w w w . C A N A D I A N L a w y e r m a g . c o m J U L Y 2 0 1 6 35
Prince
Edward
Island
Prince
Edward
Island
By donalee Moulton
collaborative'
Practising in
P.E.I. 'exceptionally
There are big advantages
to practising law in Canada's smallest
province. Foremost among them: col-
legiality.
While lawyers in most cities and
provinces cite collegiality as a feature of
their legal community, it is ingrained in
the fabric of legal life in Prince Edward
Island. "We are exceptionally collabora-
tive. Every lawyer for the most part does
business with every other lawyer. It's hard
to get your knickers in a knot because you
know you'll be working with this person
next month," says Derek Key, a partner
with Key Murray Law in Summerside.
Familiarity does not breed contempt
on P.E.I. but rather co-operation and
civility. "It is rare to hear even a sugges-
tion of a lawyer engaging in sharp prac-
tice," notes Robert MacGregor, a partner
with Campbell Lea in Charlottetown.
"The vast majority of lawyers in Prince
Edward Island recognize that all lawyers
have the same demands on their time,
legal issues to navigate, clients to advise,
and deadlines to meet." That common
understanding extends to helping each
other, he adds. "It is not uncommon for a
lawyer to call a lawyer at another law firm
to ask them questions about a particular
