2021 Annual Report

Our Year by the Numbers

For the 12 months ending April 30th

Credentialing

** NP = Non Practising

Credentialing by the numbers

2019

2020

2021

Admitted

136

113

137

Commenced articles

67

84

90

Transferred to Nova Scotia

59

46

69

Changed from Practising to NP

96

115

104

Changed from NP to Practising

54

47

51

Lawyers who retired

58

43

46

Lawyers who resigned

27

25

43

New firm registrations

23

32

27

 

Intake Calls & Complaints

**CIC = Complaints Investigation Committee

Additional Information:

Matters Referred to Hearing - Carried Over:

  • 2019 - 0

  • 2020 - 1

  • 2021 - 1

New referrals to Fitness to Practice Program:

  • 2019 - 1

  • 2020 - 2

  • 2021 - 0

 

Matters referred to hearing – New matter:

  • 2019 - 1

  • 2020 - 2

  • 2021 - 1

 

Ethics Inquiries from Members

73 in 2019, 72 in 2020 and 112 in 2021
 

2020 Statistical Snapshot of the Membership

Each fall we share current statistics about Nova Scotia’s legal profession. The statistical snapshot includes:

  • numbers of practising lawyers and non-practising (including retired) members,

  • years at Bar,

  • geographic distribution,

  • gender and diversity data,

  • types of practice, and

  • areas of law.

 

Practising Lawyers - Geographic Distribution

% as at November 30, 2020

Practising Lawyers – Geographical Distribution (November 30, 2020)

# by district

% by district

Halifax Regional Municipality

1,449

69.4%

Southwestern N.S.

203

9.8%

Central N.S.

174

8.4%

Cape Breton N.S.

149

7.2%

Outside N.S.

114

5.5%

Totals

2,089

100.0%

 

Type of Practice

# by type from 2020 Annual Lawyer Report

Type of Practice or Employment (2020 Annual Lawyer Report)

# of Lawyers

%

Private practice - partner

559

27.3%

Private practice - associate/other

456

22.3%

Federal government

116

5.7%

Provincial government/legal aid

378

18.5%

Sole practitioner

232

11.3%

Employed lawyer

229

11.2%

All other

78

3.8%

Totals

2,048

100.0%

 

Years Since Call

% as at June 30, 2020

Years since Call (June 30, 2020)

2007 (base year)

2020

0-7 Years

432

25%

599

29.2%

8-16 Years

451

25%

469

22.9%

17-26 Years

448

25%

405

19.8%

27+ Years

432

25%

575

28.1%

Totals

1,763

100.0%

2,048

100.0%

 

Practising Lawyers – Diversity

Diverse Communities Self-Identified as:

Individual Identification

Unique Member Total

% of total

Mi’kmaq

43

2.1%

Indigenous

32

1.6%

Total Indigenous or Mi'kmaq (Adjusted for those identifying as both.)

61

3.0%

African Nova Scotian

45

2.2%

Black

48

2.3%

Total Black or African Scotian. (Adjusted for those identifying as both.)

69

3.4%

Adjust for those both Black or ANS and Indigenous or Mi'kmaq.

-8

Racialized

67

50

2.4%

Total identifying as a member of an indigenous or racialized community.

172

8.4%

Persons with a disability

61

61

3.0%

2SLGBTQ

76

76

3.7%

Adjust for those who identified in multiple communities.

-25

Total who identify as one or more of the listed diverse communities

284

13.9%