Resources
Our resources, including publications and useful links, are organized by service area.
Click on the service area of interest below to see the various resources applicable to each one.
Our resources, including publications and useful links, are organized by service area.
Click on the service area of interest below to see the various resources applicable to each one.
James D. MacNeil
Managing Partner
T 902.460.3457
jmacneil@boyneclarke.ca
John A. Young, Q.C.
Chairman
T 902.460.3406
jyoung@boyneclarke.ca
Diane C. Norris
Executive Director
T 902.460.3432
dnorris@boyneclarke.ca
Valerie Vaughan-Hines
Director of Corporate Services
T 902.460.3439
vvaughan@boyneclarke.ca
Peter Duggan
Director of Finance
T 902.460.3400 x125
pduggan@boyneclarke.ca
LuAnn Blaxland
Human Resources Director
T 902.460.3438
lblaxland@boyneclarke.ca
Greg Short
Director of IT
T 902.460.3470
gshort@boyneclarke.ca
Thanks for taking the time to contact us.
Christine participated in the Summer Student Program in 2009 and articled with BOYNECLARKE for the 2010-2011 year. She joined the firm’s business law team as an associate lawyer in August 2011. During the Summer Student Program, Christine worked with the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia, a non-profit organization that was established in 1987. Through major fundraising events, including the Festival of Trees, A Different Stage of Mind and the Golf Classic "Fore" Mental Health, along with the support of donors, sponsors and volunteers, the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia is creating a higher level of awareness and supporting mental health organizations throughout Nova Scotia.
Christine assisted the Mental Health Foundation in drafting policies as well as organizing the Golf Classic Fore Mental Health. After the Summer Student Program, Christine continued her involvement by volunteering at Festival of Trees and a Different State of Mind. When asked about her experience with the BOYNECLARKE Summer Student Program Christine said “The Summer Student Program allowed me to devote the summer to working with a non-profit organization in my community, an opportunity I would not have otherwise had. I thought it was great that the structure of the program allowed me to get acquainted with the firm by having me spend a few weeks throughout the summer at the office. The best part is that BOYNECLARKE continues to encourage and facilitate community involvement long after the Summer Student Program has ended.”
Ansley participated in the Summer Program in 2008 and articled with BOYNECLARKE for the 2009-2010 year. She is currently employed at the firm as an associate lawyer. Through BOYNECLARKE's 2008 Summer Student Program, she worked at Metro Community Housing Association (MCHA), a non-profit organization that provides housing and support services for adults with mental health difficulties. She conducted research and drafted plain language brochures for clients informing them of their legal rights in various situations. She provided advice to the Board of Directors concerning the MCHA By-Laws as well as advising the Executive Director with regards to the Organization’s employment policies. After the Summer Student Program, Ansley continued her involvement with MCHA by serving on the Board of Directors.
When asked about her experience with the BOYNECLARKE Summer Student Program Ansley said that “the organization was so grateful for the work that I was able to do for them and I felt good giving something back to the community. I have a strong interest in social justice and it was very rewarding to provide legal information, which might otherwise be unavailable, to a marginalized group. I also worked closely with those advocating on behalf of persons with mental health difficulties and am now a part of that advocacy at the Board level. The Summer Student Program at BOYNECLARKE offers an experience unique to anything else in the city. You are able to get behind a cause you believe in and work for the benefit of a non-profit organization while still being compensated as an articled clerk and being guaranteed an articling position after graduation. Also, through participating in this program you gain a distinct set of skills that will assist you in articling as well as practice.”
Dave participated in the Summer Student Program in 2006 and articled with BOYNECLARKE for the 2007-2008 year. He is currently employed as an associate lawyer with BOYNECLARKE and practices in the area of personal injury.
During the Summer Student Program, David worked for the Brain Injury Association of Nova Scotia (BIANS), a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a framework for self-help within Nova Scotia's brain injury community. David assisted in raising awareness and advocating for those suffering with brain injuries in Nova Scotia. As well, he played a key role in organizing the annual BIANS golf tournament.
