Nova Scotia Legal Aid

06/11/2026

Recently our CEO, Charlene Moore, KC, was a panelist at the inaugural conference of the Action Committee on Access to Justice in Ottawa.

The session titled, “Nothing About Us Without Us: Rethinking Participation and Power in Justice,” explored how justice systems can better include people — especially those traditionally excluded or disempowered — as active participants in shaping, interpreting, and experiencing justice.

Charlene spoke about lessons learned from the Restorative Inquiry and our own initiatives here at Nova Scotia Legal Aid. Charlene's ability to share our passion and commitment for advancing human-centered justice strongly resonated with attendees.

[Pictured L to R: Anne Levesque, Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa (French Common Law Program); Charlene Moore, KC, CEO of Nova Scotia Legal Aid; Lee N. Nevens, Senior Counsel at the Department of Justice Canada; Adeline Audrerie, PhD, Professor at the University of Quebec (Outaouais); and, Mary-Anne Popescu AccFM, AccEM, CPMed, ED of the Ontario Association for Family Mediation (OAFM]

06/08/2026

Nova Scotia Legal Aid is seeking a Paralegal to join our Halifax Appeals Office.

If you are talented, hardworking and want to be a member of a team that is highly experienced, very caring, dedicated and committed to their clients, please click the link below for details on applying:

The Nova Scotia Legal Aid Commission offers a uniquely friendly and professional work environment and we are proud to support equity in employment.

05/27/2026

🔔REMINDER: We're accepting nominations for the 2026 R. Gordon Murray Award until this Sunday, May 31, 2026 at 4:30 p.m.

See more below ⤵️

R. Gordon Murray, KC Award: Call for Nominations 📣

We are now accepting nominations for the 2026 R. Gordon Murray, KC Award. It is Nova Scotia Legal Aid’s highest honour recognizing an individual whose leadership, dedication, and service have made a lasting impact on the legal aid movement.

R. Gordon Murray, KC, was Nova Scotia Legal Aid’s first, and longest serving, Executive Director (1977-1994). He helped lay the foundation for Nova Scotia Legal Aid and set a powerful example of what it means to advocate for fairness, justice, and access to legal services. R. Gordon Murray’s vision and legacy continue to guide Nova Scotia Legal Aid.

Read more about R. Gordon Murray, KC’s legacy and watch the short film, The Best is Yet to Come – The Story of R. Gordon Murray, KC, First Executive Director of Nova Scotia Legal Aid, which beautifully captures the story of this dedicated advocate: https://www.nslegalaid.ca/about-us/gordonmurray/

Help us shine a light on a champion for access to justice by nominating someone today. The deadline for nominations is May 31, 2026 at 4:30 pm (Atlantic Time) and nominations can be submitted to [email protected].

Award criteria and nomination details are available here:https://www.nslegalaid.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Commission-Awards-Criteria-2026-External-April-2026.pdf

05/22/2026

A big congratulations to Charnell Brooks, our African Nova Scotian social worker, on being awarded the 2025 Diane Kays Memorial Award by the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers. 🎉

This honour recognizes exceptional professional and ethical standards, and dedication to social justice, particularly women's rights and the prevention of violence against women.

We’re so proud to see Charnell's incredible work recognized. 🖤 Our clients benefit from her outstanding contributions.

Charnell provides culturally relevant support and system navigation for Black and African Nova Scotian clients involved in family, criminal, and youth courts. She advocates for clients, connects them with community resources, and assists our lawyers by incorporating essential cultural context into legal matters.

Diane Kays (1945–2015) was a prominent Atlantic Canadian social worker and community advocate who is remembered for her extensive work supporting victims of trauma, abuse, and gender-based violence.

Charnell is pictured with social worker Jasmine Hochman who was one of Charnell's nominators for this recognition.

05/15/2026

In 1990, the Supreme Court of Canada decided that section 10(b) of Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms means that any individual arrested or detained must be told by police about the availability of legal aid and duty counsel.

That's why Nova Scotia Legal Aid provides telephone summary legal advice to anyone arrested or detained by police within the province. This service is available 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. There is no application process, no financial qualification, and no restriction on the type of alleged criminal offence.

If you or someone you care about is detained or arrested by police, call us. Police will give out our number.

05/13/2026

📑Know your lease type! If you are a tenant in Nova Scotia, there are two types of leases: 1) periodic leases and 2) fixed-term leases.

1) Periodic leases renew automatically every year, month, or week until the tenant gives proper notice to end the lease or until the landlord successfully gets an Eviction Order from Residential Tenancies, Small Claims Court, or the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia. Landlords can’t end this type of lease without a valid legal reason.

2) Fixed-term Leases have a predetermined start and end date. You can only continue living in the unit after the end date of the lease if the landlord consents to you staying.

If you’re not sure what type of lease you have, you can find this information in your lease.

If you have questions about your lease you can contact Nova Scotia Legal Aid’s Tenants’ Rights Program for free legal advice or information on residential tenancies issues at (902)420-6752 or toll free: 1-833-420-6752

*Funded by the federal Tenant Protection Fund through the Justice Partnership and Innovation Program*

05/06/2026

On Monday we gifted Falomi Jones of McInnes Cooper a painting print of her father, Burnley "Rocky" Jones. We commissioned the original painting of Rocky from Boma the Artist and it hangs in our Complex Criminal and Strategic Litigation Office in Halifax.

