Executive Director Appointed

15 décembre 2016/dans Nouvelles

Announcement

Executive Director – Nova Scotia Legal Aid Commission

I am pleased to advise you that, effective December 14^th, 2016, Megan Longley has been appointed Executive Director of the Nova Scotia Legal Aid Commission.

Megan graduated from Dalhousie Law School in 1994 and was called to the Nova Scotia Bar in 1995. She joined NSLA in 1999. Megan has worked as a Staff Lawyer in all four NSLA metro offices primarily as a criminal lawyer but also briefly as a family lawyer. Megan took over as Manager of the Youth Justice Office in 2011 and moved to the Office of the Executive in September of 2015 as Service Delivery Director.

Megan has made submissions to the Nunn Commission and has presented at local, provincial and national conferences on Youth Justice and on the over-criminalization in HIV non-disclosure cases following an internationally reported decision in that area. Megan is a past Board Member of the Community Justice Society and the AIDS Coalition of Nova Scotia among others. In addition, Megan has sat on various Justice System committees throughout her career, and continues to do so. Megan is also outgoing President of the Nova Scotia Criminal Lawyers’ Association and a board member of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network.

I am confident that under Megan’s leadership Nova Scotia Legal Aid will continue to provide essential service to individual Nova Scotians and will continue to work with others in the Justice System to improve access to justice in this Province. I invite you to contact Megan with any questions about the services of NSLA.

Donald G. Harding, QC
Chair, Nova Scotia Legal Aid Commission

Canada Bar Association Women’s Forum Section Meeting – “Different Career Paths: What You Can Do With Your Law Degree

6 décembre 2016/dans Nouvelles

Krista Forbes, Managing Lawyer, Halifax Office (Family), Nova Scotia Legal Aid was a featured speaker at the November 7, 2016 CBA Women’s Forum Section Meeting. This was a Forum where the presenters talked about their career path and use of their law degrees, from private practice to government solicitor, to Legal Aid and the Public Prosecution Service and all the other options, including taking breaks in their practice to have a family, or go back to school, or take another job

It was an opportunity for members to ask about the experiences of the speakers, good and bad, as women in law.

Pictured in the photo are: Michelle Higgins, Executive Director, Court Services; Krista Forbes, Managing Lawyer, Nova Scotia Legal Aid Halifax Office (Family); Julia Cornish, QC, Partner, Sealy Cornish Coulthard; Susan MacKay, Senior Crown Attorney, NS Public Prosecution Service. Missing from the photo is Dana MacKenzie, Managing Director of Employee Relations with the Public Service Commission.

HomeBridge Youth Society Annual Holiday Coffee House – December 7, 2016

5 décembre 2016/dans Nouvelles

Please see details below and note that RSVP is by December 5th

Online Consultation on the Review of Record Suspensions

24 novembre 2016/dans Nouvelles

The Government of Canada is seeking input from the public, including individuals with a criminal record, federal, provincial and territorial stakeholders, and organizations that are involved in the corrections and criminal justice system on the review of record suspensions. The online consultation closes on December 7, 2016. For further details and to access the online consultation please visit: Review of Record Suspensions

Free Public Lecture – Everyday Legal Problems and the Cost of Justice

21 novembre 2016/dans Nouvelles

with Professor David Wiseman, University of Ottawa

The legal system faces criticism for not providing more affordable ways for people to resolve their ‘everyday legal problems’ in consumer, employment, family, housing and other civil justice areas. Providing more help might be costly for public budgets, but there is also a cost to individuals and society of not providing enough access to justice. In this session, Professor Wiseman will share the results of the latest Canadian survey of everyday legal problems – the first to investigate the cost of justice – and will explore recent and potential ways we might work to improve access to justice in Canada.

Wednesday, November 30, 2016
7:00PM
Room 104, Weldon Law Building
6061 University Ave.

Amendments to the Incompetent Persons Act

3 novembre 2016/dans Nouvelles

Below please find a November 1, 2016 communication from the Deputy Minister of Justice. Please note the November 30, 2016 deadline for completing the survey.

In collaboration with the provincial Departments of Health & Wellness, Community Services and Seniors, the Department of Justice has reviewed the Incompetent Persons Act.

The Department of Justice intends to replace the Act with modernized guardianship legislation that would better respect the rights of those who have experienced some loss of mental capacity and help to ensure their needs are met. We are seeking your feedback on the proposed changes.

An online survey is available at:

https://surveys.gov.ns.ca/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=8lM1mn55

More information can be found at:

http://novascotia.ca/adultguardianship/

The deadline for submitting comments is November 30^th. The Departments of Justice, Health & Wellness, Community Services, and Seniors will use the feedback received to help inform the new legislation.

Yours sincerely,

Karen Hudson, Q.C.
Deputy Minister of Justice

New website launched to help Nova Scotian children and teens deal with family breakups

26 octobre 2016/dans Nouvelles

FamiliesChange.ca is a national website to help children, teens and parents deal with separation and divorce. The website launched on October 21, 2016, and provides portals to each participating province and territory with age-appropriate information to help anyone in the family deal with parental separation. All of the resources are available in English and French.

This project was led by the Justice Education Society of British Columbia, with financial assistance from Justice Canada.

The Nova Scotia portal provides access to 3 ‘Guides to Separation and Divorce’ for children, teens, and parents. These guides were developed by the Justice Education Society of BC, and were edited to each province’s and territory’s specifications. The NS portal can be found at Nova Scotia Portal

All guides are available in English and French. This project has also seen the children’s interactive website Changeville.ca made available nationally, also in both English and French.

These resources provide increased access to family justice for Nova Scotians by providing plain language, age-appropriate information about separation and divorce to families.

2015/2016 Annual Report

25 octobre 2016/dans Nouvelles

The Nova Scotia Legal Aid Commission’s 2015/2016 Annual Report can be viewed by clicking this link: 2015/2016 Annual Report. This Report and Annual Reports for past years can be found in Legal Aid Publications under the About Us tab.

NSLA Private Bar Mentoring Program (PBMP)

24 octobre 2016/dans Nouvelles

Senior members of the criminal and family Private Bar have worked with Nova Scotia Legal Aid (NSLA) to support Private Bar lawyers who are taking Legal Aid Certificates. This partnership has produced the Private Bar Mentoring Program (PBMP) which is being rolled out across Nova Scotia today by NSLA. This initiative recognizes that members of the Private Bar often practice in isolation. Mentoring supports excellence in client service. NSLA thanks the members of the Private Bar who participate in the delivery of legal aid and acknowledge their access to justice commitment by taking these cases. If you have any questions regarding the PBMP, please contact your local NSLA Managing Lawyer.

Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia Supports NSLA Clients in Kentville & Surrounding Areas

6 octobre 2016/dans Nouvelles

THANK YOU to the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia for providing a grant to the Court Monitored Mental Health Program (CMMHP) in Kentville! The grant is specifically for assisting our clients with transportation to and from their bi-weekly court appearances. CMMHP participants reside throughout West Hants and Kings Counties, with little or no access to public transportation. This grant has made a tremendous difference for our rural clients, allowing them to access the CMMHP and thereby resulting in better legal outcomes.

The Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia is a registered charity dedicated to improving the lives of Nova Scotians living with mental illness and their loved ones, and increasing access to mental health education and awareness for all Nova Scotians. Their mission is to make a difference in the lives of Nova Scotians by supporting mental health initiatives in our communities. Their Community Grants fund important work and, most importantly, offer hope for mental health consumers and their loved ones. For more information, check out www.mentalhealthns.ca. Like them on Facebook and follow on Twitter!