David continues to participate in the BIANS tournament each year. David is thankful for the experience of working in the non-profit sector and gaining such a unique perspective. “In terms of the program’s value to me personally,” reports David, “it allowed me the opportunity to better understand the challenges and struggles faced by those suffering from brain injuries. It also allowed me to better understand the importance of the role of non-profit organizations in raising awareness and advocating for those in need.”
Rob participated in the Summer Program in 2004 and articled with BOYNECLARKE for the 2005-2006 year. He is currently employed as an associate lawyer with BOYNECLARKE. Through BOYNECLARKE's 2004 Summer Student Program, he worked at reachAbility, a charitable non-profit organization in Halifax. reachAbility promotes advocacy for people with disabilities. Rob spent his summer organizing and facilitating workshops on advocacy, converting legislation into plain language, and researching legal issues for the organization. He even participated in their annual golf tournament.
Asked why he chose BOYNECLARKE’s Summer Student Program, Rob said, “Because of the sense of community. That word means more at BOYNECLARKE than at most other law firms. And this experience is unique…Because of the Summer Student Program, a lot of high-quality law students rank BOYNECLARKE high on their list of where they might like to work. It’s a win for the charity, a win for the students, and a win for the firm.” Reflecting on his experience at the Summer Student Program, Rob said, “It broadened my horizons by showing me a different kind of work culture. Until then I had only worked for big companies that had never seemed motivated beyond the bottom line. It was a great eye-opener to see people working for something greater than the dollar and as far as they’re concerned, greater than themselves.” Asked how this experience is likely to impact on his legal career, Rob replied, “You can’t separate the person from the lawyer. The more well-rounded and experienced the lawyer is, the more connected they are to people, and the better their practice is.”
Leah participated in the Summer Student Program in 2003 and articled with Boyne Clarke for the 2004-2005 year. She is currently employed as an associate lawyer with BOYNECLARKE. During the Summer Student Program, Leah worked for Metro Community Housing Association, a charitable non-profit organization that provides housing and support services for persons with mental health difficulties. She conducted research and assisted in advocating for improved disability legislation in Nova Scotia. She notes that the organization’s limited resources would have made it difficult for them to conduct the research in-house, and that the research turned out to be key in helping them to access decision makers. After the Summer Student Program, Leah continued her involvement through the Pro Bono Students of Canada at Dalhousie University. “In terms of the program’s value to me personally,” reports Leah, “it really opened my eyes to the challenges that are not only faced by persons with mental health difficulties, but also the challenges faced by non-profit organizations, and the choices they have to make on how to spend their resources. Although the advocacy piece of what they do is critical, they are not always able to direct their attention in that way.
By serving on the organization’s board of directors, Leah has maintained her connection to Metro Community Housing Association well beyond the Summer Student Program. “In the first year of my career, I was already on the board of directors of a fairly major organization,” she notes. “I’ve gained a lot from this professionally, being involved as a decision maker with a fair amount of responsibility. The Summer Student Program opened my eyes to social consciousness and also gave me a sense of independence that I wouldn’t have gained otherwise. You gain self-confidence which you can actually bring to the firm when you start articling.” Leah served on the Board of Directors for Metro Community Housing Association until 2009. She vacated her position on the board and she has been replaced by Ansley Simpson, an Associate hired from our articling program in June 2010.
BOYNECLARKE is pleased to introduce our articled clerks:
We are also very proud to announce that the following 6 law students have accepted 2012 articling positions with us, 5 of whom participated in our 2011 Summer Student Program (placements in brackets):
Leah D. Rimmer, Co-Chair (Bio) - lrimmer@boyneclarke.ca
Robert L. Miedema, Co-Chair (Bio) - rmiedema@boyneclarke.ca
George P. Ash (Bio) - gash@boyneclarke.ca
Thomas O. Boyne, Q.C. (Bio) - tboyne@boyneclarke.ca
Amy G. Gibson Saab (Bio) - agibsonsaab@boyneclarke.ca
Rebecca L. Hiltz LeBlanc (Bio) - rleblanc@boyneclarke.ca
Terrance G. Sheppard (Bio) - tsheppard@boyneclarke.ca
Inquiries and/or applications may be directed to:
Diane C. Norris
Executive Director
BOYNECLARKE LLP
P.O. Box 876, Dartmouth Main
Halifax Regional Municipality, NS B2Y 3Z5
T: 902.469.9500
F: 902.463.7500
Email: dnorris@boyneclarke.ca
We are looking forward to participating again in the annual on-campus interviews at Dalhousie Schulich School of Law in January 2012. Dalhousie students who would like to have a first interview with BOYNECLARKE should submit their application to the Placement Office. Please contact the Placement Office directly to confirm the application deadline.