Rocky Jones was an influential lawyer, community organizer, and political activist, including:

📓Helping create the Indigenous Blacks & Mi’kmaq Initiative at Dalhousie University - Schulich School of Law that has helped bring hundreds more Black and Mi’kmaq people into the legal profession to reduce racism.

✊🏽Working with Indigenous communities on legal issues involving land claims, justice, education and the environment.

🗣Advocating for prisoners’ rights and helping establish the Black Inmates Association and the Native Brotherhood at Atlantic prisons.

🖤 Successfully arguing the R.D.S. case before the Supreme Court of Canada that centered on Canada’s first Black female judge analyzing the evidence in the social context of race and racism.

This painting hangs as a reminder of our purpose: Championing equal justice.

Check out Boma's work at 14 Bells Fine Art Gallery.

This art was part of our Inclusive Spaces Initiatives supported by the Law Foundation of Nova Scotia.

[Pictured below L-R: NSLA CEO, Charlene Moore, KC; McInnes Cooper Associate and Rocky's daughter, Folami Jones; Rocky's grandson, Burnley Jones, Jr.; and NSLA Managing Lawyer, Brandon Rolle]

05/05/2026

RED DRESS DAY ❤️ See some of the sights from the Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre's Memorial March some of our team marched in earlier today.

May 5, 2026, is National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives, also known as “Red Dress Day.” This day serves as an opportunity to honour the lives of Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people who have been lost, and to raise awareness of the ongoing impacts of colonial and gender-based violence.

In September 2016, the Canadian government launched the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. The Inquiry found that Indigenous peoples, particularly women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals have been disproportionately targeted by violence in Canada at significantly higher rates than non-Indigenous women, even when accounting for other contributing factors. The Inquiry was guided by the principle that “Our Women and Girls are Sacred,” emphasizing the importance of restoring safety, dignity, and respect.

05/01/2026

Did you know? Nova Scotia Legal Aid’s Social Justice Office has launched a Tenants’ Rights Program!

We’re offering free summary legal advice and information for tenants across Nova Scotia.

Contact us at (902)420-6752 or toll free: 1-833-420-6752

Questions about pests, repairs, evictions, leases or any other residential tenancies issues? Give us a call!

*Funded by the federal Tenant Protection Fund through the Justice Partnership and Innovation Program*

04/29/2026

NOVA SCOTIA LEGAL AID COMMISSION
LEGAL ASSISTANT

Type of Employment: Term with potential for permanency
Location: Sydney Office, 401-15 Dorchester Street, Sydney
Salary: TE 13-1 to TE 19-5 ($44,709.86 to $64,886.64)
Closing Date: May 13, 2026 at 12:00 pm

Who we are
Nova Scotia Legal Aid Commission (NSLAC) delivers quality legal aid services throughout the province, providing some level of help to all Nova Scotians with a focus on assisting those who are systematically disadvantaged. NSLAC’s focus is in the practice areas of criminal, family, and social justice law.

NSLAC employs staff in 25 offices and 3 sub-offices. Our staff are comprised of staff lawyers, legal assistants, paralegals, court support workers, social workers, social justice support workers, and a prison law support worker, and they help thousands of clients every year. We are committed to providing access to justice, and to protecting the rights of individuals.

We value a workplace where diversity is encouraged and recognized for its contribution to a more creative and rewarding workplace. We welcome applications from Indigenous people, African Nova Scotians and other racially visible persons, persons with disabilities and women in occupations or positions where they are under-represented. If you are a member of one of these equity-seeking groups, you are encouraged to self-identify in your application.

Primary Functions
Reporting to the Management Team and under the direction of staff lawyers, the Legal Assistant provides comprehensive administrative support in family law, criminal law and social justice law to staff lawyers in day-to-day case management. To uphold our access-to-justice philosophy, commitment to client service is essential. The Legal Assistant is expected to develop a broad range of knowledge relating to the functions, activities, policies and practices of the NSLAC.

Ideal Abilities and Skills
• Effectively manage incoming calls and assist clients at reception (application, inquiries, etc.);
• Prepare documents and correspondence with attention to spelling and grammar;
• Assure timely preparation and accuracy of family/criminal court-related documents including Orders, affidavits, financial statements, petitions, etc.;
• Work independently, take initiative, and use judgment in matters of extreme confidentiality and sensitivity;
• Work with clients who have complex needs;
• Work in a fast-paced environment as part of a team;
• Demonstrate time-management and ability to deal with conflicting priorities and deadlines;
• Communicate effectively (verbally and in writing) with clients, organizations, and co-workers from diverse backgrounds;
• Work with computer software packages including MS Office and Outlook.
• Comply with NSLAC’s policies and procedures.
• All other duties as required

Qualifications
• Post-secondary diploma in Business Administration or Paralegal (or equivalent training and related relevant experience).
• 2 years of experience with family law cases, criminal court practices, social justice matters, procedures and systems is an asset but not required.

If you are talented, hardworking and want to be a member of a team that is highly experienced, very caring, dedicated and committed to their clients, we would like to hear from you.

Please indicate position title and location and whether you are an internal or external applicant in the email subject line. Please send your resume and cover letter to [email protected].

While we appreciate receiving all applications, only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. All applications will be held in strict confidence.