from your office during this period.

Lexis Advance Quicklaw

Access the robust collection of caselaw that includes every case reported by publishers from 1970 forward and as well as all cases decided prior to 1970 that have been cited after 1970 are included.  LexisNexis also offers a unique collection of more than 140 boards and tribunals decisions from all jurisdictions. The collection includes over 944,000 Canadian tribunal decisions, many of which are not available elsewhere.

Lexis Practice Advisor

Practice Advisor provides step-by-step guidance in managing matters and completing tasks efficiently while avoiding potential pitfalls through tools such as checklists, flowcharts, precedents with drafting notes, alternative clauses and current awareness.  Practice notes are also included to help practitioners identify legal and procedural issues and solve them quickly, without the necessity of getting overwhelmed with legal history or theory.

Register for Lexis Advance® Quicklaw

You will receive an email from [email protected] with the URL to the service, your credentials and information on accessing complimentary support. Training that might be applied to your annual CPD plan is also available. You can register for the following sessions:

LexisNexis Newsletters and Podcasts & Webinars

PodCasts & Webinars

The LexisNexis series of podcasts and webinars feature timely discussions with top legal professionals from across Canada. They cover a wide range of timely issues within the legal profession and offer free CPD that can be applied to your annual plan. Access the recordings.

LexisNexis Newsletters

The LexisNexis newsletters provide an overview of the latest developments in many areas of practice. Review all of the latest Lexis Nexis newsletters.

Questions? Contact the Society’s Library Library Technician, Jennifer Haimes, at [email protected].

The Society’s Office is now a Mandatory Vaccination Facility

The Society’s office is a mandatory vaccination facility which means that anyone entering the office (800–2000 Barrington Street, Halifax NS) must be fully vaccinated in accordance with public health guidelines (currently two weeks post your second dose) and must provide proof of vaccination status.

The Society made the decision to implement a mandatory vaccination policy to promote the health and safety of the Society’s staff and any others who might access the building from time to time.

Proof of vaccination status can be printed or downloaded from the Government of Nova Scotia website (https://novascotia.flow.canimmunize.ca/en/portal) and provided in advance or prior to entry. Once your status is confirmed, any record provided will be deleted/destroyed. If you prefer to control that process, you can bring a printout and destroy it yourself after your status has been noted or display it on your smartphone/other electronic devices.

To connect with us:

  • Call our main switchboard at 902-422-1491
  • Email our staff – review our staff directory
  • Drop mail/parcels in our designated drop boxes outside of our office
  • Visit our office in person – to ensure we’re accessible to the public that we serve, our reception is open Tuesdays and Fridays starting Tuesday, November 2, 2021. If you choose to visit our office in person, please have your proof of vaccination status prepared

Submit your Expression of Interest for the New Disability Equity Committee

Council recently established the Disability Equity Committee (DEC) at the September 2021 meeting.  

The DEC supports Council in the governance of the Society and in advancing the strategic plan by promoting, monitoring, and providing advice about programs and policies that address issues of accessibility and discrimination – as experienced by members of disability communities – in the legal profession and with regard to the administration of justice.  

Review the DEC’s draft Terms of Reference (PDF)

The Nominating Committee is populating the DEC and is looking for members and public representatives with lived experience from the disability community. 

The DEC will meet approximately six times per year on average. Committee members are not required to attend meetings in person at this time and can participate via video conference. 

Are you interested in being considered for this appointment? 

To be considered, please complete our online expression of interest form which includes an area to upload your brief resume (1 or 2 pages). In your expression of interest, please outline your lived experience and describe why you’re interested in this committee and what skills, attributes you could bring to that committee’s work. 

Disability Equity Committee Expression of Interest Form

Submit the expression of interest form by 4:00 PM Monday, December 3, 2021

We value diversity on all our committees and welcome applications from all equity deserving groups. 

Questions or assistance? Contact Katie Lister, Governance, Policy & Planning Advisor, at [email protected]. 

Society Holiday Office Hours

The Society’s office will be closed for the holidays from December 24, 2021-January 3, 2022. Our office will reopen Tuesday, January 4, 2022.

Council Meetings

As our governing body, Council ensures we carry out our purpose to uphold and protect the public interest in the practice of law. Council members lend their voices and unique insights to decisions that impact Nova Scotia’s legal profession. Review our 2021-2023 Council bios.

The next Council Meeting will take place on November 26, 2021.

