Law Society Annual General Meeting
2025-06-06 14:00 - 16:00 (America/St_Johns) | 3rd Floor, Law Society Building, 196-198 Water Street, St. John’s, Canada
The Annual General Meeting of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador will be held, in person, at 2:00 pm on Friday, 6 June 2025, at the Law Society Building, 196-198 Water Street, St. John’s.
Please RSVP by noon, Monday, 2 June 2025, to Erin Rowe at erowe@lsnl.ca if you plan to attend the AGM.
View the Audited Financial Statements, here.
To view the Annual Report, please click here.

Law Society Annual Dinner and Cocktail Reception
2025-06-06 18:30 - 21:00
The Law Society’s Annual Dinner and Cocktail Reception will be held on the evening of Friday, 6 June 2025, at the Emera Innovation Exchange.
Cost: $100.00 per person ($86.95 + $13.05 HST)
Cash Bar: 6:30 p.m.
Dinner: 7:00 p.m.
Dress: Business Suit, Semi-Formal
To RSVP, please complete the registration form and send it to Erin Rowe at erowe@lsnl.ca, no later than 29 May 2025.

Empowering Legal Professionals: Mastering Lexis+ AI for Research Excellence
2025-06-09 12:00 - 13:30 | Online
Note: Webinar (Online Only)
Join us for an insightful webinar on Lexis+ AI, where we will offer a refresher on general legal research skills and explore advanced legal research techniques with the transformative power of AI in the legal field. Discover how Lexis+ AI can enhance your research efficiency and decision-making processes, tailored specifically for legal professionals.
Seminar Presenter: Ronald Jones – Product Adoption Consultant at LexisNexis Canada
Ron Jones is a seasoned legal research expert and esteemed trainer with LexisNexis, where he has been making significant contributions since 2003. Based in Ottawa, Ron is fluent in both English and French, allowing him to effectively communicate and connect with a diverse range of legal professionals across Ontario and the Atlantic provinces. With a deep commitment to enhancing legal research capabilities, Ron is known for his professional and patient approach to training. He has dedicated his career to supporting a wide array of legal professionals, including judges, law students from both civil and common law backgrounds, and practitioners at large national law firms and government departments, including the Supreme Court of Canada.
No Registration Fee
To register for this seminar, please click the following link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6gwgzwQGTTy-8towHv-dyQ
CPD Credit: 1.5 hours

The Anatomy of a Personal Injury Claim – Best Practices, Caselaw, and Trends
2025-06-11 13:00 - 15:30 | 3rd Floor, Law Society Building, 196-198 Water Street, St. John’s, Canada
Seminar Overview:
Join us for an in-depth seminar exploring the key stages of a personal injury claim from both the plaintiff and defence perspectives. This session will cover best practices for claim assessment, pleadings, discovery, expert evidence, and settlement negotiations, while examining recent caselaw and emerging trends in personal injury litigation. Gain insights from experienced practitioners on strategic litigation approaches, risk management, and evolving legal frameworks. A must-attend for those practicing in personal injury law or seeking to refine their litigation skills.
In-person attendance is strongly encouraged where possible. Attendees are invited to stay after the seminar for an informal social reception.
Seminar Presenters:
Blair Pritchett, Intact Insurance
Blair Pritchett is part of the in-house counsel team at Intact Insurance. Blair joined Intact in 2019 to manage the in-house Legal Team in St. John’s. In 2024, Blair transitioned to the role of Legal Consultant, where he now helps to oversee Intact’s national external litigation portfolio. Prior to joining Intact, Blair served 20 years in private practice, most of which time was spent as a partner with McInnes Cooper.
Sophie St. Croix, Roebothan McKay Marshall
Sophie St. Croix was called to the Newfoundland and Labrador bar in 2014. After completing her articles with Valerie Hynes at Roebothan McKay Marshall, she has been practicing with the firm since 2014. Sophie’s areas of practice include personal injury, family law, and real estate.
Registration Fee: $115.00 ($100.00 + HST) HST # R108086463
Registration Includes:

Seminar attendance and materials
Snacks and refreshments

PLEASE NOTE: THE REGISTRATION PROCESS IS ONLINE ONLY. TO REGISTER FOR THIS SEMINAR, PLEASE CLICK THE FOLLOWING LINK:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_dxeamUe_Tjezwln1hpEvOg
CPD Credit: 2.5 hours

Disciplinary Hearing: Gregory Stack
2025-06-20 09:30 - 11:30, 2025-06-25 09:30 - 11:30, 2025-09-15 09:30 - 11:30, 2025-09-18 09:30 - 2025-09-19 11:30 | 3rd Floor, Law Society Building, 196-198 Water Street, St. John’s, Canada
Respondent:
Gregory Stack

Date:
June 20, 2025
June 25, 2025
September 15, 2025
September 18, 2025
September 19, 2025

Time:
9:30 a.m.

