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 A p r I L 2 0 1 5 37 included a 15-minute drive to work, if you weren't within walk- ing distance of the office. Weekends were a time to unwind and socialize, not shift the work location from the firm to home. A booming economy has changed that laid-back lifestyle for many. The demands of business are the demands of clients. And St. John's is booming. It has always been the largest city in the province and the centre of government, business, and cultural activity. Now it is an economic force to contend with in any region. According to a report published by the city's Office of Strategy and Engagement, St. John's accounted for 48 per cent of the provincial GDP in 2013, and 38.3 per cent of the popula- tion called the city home in 2011. Incomes in the St. John's metro region have risen more than 50 per cent since 2005. Higher incomes and increasing consumer confidence have facilitated considerable growth in retail sales, which have jumped by more than $1 billion dollars since 2003. Despite the growth and energy that comes with being the major city in a robust economy, the city itself and the bar in St. John's remains small, and Newfoundland hospitality prevails no matter what the economic reality. "There are still less than 1,000 lawyers holding active practice status, which enables each lawyer to still bump into many of his or her colleagues on a regular basis," says Benson. "The fact that we remain relatively small in size and insular by geography tends to foster and protect the sense of collegiality." "As a practice bar, the lawyers in Newfoundland and Labrador are not as easily connected to the rest of Canada," notes Jacobs. "We're a little more remote, a little closer to each other." Civility and deference are a way of doing business and con- ducting oneself that are both expected and respected. "Always down here when the trial is over — win, lose, or draw — you walk over and shake hands. Always," says Marshall. He recalls recently attending a wake for a colleague from another firm. In this city, Marshall notes, "you know one another. Your kids hang around with their kids. There is usually a connection." Lawyers in St. John's appreciate those connections and the life- style it enables them and their families to lead — and they will fight to retain that. "We will become a big city practice with a small-city work environment," says Jacobs. "It is the best of both worlds." That world is facing a small upheaval. The drastic decline in oil prices is having an impact on business. "For every $1 drop in oil prices, there is a $30-million drop in provincial coffers," notes Jacobs. That economic impact has ripples that reach well beyond oil companies to the community at large and the professionals that operate in that com- munity. "At this precise moment, the legal profession, and most other Newfoundland and Labrador business sectors, are attempting to sort out the combined effects of $55-a-barrel oil and the provincial government's new-found fiscal restraint," notes Benson. "The latter seems inextricably tied to the former, but the two in concert may have some some short-term but deleteri- ous impacts upon the local economy and business community, which in turn may bear upon the areas in which we lawyers are currently practising." Benson says he senses a recent pause within the bar while "those who might hire lawyers and students sort through where matters will fall out in the price-per- barrel debate. This has resulted in some hourly rate sensitivities throughout many industries. However, my personal view is that once things stabilize in the short to medium term, the current trepidation on hiring will abate soon thereafter for both laterals and students." One thing is certain: lawyers in St. John's will weath- er the storm. This is a city, and a province, all too fam- iliar with hardship — and enjoying life regardless. For Steve Marshall, hockey remains a passion decades after Danny Williams coached him. For Jacobs, community service, including serving as the long-time chair of the Anglican Charitable Foundation for Children, is a pas- sion — and a privilege. And for all the lawyers in Newfoundland's largest city, there is the sense of satisfaction that comes from a job well done with colleagues well respected. They'll even own up to that Friday night at the Duke of Duck- worth over a pint or two. Fast Facts: St. John's st. John's is a changing city— and a thriving one, according to the "state of the economy: st. John's Metro" report released last year by the city. Here are a few facts from the report: • In 1992, 32.1 per cent of the province's population lived in St. John's. By 2013, that had risen to 38.7 per cent. • In 2013, the city recorded its 12th consecutive annual population increase. Between the 2001 and 2011 census years, the population of the communities surrounding the capital city grew by 23.1 per cent while the population of St. John's increased seven per cent. • Approximately one in four students enrolled at Memorial University in 2013 was from out of province. • The annual unemployment rate in St. John's reached an historic low of 6.1 per cent in 2013. • St. John's had the second-largest increase in median total income among major Canadian cites between 2010 and 2011. The median family income rose by 3.1 per cent compared to an increase of 0.5 per cent in Canada. In 2011, the median income in St. John's was $83,020. • Driven by gains in personal income and high levels of consumer confidence, retail sales have increased 71 per cent over the 10 years from 2003-2013. • The average housing price has more than doubled since 2005 (+113.4 per cent), and increased 12.2 per cent in 2013. St.John's city report

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