SR Vol 27 No 3, July 2009 - Nova Scotia Barristers' Society

BRIEFS
D I S T I N G U I S H E D F I N A L E S
House of Assembly loses esteemed Assistant Clerk
The passing of Arthur G.
H. Fordham QC is a great loss
to the province. He was highly
respected by premiers and other
members of the Legislative Assembly
past and present. When
he died suddenly on May 4 at
age 72, he was Assistant Clerk of
the House of Assembly.
His official role was to sit on the
floor of the House when it was
in session and maintain the official
record of proceedings. Art also provided procedural advice
to the Speaker of the House and individual members, and wrote
An Overview of the Procedures and Practices of the Nova Scotia
Legislature.
Upon graduating from Dalhousie Law School in 1961, Art initially
practiced with the law firm now known as Stewart McKelvey
and was widely known in his preferred area of practice: real
property law. In the provincial public service, he first served as
a lawyer in the Department of the Attorney General and advisor
to the Provincial Tax Commission. Then in the Legislative Counsel
Office, he participated in the preparation of legislation for
20 years. Completely non-partisan throughout his public service
career, Art was also appointed part-time Assistant Chief Electoral
Officer.
He earned the respect of colleagues across the country through
participation in the Uniform Law Conference of Canada, the
Canadian Election Officers Conference and the Canadian Parliamentary
Association. He was a lay minister of the Cathedral
Church of All Saints, and was also a strong supporter of organizations
that promote music in our community, such as the
Maritime Conservatory and Symphony Nova Scotia.
– excerpted from Judge Bill MacDonald’s InForum tribute
On to new challenges, from law to health
Deborah Rozee departed for a new post in April,
after many years of dedication and service as director of the Lawyers’
Insurance Association of Nova Scotia (LIANS). She is now
the CEO of the Nova Scotia Health Organizations Protective Association.
“Under Deborah’s leadership, LIANS has become one of the
best law society-owned insurance programs in the country. We
are on sound financial footing with the program, thanks to her
steady navigation and direction,” Executive Director Darrel Pink
said at her sendoff.
An executive search is underway. Geraldine O’Shea, who has
agreed to serve as acting director, provides extensive experience
as longtime claims counsel for LIANS, which administers the
mandatory professional liability insurance program for lawyers
across the province.
8 The Society Record