Place:
Offices of the Law Society 196-198 Water Street

General Nature of the Charges:
In accordance with s. 45(3) of the Law Society Act, 1999, (the “Act”) the Complaints Authorization Committee (the “Committee”) has determined that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Gregory Stack (the “Respondent”) has engaged in conduct deserving of sanction and, in accordance with s. 45(3)(b) of the Act, the Committee has instructed the Vice-President to file the within Complaint against the Respondent on the basis that the Respondent is guilty of conduct deserving of sanction in that he:
Breached the following sections of the Code of Professional Conduct:

Section 2.1 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto;
Section 6.3 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto; and
Section 7.2-1 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto.

The factual particulars of the Complaint are as follows:
That the Respondent:
i. Failed to act with integrity; and
ii. Engaged in some form of harassment and/or discrimination of another person.
View a list of disciplinary hearings here.

Call to the Bar
2025-06-26 13:30 - 17:00
This event is limited to those being Called to the Bar and their invited guests.

Effective Strategies in Working with High Conflict Personalities
2025-09-10 13:00 - 15:30 | 3rd Floor, Law Society Building, 196-198 Water Street, St. John’s, Canada
Seminar Overview
This engaging and practical seminar explores effective approaches to working with high conflict personalities. Legal professionals frequently encounter clients or opposing parties whose behaviour escalates conflict and complicates legal processes. This training provides insight into the nature of high conflict personalities and equips participants with tools to manage these challenging dynamics more effectively.
This presentation will draw from the following topics:

Recognizing potential indicators and key characteristics of high conflict personalities
Managing professional roles and responsibilities when collaborating with other professionals (e.g., custody assessors, child protection workers, therapists)
Understanding relevant personality disorders (e.g., borderline, narcissistic, antisocial, histrionic)
Implementing hostility reduction strategies and identifying intractable or high-risk situations
Maintaining impartiality, managing personal triggers, and applying self-care strategies
Exploring legal and clinical interventions for navigating complex and high-conflict cases

This seminar is ideal for lawyers, mediators, and professionals working in high-conflict environments who are looking to build confidence, develop specialized skills, and foster more effective outcomes in their practice.
Seminar Presenters
Howard Hurwitz, MSW, RSW, AccFM (Ontario)
Howard is a social worker in private practice, specializing in supporting families navigating separation and divorce. He is also a certified family mediator. With a Master of Social Work and more than 46 years of experience in child protection, children’s mental health, and family counselling, Howard has held senior roles, including 16 years as Director of a child protection agency in Toronto.
Howard founded and chaired the High Conflict Forum, a community-based network bringing together lawyers, judges, mental health professionals, and child protection staff from over 30 agencies to support high-conflict families experiencing separation or divorce. This model has been so successful that it has been adopted in five other Canadian cities.
An experienced trainer, Howard regularly delivers training to professionals in the child protection, children’s mental health, and family law sectors. He has presented at international conferences in the United States and the Netherlands and is recognized by the courts as an expert in working with high-conflict families and cases involving parental alienation. He is frequently consulted by professionals across disciplines on these matters. Howard is also co-author, with Dr. Barbara Fidler and Professor Nicholas Bala, of Emotional Harm and Parent-Child Contact Problems in High Conflict Separations.
Howard is a lead clinician in Families Moving Forward, a treatment program designed for children who have disrupted contact with a parent following parental separation or divorce.
Registration Fee
$115.00 ($100.00 + HST)
HST # R108086463
Register Here
CPD Credit
2.5 hours

Up She Rises! Women and Gender in Newfoundland and Labrador Public Forum by the Newfoundland and Labrador Historical Society
2025-11-07 19:00 - 21:00
Inspired by the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in NL, Up She Rises! constitutes a public discussion about women and gender in NL history. It involves academics, researchers, activists, writers, and poets who have studied and written about women and gender in NL history. This is a capstone event to the anniversary year of women’s suffrage in this province. We hope it will inspire people to learn more about the historical experiences of women and gender-diverse folks and to continue the work of engaging with our collective history.
Friday, November 7The Rooms, 9 Bonaventure Avenue
7:00–8:00 pmOpening RemarksHer Honour, The Honourable Joan Marie Aylward, Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador
Keynote AddressMargot I. Duley – “Fishing for Answers”: Does the Newfoundland Women’s Suffrage Movement neatly fit into other scholarship on suffrage?
8:00–9:00 pmReception
View the event poster here.

