the SOCIETY RECORD - Nova Scotia Barristers' Society
the SOCIETY RECORD - Nova Scotia Barristers' Society
the SOCIETY RECORD - Nova Scotia Barristers' Society
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society news<br />
Council updates<br />
<strong>Society</strong> leadership and new Council for 2013-2014<br />
On June 15, 2013 during <strong>the</strong> Annual Meeting, <strong>the</strong> <strong>Society</strong> will<br />
welcome new leadership for <strong>the</strong> next Council year.<br />
President for 2013-2014 will be René Gallant (centre) of Halifax,<br />
who is <strong>Nova</strong> <strong>Scotia</strong> Power’s Vice President Regulatory Affairs.<br />
Halifax lawyer Tilly Pillay QC (at left) will be First Vice-President;<br />
she works with <strong>the</strong> provincial Department of Justice as its Director<br />
of Litigation and Co-Executive Director of <strong>the</strong> Legal Services<br />
Division. Jill Perry (at right), Managing Lawyer (Family) with<br />
<strong>Nova</strong> <strong>Scotia</strong> Legal Aid in Sydney, will be <strong>the</strong> <strong>Society</strong>’s Second Vice-<br />
President, as <strong>the</strong> successful candidate in <strong>the</strong> March election for <strong>the</strong><br />
position.<br />
Newly elected members of Council for 2013-2015 include Diane<br />
McGrath QC and Carolyn A. MacAulay for Cape Breton District,<br />
and Robert Gregan and Robert Pineo for Central District. Acclaimed<br />
members representing Halifax District are Christa M. Bro<strong>the</strong>rs, Gavin<br />
Giles QC, William L. Mahody and Stephen McGrath. Acclaimed<br />
members for Southwestern District are H. Heidi Foshay Kimball and<br />
Darren MacLeod.<br />
An election is set for April 15 to 22 to determine three At Large<br />
members of Council.<br />
Find candidate information and online voting instructions at nsbs.<br />
org/council-elections. For Council updates throughout <strong>the</strong> year, visit<br />
nsbs.org/council-materials.<br />
National Admissions Standards<br />
The <strong>Society</strong> is actively participating in <strong>the</strong> National Admissions<br />
Standards project of <strong>the</strong> Federation of Law Societies of Canada. In<br />
February, Council adopted <strong>the</strong> National Entry Level Competency<br />
Profile. Though very similar to <strong>the</strong> Standards currently in force for<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>Society</strong>’s Admissions program (articling and <strong>the</strong> Bar Admissions<br />
course), <strong>the</strong> National Admission Standards will allow for fine tuning<br />
of our current programs to meet <strong>the</strong> new requirements.<br />
The Federation project is also looking at good character and fitness.<br />
The goal is to create a uniform approach to assessing all components<br />
of an applicant’s suitability for admission to <strong>the</strong> Bar. The challenge<br />
is to develop and adopt modern approaches to assessing character<br />
without stigmatizing certain health issues. As well, it will be essential<br />
that national standards address matters that are demonstrative in<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir impact.<br />
Developing strategic directions<br />
Developing Council’s strategic directions for <strong>the</strong> next three years<br />
is one of <strong>the</strong> most important tasks for Council this year. Not only<br />
does it afford Council <strong>the</strong> opportunity to reflect on current priorities<br />
but it causes members to look into <strong>the</strong> future and, as best <strong>the</strong>y can,<br />
to identify trends and influences that will impact regulation of<br />
<strong>the</strong> profession in <strong>the</strong> near term. Though <strong>the</strong> <strong>Society</strong> is well aware<br />
of changes to legal regulation happening elsewhere, it has not yet<br />
considered <strong>the</strong> underlying causes of those changes and whe<strong>the</strong>r any of<br />
<strong>the</strong>m need to be considered for <strong>Nova</strong> <strong>Scotia</strong>. Three or four years ago,<br />
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