[en français]

I have been a member of the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society since my admission to the bar in 1984.  While I was CBA - NS Branch President, I served as an ex officio, non-voting member of Bar Council.  I am a Past President of the Kings County Barristers’ Society and was the Probate Committee Chair for several years.

I served for several years on the Board of the Continuing Legal Education Society of Nova Scotia, prior to its winding up, and served for a couple of years recently on the Continuing Competency Task Force of the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society. 

I have been on the Gender Equality Committee of the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society, the original Equality Committee of the Nova Scotia Branch of the CBA and the Standing Committee on Equity for the National CBA. I have served, to date, two years on the Nova Scotia Legal Aid Commission, and participate in two committees: Eligibility Review and Administrative/Poverty Law.

My Curriculum Vitae has a detailed listing of my CBA involvement but I want to share how my interest in serving the CBA at the National level was first piqued.  During my initial term on the Nova Scotia Branch Council, I volunteered to join an ad hoc committee charged with developing the mandate of the branch.  Although I had participated in many section meetings and professional development conferences, and read the Canadian Bar Review and National newspaper (yes, it was originally in newsprint format), I really did not know much about the governance of the CBA.  This was probably the first all-women committee in the branch, by accident rather than design.  One member was the Branch Vice-President and one had been very active for many years in Branch programs.  They were so helpful and patient with me, and I learned so much.  As a result, I then volunteered to serve on the branch’s first equality committee after National Council accepted the recommendations of the Touchstones for Change report.

I cannot say enough about the importance of mentoring and encouraging young members of the bar to become involved in the work of the CBA.  I try to encourage others to take more active roles in committees, sections and Law Day activities.  For example, I recruited the Young Lawyers Section in Nova Scotia, when I was co-chair for Law Day, to organize mock trials for the public.