Andrew Martin Disciplinary Hearing
2025-11-20 10:00 - 13:00 | 3rd Floor, Law Society Building, 196-198 Water Street, St. John’s, Canada
NOTICE OF A HEARING DATE

Respondent:
Andrew Martin

Date:
November 20, 2025

Time:
10:00 a.m.

Place:
Offices of the Law Society, 196-198 Water Street

General Nature of the Charges:
In accordance with s. 45(3) of the Law Society Act, 1999, (the “Act”) the Complaints Authorization Committee (the “Committee”) has determined that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Andrew Martin (the “Respondent”) has engaged in conduct deserving of sanction and, in accordance with s. 45(3)(b) of the Act, the Committee has instructed the Vice-President to file the within Complaint against the Respondent on the basis that the Respondent is guilty of conduct deserving of sanction in that he:
2023-027:
Breached the following sections of the Code of Professional Conduct:

Section 2.1 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto;
Section 3.1 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto;
Section 3.2 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto;
Section 3.4 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto;
Section 7.1-1 of the Code of Professional Conduct;
Section 7.1-3 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto;
Section 7.2-1 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto; and
Section 7.8 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto.

C2023-033:
Breached the following sections of the Code of Professional Conduct:

Section 2.1 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto;
Section 3.1 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto;
Section 3.2 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto;
Section 7.1-1 of the Code of Professional Conduct;
Section 7.2-1 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto;
Section 7.2-4 of the Code of Professional Conduct; and
Section 7.8 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto.

2023-047:
Breached the following sections of the Code of Professional Conduct:

Section 2.1 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto;
Section 3.1 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto;
Section 3.2 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto;
Section 3.4 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto;
Section 7.1-1 of the Code of Professional Conduct;
Section 7.2-1 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto;
Section 7.2-4 of the Code of Professional Conduct; and
Section 7.8 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto.

C2023-055:
Breached the following sections of the Code of Professional Conduct:

Section 2.1 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto;
Section 3.1 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto;
Section 3.2 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto;
Section 7.1-1 of the Code of Professional Conduct;
Section 7.1-3 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto;
Section 7.2-1 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto; and
Section 7.8 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto.

2023-065:
Breached the following sections of the Code of Professional Conduct:

Section 2.1 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto; and
Section 7.1-1 of the Code of Professional Conduct.

Breached the following Law Society Rules:

Rule 9.04; and
Rule 9.07.

For a list of Disciplinary Hearings, please click here.

Deadline for PLC Licence Applications, Amendments, and Cancellations
2025-12-05
Please be advised that all initial applications for, amendments to, or cancellations of Professional Law Corporation (PLC) licences must be submitted by 5 December 2025 to ensure sufficient time for review and processing before the Christmas break. Applications received after this date may not be processed until the New Year.
The necessary forms are available as follows:

Form 11.03A: Submit this form along with the required documentation to apply for a Professional Law Corporation Licence. Please carefully review the ‘Instructions for Completion’ found at the beginning of Form 11.03A.
Form 11.03B: Submit this form, along with the applicable fee and any required supporting documentation, to the Law Society for amendments to your PLC.
Form 11.07: If you wish to cancel your PLC licence, please submit this completed form and the required documentation as outlined in section 2.

Benchers' Meeting
2025-12-08 | Online
Please note that the next Benchers’ meeting will take place on 8 December 2025, at 9:30 am. Anyone wishing to attend a Benchers’ meeting:

is required to provide notice of attendance to the Law Society by emailing erowe@lsnl.ca;
will not be permitted to use audio or video recording devices or communication devices during the meeting;
shall not speak, unless invited to do so by the President;
must observe and obey all rulings of the President; and
shall leave if the meeting is declared closed to the public or if asked to do so by the President.

At this time, attendance shall be via Zoom. An invite will be provided upon receipt of an attendance notice. Agendas will be posted on the Law Society website in advance of each meeting, and the Minutes for the Public portion of each meeting will also be posted on the website.
Please RSVP by noon on 4 December 2025 to Erin Rowe at erowe@lsnl.ca if you plan to attend the Benchers’ Meeting.

Benchers’ Reception
2025-12-10 16:00 - 18:00 | 3rd Floor, Law Society Building, 196-198 Water Street, St. John’s, Canada
The President and Benchers of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador request the pleasure of your company at the Benchers’ Reception. Please see the details below:
Where: 196-198 Water Street, St. John’s
When: 10 December 2025
Time: 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Please send your RSVP to Erin Rowe at erowe@lsnl.ca by 4 December 2025.

