Canadian Lawyer

w w w . c a n a d i a n l a w y e r m a g . c o m F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9 37 A combination of collegiality and sophistication defines the practice of law in Atlantic Canada By donalee Moulton A T L A N T I C R E G I O N A L R E P O R T S tep on an elevator anywhere on the East Coast and whoever is inside will say hello — family, friend or perfect stranger. Inevitably they will comment on the weather. Connecting with those in the community is part of the fabric of life in the four provinces that comprise Atlantic Canada. That friendliness and warmth also distinguishes the legal community from the rest of the country. It's a matter of degree. It's not that other areas of the country aren't collegial, it's that the profession is not as cordial as it is on the East Coast. "The community here is very close-knit," says Cheryl Hodder, a partner and vice-chair of the board of directors with McInnes Cooper in Halifax. Size is one factor that accounts for the closeness. "The legal community in Atlantic Canada remains relatively small, which helps foster a sense of collegiality. It means that many of the law- yers you deal with on the other side of a deal or case are often the same lawyers you encounter in the community, whether through board or charity work or recreational activities," says Lydia Bug- den, CEO and managing partner of Stewart McKelvey in Halifax. "This is particularly true in some of the smaller communi- ties," she notes, "but is also true even in larger centres like Hali- fax or St. John's." Hodder points out that there is a shared expectation that law- yers in the region will give back, a practice that makes them both visible to one another and allies outside a courtroom. "The com- munity really cares about each other. We are strong competitors, but it is a caring community." Undoubtedly there are differences between Prince Edward Island, Canada's smallest province; Newfoundland and Lab- rador, Canada's youngest province; Nova Scotia, the region's most populous province; and New Brunswick, Canada's only bilingual province. The sense of connection, of being in this together, may be most strongly felt and exemplified in New- foundland and Labrador. "There is a subtle but powerful thread running through all interaction which is noticeably different. I describe it as a kind of global sense of familiarity, even when you have no knowledge of the person you are dealing with at all," says Mark Gruchy, an associate with Gittens & Associates in St. John's. For lawyers, he notes, all the basic ways of engaging with each other are designed to promote and foster that sense of THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

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