Licensing > Becoming A Lawyer In NS > Articling

Articled clerks must work in the office of a qualified principal for 12 months, which includes the period for the Bar Admission Course. (Vacation time is at the discretion of the principal).

Articles are supervised by the Society's Credentials Committee (the "Committee") in accordance with the Regulations.

A person lawfully entitled to be employed in Canada may be enrolled as an articled clerk if that person meets the criteria in regulation 3.3.2.

Clerks who article in another Canadian province may apply for credit towards the 12 month requirement in Nova Scotia.

To enroll as an articled clerk, an applicant must file the documents required by regulation and set out in the Articling and Admissions Forms in the forms section of the website.

Articles must commence March 1st, June 1st, September 1st, or December 1st. All articling and admission documents must be completed and filed with the Barristers' Society at least 8 weeks prior to the commencement of articles. Applicants seeking to begin articles on an alternate date, or seeking some other change in the normal articling process, must apply to the Committee.

If an articled clerk assigns his or her articles from one principal to another, an assignment of articles procedure applies; (regulation 3.4.2(e)). The Assignment of Articles must be filed prior to the assignment taking effect.

The clerk and the principal may, when the clerk has served the required period of articles, extend the period of articles until the first regularly scheduled admission day thereafter, or a subsequent admission day approved by the Committee. A Request for Extension of Articles , signed by the principal and clerk, must be filed with the Barristers' Society.

In order for a member to be eligible to act as a principal, the member must meet the eligibility requirements set out in the Society's Regulations.