Law Society Closed for the Holidays
2025-12-24 - 2026-01-04
Happy Holidays from the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador
Benchers and staff of the Law Society would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. You can view our Christmas card here.
Please note that we will be closed for the holidays after 23 December 2025 and will reopen for regular business hours starting on 5 January 2026. Staff will not be monitoring email and will respond to inquiries upon return on 5 January 2026.
The Law Library will be accessible to members and approved legal professionals with a valid fob card. Please remember that only circulating items may be borrowed.
Happy holidays!

The Science of Sleep: Implications for Professional Judgment, Performance, and Well-Being
2026-01-28 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Webinar Overview:
Sleep is a foundational biological process that directly affects cognitive performance, emotional regulation, and decision-making. In high-responsibility professional settings, chronic sleep deprivation can impair judgment, increase error rates, and reduce the ability to manage stress effectively.
This webinar provides an evidence-based overview of sleep science and its relevance to professional practice. Participants will be introduced to the sleep cycle and the physiological processes that occur during each stage of sleep, followed by an examination of how insufficient or poor-quality sleep affects mood, attention, memory, and overall well-being. The session also considers broader cultural and workplace factors that contribute to chronic sleep deprivation, supported by case studies demonstrating the economic and organizational impacts of sleep loss.
A focused segment examines the relationship between sleep and stress, including how sleep deprivation alters the stress response and degrades cognitive performance under pressure. Key distinctions – such as sleepiness versus fatigue, and sleep quality versus sleep quantity – are clarified. The seminar also addresses common sleep disruptors, including caffeine, alcohol, melatonin, and behavioural patterns such as revenge bedtime procrastination.
The session concludes with practical, evidence-informed strategies to support better sleep, including relaxation techniques, cognitive and behavioural tools, stimulus control, and sleep hygiene practices. A moderated question-and-answer period will follow, with questions addressed live or in post-session materials.
Seminar Presenters:
Marlee Boyle, Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT); Certified in Clinical Sleep Health; BSc Biology
Marlee has spent more than 10 years working as a Respiratory Therapist and transitioned to sleep therapy in 2014, becoming one of only nine therapists in Canada certified in clinical sleep health. Her specialties include sleep disordered breathing (obstructive sleep apnea) and treating insomnia though Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Marlee’s goal is to change the culture of sleeplessness in the workforce, to minimize accidents, as well as promote individuals to take control of their health and wellness by making a sleep a priority in their lives.
Leah Corkum, Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN); Sleep Therapist; BA Psychology
Leah has been working in the healthcare sector for 10 years as an LPN. Leah, being a shift worker herself, has led the development of shift worker education and strategy for Sleep Works with the goal of mitigating the effects of sleep deprivation. Leah is focused on preventative healthcare and education that supports positive sleep behaviour. Her goal is to improve the daily lives and futures of her clients through the benefits of healthy sleep. Leah completed the Family Sleep Institute Child Sleep Consultant Certification program and has been a Certified Child Sleep Consultant since 2019.
Registration Fee: $86.50 ($75.00 + HST) HST # R108086463
To register for this seminar, please click here.
CPD Credit: 1 hour

Mental Health in Sentencing: Beyond Mitigation
2026-03-10 12:00 - 13:30 | 3rd Floor, Law Society Building, 196-198 Water Street, St. John’s, Canada
Seminar Overview
The law of sentencing in Canada has—without much fanfare and with too-little commentary—undergone a significant conceptual shift in recent years. Most clearly reflected in the Supreme Court of Canada’s 2023 decision in R v Hills, Canadian sentencing law has embraced as its lodestar an approach that is best described as “individualized proportionality.” This approach elevates the individual offender’s experience of punishment as the animating concern in arriving at a fit sentence. And though the acceptance and embrace of this approach is clear in the doctrine, its implications are still to be fully explored. In this talk, Professor Berger will bring together this new paradigm for sentencing with a perennially difficult problem in sentencing courts: how to deal with the mental illness of the offender. His argument will be that, given this new approach, mental health should be relevant to sentencing in ways far more common and fundamental to the determination of just sentences than it has been in the past. It should no longer be approached as a question solely of the responsibility of the offender at the time of the offence; rather, mental health must now be treated as relevant to sentencing “beyond mitigation.” But so doing, he will suggest, has the potential to unsettle the system in interesting and important ways.
Seminar Presenter, Benjamin L. Berger
Benjamin is a Professor at Osgoode Hall Law School of York University. An award-winning teacher and researcher, and a prominent voice in the study of criminal law and sentencing in Canada, he is a Member of the College of the Royal Society of Canada and held the York Research Chair in Pluralism and Public Law. He served as law clerk to the Rt. Honourable Beverley McLachlin, former Chief Justice of Canada, and holds an LLM and JSD from Yale University, where he studied as a Fulbright Scholar. Professor Berger has published over 80 academic articles and book chapters on criminal and constitutional law and theory, the law of evidence, the law of sentencing, law and religion, and legal history. He is the author or editor of eight books, and his work on sentencing has been extensively cited and relied upon by Canadian courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada.
Registration Fee
$57.50 ($50.00 + HST) HST # R108086463
CPD Credit 1.5 hours
To register for this seminar, please click here.

