David Coles, Q.C. is the new Regional Chair of the Supreme Court Advocacy Institute (Atlantic Region)

Below is a Press Release from the Advocacy Institute announcing new appointments. The non-profit Institute provides volunteer senior litigation counsel who will, on a confidential basis, moot, upon request, the argument of counsel who are to appear before the Supreme Court of Canada.

Press release

New Leadership at the Supreme Court Advocacy Institute (Atlantic Region)

We are excited to welcome our new Regional Chair, David Coles Q.C. (BoyneClarke) and our new Chair for the Province of New Brunswick, Christian E. Michaud, Q.C. (Cox & Palmer).

Since 2009, the Supreme Court Advocacy Institute has provided counsel in Atlantic Canada with the opportunity o f a practice run in the weeks before their appearance before our highest court. Counsel present their argument before a panel of senior advocacy advisors and receive feedback on their advocacy. Advisors also help with information on court decorum.

Our regional roster of senior advocacy advisors also has some new faces. In Nova Scotia, we welcome Jennifer MacLellan Q.C., in Prince Edward Island Jonathan Coady (Stewart McKelvey ), and in New Brunswick Joel Michaud (Pink Larkin), Christian Michaud Q.C. (Cox & Palmer) and Maria Henheffer Q.C. (Brenton Kean).

“We are grateful that these experienced lawyers have joined our ranks. Their advice will greatly assist counsel as they prepare for their hearing and expanded list will make our practice sessions more accessible and flexible” says Prof. Jula Hughes (UNB), who serves as the regional sessions coordinator.

Feedback on past sessions speak to the usefulness of the sessions. One advocate remarked: “I found it very, very useful. The tips for time management and crisper submissions were invaluable.” Another commented: “I honestly believe that practice bench was a key to my ultimate success at the SCC.”

The Institute contacts lawyers with pending cases to offer sessions and uptake across the country has been an impressive 50% of cases on average (and 55% for the last year). The service of the Institute is free of charge.

For more information, the website of the institute can be found at www.scai-1pcs.ca.

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