Bar Admissions ceremonies
Those who are eligible for membership in the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society are called to the Bar in person, pursuant to subsection 5(3) of the Legal Profession Act. The Society's Credentials Committee may excuse applicants from appearing in person for certain exceptions.
Admission ceremonies occur throughout the year (see the complete list of admission dates). The major Bar Admission Ceremony, predominantly for articled clerks, takes place every June in Halifax. A member of the judiciary oversees these official court proceedings. Applicants have the option of making their official declarations and Oaths in three languages: English, French, or Mi’kmaq. After the ceremony, applicants sign the Roll of Lawyers, and only then are they allowed to practise law in Nova Scotia.
Several weeks prior to the ceremony, eligible applicants for admission will be contacted by Society staff and will be required to provide documentation and any applicable fees necessary for Call. Applicants are required to appear wearing traditional legal attire, namely a waistcoat, a robe, a wing collar shirt, tabs and black or dark gray trousers or skirt and black shoes. Please note that the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society does not provide or rent legal attire.
June Bar Admissions Ceremony 2012
Details regarding the June 2012 Bar Admission Ceremony will be available on the Society website in the springtime. The ceremony is scheduled to take place at 10:00 a.m. at Pier 21 in Halifax, with a reception to follow.
Please note: cameras and video cameras may be used discreetly during the ceremonies; however, this is at the discretion of the Presiding Justice.
The Society publishes a booklet with the admission list, applicant biographies, text for the Oath on Admission and the optional Oath of Allegiance, and welcome greetings from the Bench and Bar:
For additional information regarding Bar Admission Ceremonies, please call or write:
Administrator, Admissions and Credentialing
1101 – 1645 Granville Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 1X3
T: (902) 422 1491
F: (902) 429 4869
Email: baradmissions@nsbs.org