Chief Justice Sir Francis Forbes Annual Law Lecture
2026-03-17 19:00 - 21:00

Current Trends and Emerging Challenges in Immigration Law
2026-03-18 14:00 - 16:00 | 3rd Floor, Law Society Building, 196-198 Water Street, St. John’s, Canada
Seminar Overview:
Immigration law in Canada continues to evolve at a rapid pace. This CPD seminar will provide a timely overview of recent policy and program changes introduced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and examine their practical implications for applicants, employers, and legal practitioners.
The session will explore recent adjustments to processing priorities, program eligibility criteria, caps and quotas, compliance measures, and administrative practices. Particular attention will be given to increasing processing delays, shifting intake targets, and the operational realities facing applicants and sponsoring businesses.
Presenters will also discuss emerging litigation trends, judicial review activity, and other legal challenges being mounted in response to recent policy shifts. The seminar will provide insight into how practitioners can effectively advise clients in an environment marked by uncertainty, backlog pressures, and heightened scrutiny.
This program is designed for lawyers who advise individuals, families, and businesses on immigration matters, as well as those seeking to better understand the broader regulatory and policy landscape shaping immigration practice in Canada.
Seminar Presenters:
Lorne Waldman, Waldman & Associates
Since 1979 Mr. Waldman has been practicing exclusively in the area of immigration and refugee law. He obtained his LLB from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1977 and his LLM from the University of Toronto in 2000. He wrote his Master’s Thesis on the relationship between international human rights law and immigration law.
In June 2017, he was named to the Order of Canada for his work defending the rights of refugees and immigrants. In May 2019 he was awarded the Diane Martin Medal for Social Justice Through Law by Osgoode Hall Law School. In 2010, 2015, and 2016 he was chosen as one of the 25 most influential lawyers in Canada by Canadian Lawyer Magazine. In 2015 he was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Canadian Bar Association. In 2007 he was awarded the Louis St. Laurent Award by the Canadian Bar Association for his contribution to the legal profession. He was the first President of the Canadian Association of Refuge Lawyers. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
He is the author of Immigration Law and Practice published by Lexis Nexis in 1992 and updated four times a year since then. He has also written several other books on immigration and refugee law including Canada Immigration and Refugee Practice, an annual book with commentary on immigration and refugee law; The Definition of Convention Refugee Second Edition; and several other texts on immigration and refugee law.
Mr. Waldman has been appointed and remains active on the list of Special Advocate. He has appeared as an expert witness in Immigration Law at proceedings before the Law Society of Ontario Discipline Tribunal. He has been an adjunct professor at both Osgoode Hall and University of Ottawa Law School where he taught immigration and refugee law and national security law.
Meghan Felt, McInnes Cooper
Meghan is an immigration lawyer in St. John’s. She represents clients on a variety of Canadian immigration issues, ranging from individuals seeking temporary resident visas, study permits, work permits and permanent residency, to large corporations seeking labour market impact assessments and work permits to hire foreign workers. Meghan has extensive experience with obtaining work permits under the International Mobility Program and other international agreements, including CUSMA, CETA and GATS.
Meghan is a member of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Canadian Bar Association. She is the current Chair of the CBA-NL Citizenship and Immigration Section, where she also participates in submission drafting and editing in conjunction with the CBA for new developments in immigration law. In addition to her daily practice, Meghan is involved with the firm’s pro bono program, offering immigration legal services to individuals in need.
Well respected in her practice area, Meghan frequently writes legal knowledge pieces on new developments in immigration legislation and policy, and regularly provides updates for the Atlantic Province chapters of Thomson Reuters® Practical Guide to Provincial Nominee Programs in Canadian Immigration Law. Meghan is ranked in the Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory.
Registration Fee: $57.50 ($50.00 + HST) HST # R108086463
To register for this seminar, please click the following here.