We also welcome applications from all other law schools both in Canada and abroad. If you are attending law school outside of Nova Scotia, the following is a brief summary of the hiring process:
Articled clerks at BOYNECLARKE are paid competitive salary. In addition, our current clerks enjoy the following benefits:
Articling at BOYNECLARKE is truly a unique experience. Because of the depth of our practice areas BOYNECLARKE is able to offer our articled clerks real exposure to many areas of law. Rather than assigning our clerks to a six month rotation in litigation and a six month rotation in corporate law, our clerks are assigned to ten or so smaller rotations through our various practice groups. We try to make the individual rotations as interesting and diverse as possible. For example, in their Criminal Law rotation, our clerks are seconded to the Provincial or Federal Crown for a week to see how the “other side” does things.
We view the articling year as an essential part of a clerk’s legal education and it is extremely important to us that our clerks emerge from their articling year with the confidence and a full set of tools to start their careers as lawyers. We believe our unique rotation system allows the clerk an opportunity to truly examine and evaluate what area of the law they may want to pursue in practice.
We also like to think of BOYNECLARKE as a “great place to work”. Although we are serious about the business of law, we also know it is important to maintain a collegial atmosphere in the office and have the occasional (or weekly) beer with colleagues on a Friday afternoon. We encourage our students and articled clerks to become involved in all of our social and recreational opportunities (of which there are many!).
The BOYNECLARKE summer student program is unique among law firms in the region. Instead of working in the law firm for the entire summer, our students have the opportunity to be paid by us, at a salary competitive with other large firms in HRM, but the student will actually work for a non-profit organization in the area.
How does this happen you might ask? The organizations submit proposals to the firm and these proposals are vetted to ensure the work offered is appropriate for the students and meets the goals of the program. The students are then provided with a list of approved organizations to choose from. We know that many students are already keenly involved in the community, therefore, there is also always the opportunity for a student to bring a proposal to us for an organization they are already involved in and who would benefit from our support.
The BOYNECLARKE Summer Student program has been running for a number of years and has proven to be an extraordinary success. Our students develop not only a strong sense of community and “ giving back” which is essential to a career as a lawyer, but they are also given an early opportunity to network and become a part of their larger community.
We are pleased to announce that 5 of the law students who accepted 2012 articling positions with us participated in our Summer Student Program, from May 2011 to August 2011 (placements in brackets):
Please see our testimonials page for stories from some of our lawyers who have participated in the Summer Student program.
BOYNECLARKE employs 5-6 articled clerks. We hire 5 clerks as part of our second-year hiring process which takes place during January/February of a student’s second year of law school and we anticipate filling 5 articled clerk positions through this process for the 2013-2014 year. We try to leave an additional spot open for applications that might come in during the year. We do not hire first-year students.
When a student is offered a position at the end of the 2nd year interview process this offer is for an articling position, which usually starts on the 1st of June following the student’s graduation from law school. As is typical in the market, we also give the student the option of working with us during the summer between the student’s second and third year of law school. Unique to BOYNECLARKE, however, is our Summer Student Program.
BOYNECLARKE participates in the annual on-campus interviews at Dalhousie Schulich School of Law (January 2012) and welcomes applications from all other law schools both in Canada and abroad.
BOYNECLARKE is a proud supporter of our community. As part of our ongoing commitment to promoting growth within our region we are pleased to be an Investor in the Greater Halifax Partnership. For more information on the Greater Halifax Partnership please visit their website at www.greaterhalifax.com
BOYNECLARKE LLP is a member of TAGLaw, a global alliance of high-quality, independent law firms, providing a full range of legal services to clients all over the world. Founded in 1998, TAGLaw quickly rose through the ranks, and today is one of the world's largest legal networks.