External Independent Review

Call for Participation

The Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society has acknowledged the existence of systemic discrimination in the justice system and within the Society. In its acknowledgement the Society stated, in part:

We not only acknowledge and regret the existence of systemic discrimination within the justice system and the Society but also recognize the need for action and education to address it. The Society is committed to reducing barriers created by racism, unconscious bias, and discrimination. We are committed to continuing our efforts to learn, to adapt, to improve our processes and to lead Nova Scotia’s legal profession by example. In collaboration with our members, the legal entities we regulate, stakeholders, and justice system partners, we will work diligently towards eliminating all forms of discrimination in the justice system and in the Society.

As part of its commitment to eliminate systemic discrimination, I have been retained by the society, as set out in the Terms of Reference to undertake a comprehensive external, independent review of the Society’s policies and processes to identify and address any areas of systemic discrimination that exist within the Society.  

I am writing to request the assistance and input of members of the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society and the general public to share your experiences, views and opinions with me in relation to this review as outlined in the Terms of Reference.

If you wish to speak with me or provide your views in writing I may be contacted at the dedicated email address set up by the Society at [email protected].

The review is being conducted on a confidential basis. Any conversations, interviews, or thoughts and opinions submitted in writing will be entirely confidential and any comments will be anonymized to remove any indicators of identity.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated assistance in the review.

Douglas G. Ruck, Q.C.

Equity & Access

Equity in Action:  Defining Disability and the New Disability Equity Committee

This Equity in Action blog post was written by Hannah Baillie, NSBS Communications Coordinator

Read the latest Equity in Action blog

Your Practice

Lawyers’ Insurance Association of Nova Scotia

Lawyers' Insurance Association of Nova Scotia

FRAUD ALERT: Scam Attempts Before the Holidays, During the Pandemic 

NSLAP WELLNESS: Impacts of Racism on Health and Intergenerational Trauma

Changes in Category: October 27, 2021-November 25, 2021

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

Welcome to our new calls to the bar:

Tamara Melanie Adler
Jean Susanne Beaton
Petrus Leonardus de Bruijn
Esther Lillian Eagleson
Nichole Elizabeth
Sarah Leanne Flett
Caitlin Shea Fraser
David John Hastings
Maria Mikhailitchenko
Emily Elizabeth Murray
Liesl Newman
Brendan Daniel Peters
Joshua Riley Pye
Sarah Rebecca Reardon
Jon Paul Rocheleau
Bhreagh Dorothy Ross
Sanjeev Sahrawat
Christian Michael Samson
Bruno Siqueira Peitl
Keegan Ray Stephenson
Kora Lee Stephenson-Barrett
Renee Marie Jessica Thompson
Aditya Kumar Trivedi
Helen Martha Tucker
Ciara Ann Watton
Michelle Yvette Williams
Laura Diana Joanna Woodworth
Sang Ho You

These members have changed to Practising status:

Edgar Peter Joseph Burns
Zoe Christine Roberts

These members have changed to Non-Practising status:

Barbara Darby
Donna Franey
Kimberley MacEwen
Marian Mancini
Amy Smeltzer
Brandon Trask
Cherie Merie McLeod

These members have changed to Retired status:

Bruce Hilchey

For Your Information

Suggested language for orders of the Supreme Court of NS (Family Division) to assist in drafting standard clauses

This document of clauses contains suggested language for orders of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia (Family Division) to assist lawyers in drafting standard clauses. The clauses were prepared by a subcommittee of the Supreme Court of NS (Family Division) Liaison Committee in consultation with members of the bench and bar. The clauses do not form part of the Nova Scotia Civil Procedure Rules, nor is the language endorsed by all members of the judiciary.  Each court matter is unique and the suggested language will not be appropriate in every situation. 

Jeremiah Raining Bird joins J. Gordon Allen

J. Gordon Allen is very pleased to announce that Jeremiah Raining Bird has joined Allen Law Inc. Mr. Raining Bird is a graduate of UBC Law School and became a member of The Law Society of Upper Canada in 2012. For several years,  he practiced with the well-established Toronto firm OKT, and has extensive advocacy experience in criminal defence, animal protection, regulatory law and aboriginal law.  At Allen Law Inc., Mr. Raining Bird continues with his busy criminal defence practice, while working on human rights-related matters, civil litigation and personal injury files.

Local support rallies behind Patterson Law expansion.

Patterson Law has expanded its reach to better serve the counties of Pictou, Antigonish and Guysborough. Read more.

Missing Wills

Name on will: Marcel Arbour
Last known residence: Dartmouth, NS
Any lawyers with information please contact Bernice Arbour at [email protected] or (506) 693-4965

Name on will: Emerson Thurbide
Last known residence: Alder Point, Cape Breton, NS
Any lawyers with information please contact James MacLean at [email protected] or (902) 577-2056.

Name on will: Reginald Emile d’Entremont
Last known residence: Meteghan River, NS
Any lawyers with information please contact Lynette Muise at [email protected] or (902) 260-8888

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.