CPD Credit: 2 hours

Real Estate: What is Good Title (Revisited)?
2026-03-27 09:00 - 16:00 | 3rd Floor, Law Society Building, 196-198 Water Street, St. John’s, Canada
Seminar Overview:
In the long-awaited follow-up to the seminal What is Good Title? seminar delivered in 1990, this full-day program builds on the Law Society’s 2024 Report of the Ad Hoc Land Titles Committee, which examined present-day standards and recurring areas of uncertainty in real estate practice in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The morning portion of the program will focus on how practitioners get to a root of title in the first place, with particular attention to possessory title, Crown grants, and other established sources of title. Discussion will include practical guidance on evaluating possessory title, drafting affidavits of possession, and understanding Crown Lands’ approach to title issues, as well as the process for advancing a quieting of titles application pursuant to the Quieting of Titles Act.
The afternoon will turn to what happens once the root of title has been identified. This portion will explore conveyancing standards, areas where practice approaches diverge, and strategies for improving consistency across the bar. Topics are expected to include co-ownership and family land considerations, municipal issues, easements, and other recurring sources of complexity in title review.
The final segment of the day will draw together key themes from the earlier sessions in a broader discussion of what constitutes “good title” in practice today, including how to approach problematic or non-standard title, and the evolving role of title insurance. The seminar will conclude with a plenary discussion, providing attendees with an opportunity to engage directly with presenters on practical questions and emerging issues.
Seminar Presenters:
LSNL Land Titles Committee

Gregory French (Chair), Mills, Pittman & Twyne
Adam Baker, O’Keefe & Sullivan
Benjamin Blackmore, Blackmore Law Office
Jonathan Moore, O’Dea Earle
Keith Morgan, Brown Fitzgerald Morgan & Avis
Marc Cooper, Marc Cooper Law Office
Herb Edwards (Department of Justice and Public Safety, Crown Lands)

Registration Fee: $230.00 ($200.00 + HST)
HST # R108086463
Lunch will be provided for in-person attendees.
To register for this seminar, please click here.
CPD Credit: 6 hours

Benchers' Meeting
2026-04-13 09:30 - 23:30 | Online
Please note that the next Benchers’ meeting will take place on 13 April 2026, at 9:30 am. Anyone wishing to attend a Benchers’ meeting:

is required to provide notice of attendance to the Law Society by emailing erowe@lsnl.ca;
will not be permitted to use audio or video recording devices or communication devices during the meeting;
shall not speak, unless invited to do so by the President;
must observe and obey all rulings of the President; and
shall leave if the meeting is declared closed to the public or if asked to do so by the President.

At this time, attendance shall be via Zoom. An invite will be provided upon receipt of an attendance notice. Agendas will be posted on the Law Society website in advance of each meeting, and the Minutes for the Public portion of each meeting will also be posted on the website.
Please RSVP by noon on 10 April 2026 to Erin Rowe at erowe@lsnl.ca if you plan to attend the Benchers’ Meeting.

Disciplinary Hearing: Susan LeDrew, KC
2026-04-30 - 2026-05-01, 2026-06-15 - 2026-06-16 | 3rd Floor, Law Society Building, 196-198 Water Street, St. John’s, Canada
NOTICE OF A HEARING

Respondent:
Susan LeDrew, KC

Date:
April 30, 2026
May 1, 2026
June 15, 2026
June 16, 2026

Time:
9:30 a.m.

Location:
Offices of the Law Society 196-198 Water Street

In accordance with s. 45(3) of the Law Society Act, 1999, (the “Act”) the Complaints Authorization Committee (the “Committee”) has determined that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Susan LeDrew, KC (the “Respondent”) has engaged in conduct deserving of sanction and, in accordance with s. 45(3)(b) of the Act, the Committee has instructed the Vice-President to file the within Complaint against the Respondent on the basis that the Respondent is guilty of conduct deserving of sanction in that she:
2023-024:
Breached the following sections of the Code of Professional Conduct:

Section 2.1 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto;
Section 7.1-1 of the Code of Professional Conduct; and
Section 7.2-1 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto.

Breached the following Law Society Rules:

Rule 5.03;
Rule 5.04;
Rule 5.05;
Rule 5.10; and
Rule 5.15.

The factual particulars of the Complaint are as follows:
That the Respondent:
i. Failed to comply with the Law Society Rules respecting deposits and withdrawals from the trust account, in that money deposited into and withdrawn from her trust account was not directly related to legal services that she was providing;
ii. Failed to address the issue of inactive client trust ledgers arising from her audit, in a timely manner;
iii. Misled the Law Society with respect to the status of inactive client trust ledgers;
iv. Failed to promptly meet financial obligations in relation to her practice;
v. Failed to produce information that was requested as part of the ongoing trust audit; and
vi. Failed to respond promptly and completely to communications from the Law Society.
2024-021
Breached the following sections of the Code of Professional Conduct:

Section 2.1 of the Code of Professional Conduct and related commentaries thereto; and
Section 7.1-1 of the Code of Professional Conduct.

