Associée
Marjorie has a varied litigation and administrative law practice with a focus on regulatory and liability issues for professionals. As legal counsel to the regulators of many professions, she provides assistance in various capacities, including the investigation of complaints and the prosecution of disciplinary matters. She also chairs adjudicative panels for discipline matters and acts as defence counsel for professionals. She appears before all levels of court in Nova Scotia and before administrative tribunals.
In her work for professional regulators, Marjorie has provided innovative solutions to disciplinary and other regulatory matters, and is resolution oriented. She has assisted regulators in drafting legislation and bylaws concerning their regulatory functions, including designing investigative and disciplinary processes that provide flexible and fair procedures for respondents, witnesses and the regulators. She provides training and strategic policy and operational advice for self-governing organizations, ensuring their public interest mandate is always at the forefront. She is a frequent lecturer on matters involving the regulation of professionals.
Marjorie is a member of the Canadian Bar Association and the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society, where she served as President in 2010-2011. She provides legal counsel to the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society, including representation on disciplinary matters and the recent court proceedings involving Trinity Western University. In addition, she remains active as a volunteer on Bar Society committees.
Marjorie is a retired Commander in the Naval Reserve, having served 35 years in various positions, including the Regional Coordinator of Naval Reserve Units in Atlantic Canada and past Commanding Officer of HMCS SCOTIAN. She is currently the Chair of Commissionaires Nova Scotia’s Board of Governors, and formerly sat on the Minister of National Defence’s Advisory Board on Gender Integration and Employment Equity in the Canadian Forces.
In 2009 she was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and was a recipient of Lexpert’s Zenith Award, which recognizes leading women lawyers in Canada. In 2013, Marjorie’s contributions to the legal profession and the community were acknowledged when she received the NS Barristers’ Society Distinguished Service Award. Marjorie is ranked in The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and has been recognized by Best Lawyers® Canada for her practice in Administrative and Public Law, Health Care Law, and Legal Malpractice. She has been named Best Lawyers® 2020 Health Care Law and the 2021, 2019 and 2017 Administrative and Public Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Halifax. Marjorie is also listed as Provincial Litigation Star under Professional Liability Law in Benchmark Canada and has been featured in the Lexpert Special Edition – Canada’s Leading Litigation Lawyers.