TAGLaw members are carefully selected for membership based on professional competence, commitment to client service, reputation within the legal community, and recommendations from existing members. TAGLaw members are highly respected, value-driven law firms with local market knowledge and expertise.
To maintain the highest quality, all TAGLaw firms commit to common objectives and standards, including:
Providing excellent, timely and cost-efficient legal services
Developing and maintaining strong client relationships and personal service enhanced by the international resources shared among network members
Communicating clearly with clients on terms of professional engagement and progress of business
Through TAGLaw, BOYNECLARKE has the national and global reach to serve clients wherever the growth of their business takes them. Whatever or wherever your challenge or opportunity might be, we can access local and knowledgeable expertise from trusted legal counsel using TAGLaw. For more information, please contact our Managing Partner, John A. Young, Q.C., at jyoung@boyneclarke.ca, P 902.460.3406, F 902.463.7500, or visit TAGLaw’s website at
www.TAGLaw.com
At BOYNECLARKE, we consider it important that you fully understand how you will be charged for our legal services.
It is our policy to provide an estimate of fees and disbursements. However, sometimes it is not possible to predict with certainty the total amount of fees and disbursements which will arise. You are encouraged to discuss our fee and payment policy with the BOYNECLARKE lawyer associated with your file, or with our Credit Manager.
In order to assist you in understanding our billing practices, we are pleased to provide you with the following general information.
Fees
Legal fees are billed in three different ways:
Disbursements
When acting on behalf of a client, we are often required to spend money to purchase services from third parties. Examples include the cost of municipal tax certificates, fees to physicians for medical reports, fees charged by the Courts, long distance telephone calls, photocopies and fax transmissions. An archiving/scanning fee may also be charged. Disbursements are recorded and charged to you separately.
Retainers
Retainers are deposits requested by lawyers to be applied to accounts for fees and/or disbursements. Retainers are required as a matter of firm policy.
Billing
Bills for tariff work are due and payable when the work is completed (on the closing of the purchase of a house, for example). Contingency fees are deducted from the damage award or settlement when received, and before the balance is forwarded to the client.
In files which involve ongoing work, we usually invoice monthly. A regular monthly account assists you in keeping track of the services and the costs to date.
Payment Terms
Our invoices are payable upon receipt. Interest is charged on outstanding accounts at the rate that is shown on the invoice. *Payment arrangements may be made with our Credit Manager. As a convenience to clients, we accept payment by VISA, Master Card and debit card through Interac and On Line through most Chartered Banks (except TD Bank). (*Current rate is 12% - Subject to review.)
Harmonized Sales Tax (HST)
Nova Scotia Harmonized Sales Tax is payable on legal fees and most disbursements. The amount of the tax, along with our Registration number, will be shown on your invoice.
Account Inquiries
If you have a question on an invoice, do not hesitate to contact your lawyer, or our Credit Manager, who will be pleased to explain the invoice to you and to answer any inquiries you may have.
BOYNECLARKE wishes to provide you with the very best legal services at reasonable cost. It is our experience that this can best occur through a full and frank discussion at the outset and throughout our association. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. We invite your suggestions and comments.
Commitment to community is a closely held value at BOYNECLARKE. From lawyers' involvement on Boards and programs offered by the firm to staff-directed fundraising initiatives, everyone at BOYNECLARKE works to better our community:
The lawyers at BOYNECLARKE are committed to community. And, through BOYNECLARKE’s Zenith Gold Award-Winning Summer Student Program, that commitment begins well before they start their legal careers with the Firm.
The Program, which is unique among law firms in the region, offers future Articled Clerks the opportunity to work with a local community-based organization at BOYNECLARKE’s expense. This allows the law students to develop a strong sense of community and “giving back”, which carries into their legal careers. In fact, many BOYNECLARKE lawyers remain involved with the organizations they worked with when they were future Articled Clerks in the Summer Student Program.
The BOYNECLARKE Summer Student Program was launched in May 2001 and has proven to be an extraordinary success, garnering exceptional feedback from the participating non-profits. Erika Beatty, CEO of Symphony Nova Scotia, says:
“I'm really impressed with how tangibly, directly, and intelligently BOYNECLARKE has chosen to give back to the community. We're very grateful to be a part of the program.”