Breached the following Law Society Rules:

Rule 9.04; and
Rule 9.07.

The factual particulars of the Complaint are as follows:
That the Respondent:
i. Failed to respond to inquires of the Complaints Authorization Committee by the date set.

Dealing with Conflict in Legal Practice: A Communications Framework for Challenging Interactions
2026-04-30 12:00 - 13:15 | Online
Seminar Overview:
Conflict is an inherent feature of legal practice. Lawyers routinely engage with individuals who are experiencing stress, uncertainty, and, at times, significant personal crisis. These realities can give rise to challenging interactions – whether with anxious clients, opposing parties, or others involved in the legal process.
This seminar provides a practical, structured framework for navigating difficult conversations while maintaining professionalism and effectiveness. It will explore why emotions often run high in legal contexts and how lawyers can respond in a way that de-escalates tension rather than exacerbates it.
Participants will be introduced to communication strategies for working with a range of challenging behaviours and circumstances, including highly reactive personalities, cultural and language differences, and clients dealing with mental health concerns or trauma. The session will also address common scenarios such as managing oversharing, setting appropriate boundaries, and responding to incivility or aggression.
In addition, the seminar will focus on the lawyer’s own role in these interactions. Participants will learn practical techniques for maintaining composure in the moment, as well as strategies for managing the cumulative impact of difficult interactions over time.
This session is designed to equip lawyers with tools they can immediately apply in practice to foster more effective communication, reduce conflict, and support both professional well-being and client service.
Seminar Presenter:
Maggie O’Connell, Advocacy & Communications Specialist, Energy NL
Maggie is communications professional from St. John’s, NL. In her current role, she promotes local sustainable development in the province’s evolving energy sector. With a background in corporate communications, writing, and event coordination, Maggie brings a thoughtful, community-focused approach to her work. She designs and facilitates workshops that strengthen communication strategies and digital literacy. Passionate about diversity, collaboration, and creative storytelling, she holds a Master of Public Relations from Mount Saint Vincent University and a BA in Communication Studies from Memorial University.
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/maggie-o-connell-02184b159
Registration Fee: $28.75 ($25.00 + HST) HST # R108086463
To register for this seminar, please click here.
CPD Credit: 1.25 hours

Free Webinar - Rules, Standards, and Strategy: Using AI to Map the Evolution of Judicial Reasoning, with Professor Norman Siebrasse
2026-05-20 12:00 - 13:15 | Online
Seminar Overview:
Professor Norman Siebrasse – a name certainly familiar to any UNB Law graduate – will lead this seminar examining the judicial reasoning style of the Supreme Court of Canada. He led one of the first large-scale, AI-assisted empirical studies of Supreme Court jurisprudence in Canada, systematically mapping how the Court’s reasoning style has shifted over time, with particular focus on the distinction between rules and standards – and why that distinction matters for practising lawyers.
The session will explore how judicial reasoning style affects predictability, litigation risk, evidentiary burdens, and appellate strategy. Using a structured and validated rubric, Professor Siebrasse and his team analyzed decades of Supreme Court decisions across subject areas, identifying measurable trends in doctrinal reasoning over time.
Participants will gain insight into the project’s methodology, including how AI can be deployed to analyze qualitative legal concepts and the strengths and limitations of that approach. The seminar will also consider how similar structured methodologies may be adapted by practitioners, academics, and regulators in their own contexts.
Looking forward, the session will address the future of empirical legal analysis in Canada and the responsible integration of AI into professional legal work.
Professor Siebrasse will also provide an overview of a separate AI drafting and editing tool he is developing – designed to assist lawyers in refining written work while preserving their individual voice.
Seminar Presenter:
Professor Norman Siebrasse, University of New Brunswick, Faculty of Law
Professor Siebrasse joined UNB Law in 1993, after receiving an LLM from the University of Chicago and clerking at the Supreme Court of Canada for the Honourable Madam Justice McLachlin during the 1991-1992 term. His research and writing focuses on patent law, particularly pharmaceutical patent law, patent remedies and the intersection of intellectual property law and commercial law.
To register for this seminar, please click here.
CPD Credit: 1.25 hours

