- 1984: LL.B., Dalhousie University Law School, Halifax, Nova Scotia
- 1981: Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
About Christene
Christene’s practice focuses primarily on business and intellectual property law. She is often invited to speak on intellectual property, as well as various aspects relating to business law including financing, governance and other topics. Christene provides advice to clients on business structure, governance, privacy and matters relating to copyright and trademark.
Christene has been included in the publication The Best Lawyers in Canada since its first edition in 2006 and she has been given Distinguished Attorney Rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Christene is the co-chair of the IT/IP TAGLaw Specialist Group, an advisor with Entrepreneurs’ Forum, Director with Family Business Association – Atlantic and a former lecturer at Dalhousie University Law School. Christene was named the Best Lawyers’ 2014 and 2020 Halifax Information Technology Law “Lawyer of the Year” and was a recipient of a 2013 Lexpert Zenith Award “Celebrating Women Leaders in the Legal Profession”.
Outside of work, Christene lives on a small farm with horses, chickens, dogs, homing pigeons and honey bees.
Christene's Background
Education
Employment
- 2022 - Present: Counsel, BOYNECLARKE LLP, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
- 1994 - 2022: Partner, BOYNECLARKE LLP, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
- 1989 - 1994: Associate, BOYNECLARKE LLP, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
- 1986 - 1989: Associate, Cooper & McDonald, Halifax, Nova Scotia
- 1985 - 1986: Law Clerk, Federal Court of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario
- 1984 - 1985: Articled Clerk, Cox Downie & Goodfellow, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Professional Memberships
- Member - Nova Scotia Barristers' Society
- ICD-Rotman, Directors Education Program, February 2017
- Co-Chair - IP/IT TAGLaw Specialty Group
- Member - Institute of Corporate Directors
- Member - Canadian Intellectual Property Office Speakers Bureau
- Member - Licensing Executives Society (LES)
- Member - Real Estate Lawyers Association of Nova Scotia
- Founding Member - Women in Film and Television Atlantic (WIFT-AT)
- Advisor - Entrepreneurs' Forum
- Affiliate Member - Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC)
- Past Chair - CBA's National Intellectual Property Session
- Past Chair - National Intellectual Property Section, Canadian Bar Association
- Past Lecturer - Dalhousie University Law School (2002-2004)
- Past Member - Law Reform Commission's Advisory Group on Intellectual Property (1996)
- Past Associate - Law & Technology Institute
Community Activities
- Board Member - Sable Island Institute
- Director - Family Business Association Atlantic
- Former Director - CAFE Nova Scotia
- Former Chair of the Programming Committee for CAFE Nova Scotia
- Former Director - Discovery Centre
- Former Chair - Canadian Women in Communications (Nova Scotia Chapter)
- Former Member - Steering Committee, Nova Scotia Film School
- Former Member - Management Committee, The Halifax Club
- Former Director - Information Technology Industry Alliance of Nova Scotia (now Digital Nova Scotia)
- Former Member - Information Technology Industry Alliance of Nova Scotia Planning Committee
- Former Vice President - Society for Prevention of Cruelty (Nova Scotia)
- Former Director - Society for the Prevention of Cruelty (Nova Scotia)
- Former Member - Board of Governors, Sacred Heart School
- Former Member - Fundraising Committee, Discovery Centre
- Former Volunteer - Metro Food Bank
Awards & Honours
- Institute of Corporate Directors, ICD.D, February 2017
- Included in The Best Lawyers in Canada published by Best Lawyers® for her work in entertainment, intellectual property and information technology law (2006-2022)
- Best Lawyers' 2014 and 2020 Halifax Information Technology Law "Lawyer of the Year"
- Listed in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (2020)
- 2013 Lexpert Zenith Award "Celebrating Women Leaders in the Legal Profession"
- Appointed Queen's Counsel - 2012
- Recipient of the 2002 Global Television Network Broadcast Communications Award, Contribution to New Media in Canada
Publications
- BOYNECLARKE LLP Lawletters
- -"Purchasing a Home in Nova Scotia"
- - "Foreclosure"
- -"Errors & Omissions Insurance"
- - "Film and Television Financing"
- -"Personal Property Security Act"
- -"Collections"
- - "Equity Tax Credit Act"
- Article for Lawyers Weekly – “Crowdfunding and the Effects it can have on Intellectual Property,” September 2015
- Article in Financier Worldwide – “Crowdfunding In Canada," December 2015
Select Presentations 2014-2015
- Ms. Hirschfeld is frequently asked to speak on topics including Privacy; Intellectual Property; Entertainment law; Commercial Loans; and e-Commerce and has been presenting on those topics since 1996.