BOYNECLARKE couldn’t be happier with how the Summer Student Program has benefitted the local community. Bill Pratt, Executive Director of Shelter Nova Scotia (formerly Saint Leonard’s Society), a non-profit that has participated in the Program, captures the spirit of the Program perfectly noting that,
“Everyone is winning!”
In 2008 we launched our Volunteer Time program which provides employees time off with pay to perform community service. Employees may be granted paid leave under this policy to provide voluntary "direct" services to their communities as part of an organized community service project sponsored by a service organization, or to perform volunteer work approved by any teacher or school administrator to assist a public or private preschool, elementary, junior or high school.
Our staff — from receptionists to paralegals — share this commitment to community. The BOYNECLARKE team that enters the Manulife Dragon Boat Festival every year is staff-driven, as is participation in various other fundraising causes including the CIBC Run for the Cure. At Christmastime, BOYNECLARKE sponsors three or more needy families to ensure that their holiday is bright.
We are very proud of the fundraising efforts put forth by our staff, who were recognized in the March/April 2009 issue of Atlantic Business Magazine.
On casual days, staff raise $500 per month which is donated to a different charity each month as pre-selected by the staff. The Casual Day charities chosen for 2011 are:
BOYNECLARKE also sets one month's fundraising aside for unexpected events, such as a natural disaster. The funds raised through March's Casual Days will be donated to the Canadian Red Cross's Japan Earthquake/Asia-Pacific Tsunami relief effort. Should no unprecedented event occur in a given year, the funds raised during that 'spare' month are donated to the Movember campaign, in support of prostate cancer research.
Is your charitable organization interested in BOYNECLARKE's support? We are pleased to review your request for a charitable donation. However, due to the number of requests received annually, we cannot guarantee that every donation request will be met. Please forward requests to:
Krista Reage, Marketing & Events Coordinator
kreage@boyneclarke.ca
Support Staff are key members of the BOYNECLARKE Team.
At a smaller firm, the client might have to wait to speak with a lawyer. Not so at BOYNECLARKE. Paralegals and assistants are knowledgeable about their specific practice areas so they are able to assist you in regard to substantive aspects of your case. This translates into time savings and convenience. Adequate staffing and seamless service have become hallmarks at BOYNECLARKE.
BOYNECLARKE has its own title searchers in-house who enable us to serve clients both efficiently and cost-effectively compared to firms that contract out title search services.
Supervised by partners, our articled clerks assist lawyers in a wide range of duties from legal research to conducting discoveries.
The Administrative Services Team takes care of all clerical and administrative duties, freeing up the paralegals and assistants for law-related matters. The Administrative Services Team includes receptionists, accounting services, document centre services, management, information technology, marketing, and librarian services.
BOYNECLARKE’s information systems enable us to provide whatever information you require. We produce and manage large volumes of documents quickly and efficiently. Our ProLaw case-management system puts all up-to-date client files — notes, dockets, accounting information, and event and task tracking — at our staff’s fingertips, enabling us to instantly locate pertinent information.
Copy
BOYNECLARKE offers a comprehensive range of services. And, for your convenience, these services are available in English, French, Arabic, Czech, Filipino, German, Slovak, and Spanish. We can represent you in any Atlantic Province, as well as New York State. For more information please select from the list of practice areas below:
Please select from the list of our lawyers below:
In 1972, a small group of lawyers, Boyne, Crocker & Jones, went out on their own rather than join one of the large established Halifax firms. Their 
entrepreneurial spirit and innovation is still alive and well at BOYNECLARKE today. Our lawyers are eager to accept a challenge, chart a new course, and stand up for what they believe. Groundbreaking business and litigation work conducted at the firm attests to that.
In 1981, Boyne, Crocker & Jones merged with the Dartmouth office of Claman, Dietrich, Clark, Bright & Clarke to form BOYNECLARKE. The two name partners of this merger still practice at BOYNECLARKE today: Thomas O. Boyne, Q.C., practicing Corporate & Commercial and Insolvency Law, and W. Richey Clarke, Q.C., practicing Residential Real Estate.