An Afternoon with The Right Honourable Richard Wagner, P.C., Chief Justice of Canada
2026-09-22 14:30 - 16:00 | 3rd Floor, Law Society Building, 196-198 Water Street, St. John’s, Canada
Location: Law Society Building, 196 Water Street, St. John’s – Virtual Attendance Available via Zoom
Overview:
Courts across the country are facing significant pressures as they endeavour to fulfil their essential role in society. In Newfoundland and Labrador, these pressures are reflected in growing case backlogs and were brought into sharper focus when the Provincial Court was required to indefinitely adjourn certain civil hearings, traffic matters, and Contraventions Act cases. Circuit court sittings have also been reduced indefinitely in some regions. These developments highlight broader challenges facing the justice system and the impacts that delay and limited court capacity can have on litigants, lawyers, and the public.
Against this backdrop, the Law Society is pleased to host the Chief Justice of Canada for a special event featuring remarks on the challenges currently facing Canada’s courts. Drawing on his national perspective, the Chief Justice will situate these developments within broader trends affecting courts across the country. The discussion will consider issues such as delay, accessibility, modernization of court processes, and maintaining public confidence in the administration of justice.
The session will also explore the respective roles of courts, governments, and the legal profession in responding to these challenges and strengthening the justice system.
Following his remarks, the Chief Justice will engage in a moderated discussion and respond to questions from attendees.
The Right Honourable Richard Wagner, P.C., Chief Justice of Canada
The Right Honourable Richard Wagner is the 18th Chief Justice of Canada. In this role, he presides over the Canadian Judicial Council, National Judicial Institute and chairs the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada. Chief Justice Wagner was president of the Association des Cours Constitutionelles Francophones from 2019 to 2022. The Chief Justice also fulfilled his duty to serve as administrator of the Government of Canada from January 23 to July 26, 2021.
Born and raised in Montreal, Chief Justice Wagner earned his Bachelor of Social Science and Licentiate in Laws at the University of Ottawa. He returned to his home town to practice law from 1980 to 2004. His areas of specialization included professional liability, commercial litigation and class action lawsuits. As a litigator the Chief Justice argued cases before every level of court in Quebec, quasi-judicial tribunals, as well as the Federal Court and the Supreme Court of Canada. Throughout his legal career, Chief Justice Wagner led initiatives to help lawyers constantly upgrade their skills and knowledge, such as the creation of the Centre d’accès à l’information juridique in 2002, for which he was awarded the Mérite du Barreau du Québec in 2005. In 2022, in recognition of his longstanding contribution to the advancement of the law, the Bar of Montreal awarded him its highest distinction, the Medal of the Bar of Montreal. In addition, for his outstanding contribution to upholding and promoting the rule of law, the World Jurist Association presented him with its Medal of Honor at a ceremony at the United Nations in New York in 2023. Most recently, in 2024, France awarded him with the insignia of Commander of the Legion of Honour, the country’s highest decoration, for his exemplary services to the cause of justice.
Chief Justice Wagner was appointed a judge of the Superior Court of Quebec in 2004 and was named to the Quebec Court of Appeal in 2011. On October 5, 2012, he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada. He was sworn in as Chief Justice of Canada on December 18, 2017. At his Supreme Court welcoming ceremony, Chief Justice Wagner spoke of the need for more transparency in the justice system, “Judges and courts must adjust and must explain who they are, what they do and how they do it.”
In that regard, the Chief Justice works very closely with the Supreme Court Registrar. The Court has introduced plain language summaries of decisions called Case in Brief and produces an annual report called the Year in Review. The Chief Justice now holds an annual news conference and has directed the Supreme Court, for the first time in its history, to hear cases outside Ottawa. In 2019, it traveled to Winnipeg where it heard two cases and judges conducted activities in the community. The Court conducted a similar trip to Quebec City in 2022.
Chief Justice Wagner is a steadfast advocate for better access to justice for all Canadians. He encourages better funding for legal aid, urges lawyers to do more pro bono work and supports structural reforms to further modernize the justice system.
As a litigator and a judge, the Chief Justice has championed civility in and outside the courtroom, “Even if people reading our decisions don’t agree with an outcome, we have to ensure they respect them. If we let emotion get the best of us, our decisions become suspect, and so do we.” Civility and collegiality were the focus of his speech at the 2019 Cambridge Lectures.
A passionate defender of the principle of judicial independence, the Chief Justice and Minister of Justice David Lametti signed an Accord in 2019 to formally recognize the Supreme Court’s full independence from the federal Department of Justice. “A judiciary that is independent – and seen to be independent – benefits all Canadians,” said the Chief Justice.
Registration Fee: $115.00 ($100.00 + HST)
HST # R108086463
Space is limited. To register for this event, please click here.
CPD Credit: 1.5 hours