- Representative at Royal Bank of Canada's Panel Day
- IPIC Annual Conference
- Invest Atlantic Conference – “ The Startup Road-Angel to VC to Exit”
- Artists’ Legal Information Society (ALIS) On The Edge of Now II Conference
- ALIS Atlantic Film Festival Series
- Credit Union Atlantic Lenders – “Personal Property Security Act and Bankruptcy”
- TAGLaw International Spring Conference – Break-out Intellectual Property and Life Sciences Specialty Group Session
- Series of Presentations on "Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation" for the Nova Scotia Association of Realtors, TAGLaw and the Exhibitions Association of Nova Scotia AGM
- Canadian Tax Foundation – Halifax Young Practitioners Group Meeting – “The Other Side of the Looking Glass: Tax and Legal Information for New Business Owners”
- Black Law Students' Association of Canada Annual National Conference – “Career Options for Intellectual Property & Entertainment Law”
- CTV Interview – “The Interaction Between the Right of Freedom of Expression and the Right of Individuals to Protect Their Privacy”
Select Presentations 2013
- Annual General Meeting of the Exhibitions Association of Nova Scotia – “Corporate Governance”
- RBC Commercial Lenders - " Issues Relating to Security for Loans"
- Canadian Intellectual Property Office – “Intellectual Property Basics”
- Nova Scotia Association of Community Business Development Corporations - Quarterly Meeting
- Editors’ Association of Canada, Annual Conference – “Intellectual Property/Copyright issues”
- CBC Main Street, Radio One – Interview with Jackie Torrens on personality and publicity rights
- The Atlantic Filmmakers’ Cooperative, Summer Workshop Series –workshop on legal issues for filmmakers
- New Brunswick Film Co-op – Presentation on entertainment law issues
- Credit Union Atlantic - "Issues Relating to Security for Loans" and "Nova Scotia's Equity Tax Credit Program"
- Interview: Playback Magazine on the topic of insurance for film/tv industries
Select Presentations 2012
- Interview: CBC-TV regarding the website www.dirty.com
- NS Association of Community Business Development Corporations – Collateral mortgage issues and lending to not-for-profits
- Interview: CBC Mainstreet regarding “Why Can’t They Just” about purchasing music on iTunes
- Innovative Ideas Competition – Member of the Judge’s Panel for the competition
- Hosted IPIC (Intellectual Property Institute of Canada) luncheon – “Recent and Upcoming Changes in the Canadian IP landscape”
- In-house educational presentation: Collateral Mortgages
- Chambers of Commerce AGM – “Board Governance”
- Visual Arts Nova Scotia – Artists’ Legal Info Society – “Beyond the Basics: Contracts and Copyright”
- Entrepreneurs’ Forum Advisory Meeting – Business Advisor for Entrepreneurs’ Forum
- Black Employment Resource Centre – “Board Governance”
- Canadian Bar Association – “Lending to Not-For-Profit Organizations”
- Blue Water Business Development Corporation Limited – “Corporate Governance”
- Presentations to a publicly-traded company - "Issues Related to Contract Negotiations"
- Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce – “Governance Sessions & Business Issues”
- Credit Union Atlantic - "Security Issues for Commercial Lenders"
- Business Development Bank of Canada - "Security Issues For Commercial Lenders"