BOYNECLARKE is proud to have earned over the years a reputation for providing legal expertise with a commitment to integrity, professionalism and community. In 2010, firm management completed a rebranding to better communicate that commitment. Around the same time, amendments to the Nova Scotia Partnership Act dictated that BOYNECLARKE become a limited liability partnership. As a result, the firm is now known as BOYNECLARKE LLP.
Coinciding with the launch of the rebrand, in late 2010, BOYNECLARKE moved into new offices in Dartmouth. A sign of the healthy economy in Atlantic Canada, we needed more space to accommodate our growing business and found it at Metropolitan Place. For a message from BOYNECLARKE's Managing Partner, John A. Young, Q.C., regarding the move, please click here.
While the look and location of BOYNECLARKE may have changed, the core values of the firm remain the same.
BOYNECLARKE LLP currently employs 140 staff including 47 lawyers of whom 24 are partners. The firm is the largest private employer in Downtown Dartmouth, the largest law firm in Dartmouth, and the fourth largest in Atlantic Canada.
Since three lawyers founded the firm in 1972, BOYNECLARKE has grown to become one of Atlantic Canada’s largest law firms.
The BOYNECLARKE family is a blend of Personal, Business, and Institutional lawyers who are strong believers in the synergies of a team approach. The firm’s collective knowledge and experience becomes our client’s asset. Since our services span such diverse practice areas as Residential Real Estate Services, Entertainment and Media Law, and Health Law, we can handle just about any case in-house.
We are senior lawyers who have deep expertise in our practice areas, and young lawyers who bring fresh ideas and enthusiasm to client cases. The former is reflected in the firm’s AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell.
Our “family approach” reaches into the community. BOYNECLARKE lawyers and staff serve on boards and committees of many organizations that make a difference—from Metro Community Housing Association to the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia. Staff also assist with fundraising drives and the firm supports local charitable organizations.
At the same time, we recognize that the cost of legal services concerns everyone. We discuss fees at the outset so that our clients can anticipate expenses with confidence. We ensure that our services remain a great value.
Welcome to BOYNECLARKE. A law firm unlike any other, where you will receive a legal education that is second to none.
BOYNECLARKE’s office is located in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, just across the harbour from downtown Halifax. On September 28, 2010 we opened for business in a brand-new custom designed space located over 3 floors of Metropolitan Place (the glass building adjacent to the MacDonald Bridge). We are very excited about our new space and we feel this move says a lot about how the firm has grown since it was started by 3 lawyers in 1972.
BOYNECLARKE currently has 47 lawyers with significant practices in the following areas of law.
Look no further. BOYNECLARKE LLP is a dynamic, fast-growing Dartmouth law firm. We provide a comprehensive benefits package, including our Health & Wellness initiatives; salaries to be commensurate with experience. We offer a friendly and professional work environment and our offices are located in Metropolitan Place, 99 Wyse Road, downtown Dartmouth across the street from the Dartmouth Sportsplex. Progress Magazine recognizes BOYNECLARKE LLP as one of the Best Places to work in Atlantic Canada in 2011.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES – LAWYERS
Although we do not currently have any posted openings for lawyers, we are always interested in exploring opportunities that may arise.
If you are talented, hard-working, and want to be a member of a team committed to meeting the needs of our clients, we’d like to hear from you.
Located in new offices with a spectacular view of Halifax Harbour, BOYNECLARKE LLP is a firm committed to doing quality work in a collegial, supportive atmosphere. If you are interested in discussing employment opportunities with us, please call on a confidential basis or send your expression of interest to:
Diane C. Norris, Executive Director
BOYNECLARKE LLP
P.O. Box 876
Dartmouth, NS B2Y 3Z5
T 902.460.3432
dnorris@boyneclarke.ca
We currently have no available employment opportunities; however, we are happy to receive resumes to keep on file for future consideration.
Please direct your application and/or inquiries to:
Director of Human Resources
BOYNECLARKE LLP
P. O. Box 876
Dartmouth, NS B2Y 3Z5
F 902.463.7500
hr@boyneclarke.ca
