Family Law Brochure
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Family Law Team - Deborah Conrad
Debi Conrad represents parties negotiating settlements in relationship breakdowns. She also represents parents adopting a child or children. Debi has represented clients at all levels of the Court in Nova Scotia on matters of divorce, custody, support, and property and debt division.
Debi resides in Halifax. In her spare time she enjoys kayaking and skiing.
EDUCATION
1981-1983 Dalhousie Law School, Halifax, Nova Scotia Bachelor of Laws.
1980-1981 University of New Brunswick Law School
1973-1975 and 1977-1979 University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Bachelor of Arts. Dean's Honours List
Continuing education after call to bar, Nova Scotia, 1984:
Third Annual Advocacy Symposium, Canadian Bar Association, Toronto, Ontario, 1984.
Advocacy 1985, Continuing Legal Education Society of Nova Scotia, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Advocacy 1986, Continuing Legal Education Society of Nova Scotia, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Family Law 1987, Continuing Legal Education Society of Nova Scotia, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Advocacy 1988, Continuing Legal Education Society of Nova Scotia, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Family Law 1988, Continuing Legal Education Society of Nova Scotia, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Insurance 1988, Continuing Legal Education Society of Nova Scotia, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Representing Parents in Child Protection Cases 1989, The Law Society of Upper Canada, Toronto, Ontario.
Continuing Legal Education Conference, Halifax, Nova Scotia - May, 1990.
National Family Law Conference, Calgary, Alberta - July, 1990.
Family Mediation, A Changing Tide in Conflict Resolution - Family Mediation Canada - Halifax, Nova Scotia - October, 1990.
Sexual Abuse of Children: Criminal & Family Law Proceedings - October 25/26, 1991 - Toronto, Ontario.
The National Family Law Conference - Summer, 1992 - Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
Family Mediation Canada Conference - Banff, Alberta - October, 1993.
The National Family Law Conference - Summer 1994, Victoria, British Columbia.
Appellate Advocacy Seminar - Continuing Legal Education, January, 1996, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Canadian Bar Association - Annual Conference, August, 1996.
Mediation Advocacy Seminar - Canadian Bar Association, November 1996, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Child Support Guidelines - Continuing Legal Education, April, 1997, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
National Children's Agenda - Key Experts Session (National), October, 1997, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The National Family Law Conference - Summer 1998, Whistler, British Columbia.
Atlantic Provinces Child Support Guidelines, September 17, 1999, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Custody and Access Disputes Involving Family Violence: Critical Issues for Courts, Legal and Social Service Professionals Conference - February 17, 2000, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The National Family Law Conference - July, 2000, St. John's, Newfoundland.
Canadian Bar Association - Law Reform Commission, Fall Forum, 2000.
Family Violence Prevention Seminar, 2000.
Canadian Bar Association - Annual Conference, 2000.
Colloborative Family Law Training, November, 2001.
Mediation Training, January, 2002.
Interest Based Negotiation Training, February 2002.
The National Family Law Conference July 2002, Kelowna, British Columbia
The National Family Law Conference July 2004, LaMalbaie, Quebec
The National Family Law Conference July 2006, Kananaskis, Alberta
EMPLOYMENT
1992- present Partner, Boyne Clarke
1987-92 Associate Lawyer, Boyne Clarke
1984-86 Staff Lawyer, Nova Scotia Legal Aid
1983-84 Articled Clerk, Davis, Clark & Associates, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
1983 Criminal Clinic Clerk, Nova Scotia Legal Aid, Halifax, Nova Scotia
COMMUNITY AND CIVIC ACTIVITIES
Board Member - Dartmouth Daycare.
Member - St. Andrews United Church.
Sunday School Teacher - St. Andrews United Church.
Speaker of Public Legal Education Speaker's Bureau.
Past Member of the Implementation Committee of the Children and Family Services Act.
Past Member of the Training Sub-Committee of the Implementation Committee of the Children and Family Services Act.
Past Member of the Mediation Training and Development Committee, set up by Minister of Community Services, Nova Scotia.
Past Member of the Policy Committee for Child Protection mediation set up by the Minister of Community Services, Nova Scotia.
Past Member of the Family Violence Action Committee set up by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.
Past Member of the Child Abuse Prevention Conference Planning Committee set up by the Nova Scotia Family & Child Welfare Association.
Past Member of the Secure Treatment Committee set up by the Department of Community Services.
Past Member of the Provincial Committee of the Child and Youth Community Placement Review Project.
Past Member of the Code of Conduct Committee, Cornwallis Junior High School.
Past Member of the Mediation Project Committee, set up by the Minister of Community Services, Nova Scotia.
Past Member of the Access Review Committee, set up by the Minister of Community Services, Nova Scotia.
Member of the Public Education Committee, (Nova Scotia Council for the Family).
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Chairperson - Canadian Bar Association, Family Law Subsection, 1993-1994 and 1994-1995.
Vice-Chairperson - Canadian Bar Association, Family Law Subsection, 1991-1992 and 1992-1993.
Secretary - Canadian Bar Association, Family Law Subsection, 1990-1991 and 1991-1992.
Member - Nova Scotia Barristers' Society.
Member - Canadian Bar Association - Mediation Sub-Committee.
Member - Canadian Bar Association - Family Law Subsection.
Member Administration of Justice Committee.
Member - Family Mediation, Nova Scotia.
Past Member of the Family Bench Bar Liaison Subcommittee of the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society's
Past Member of the Canadian Bar Association - Administration of Justice Sub Committee, Family Court Liaison
PRESENTATIONS
Legal-Ease guest speaker, Spring 1987; Seminar, April 29, 1987, Dartmouth Regional Library, Main Branch, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
Family Law Subsection guest speaker, Seminar, June 1989, Citadel Inn, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Presenter - Core Training for Social Workers - Presentation of the Children and Family Services Act - Bi-yearly presentations, 1991-2002.
Workshop Leader - Bar Admission Course - Advocacy, 1991.
Presenter - Training for Family Court personnel -Presentation on the Children and Family Services Act, September, 1991.
Presenter - Trust Training for Foster Parents, guest speaker, November, 1992.
Presenter - Assessment Workshop, February 14 and February 15, 1996, Truro, Nova Scotia.
Presenter - Complete Review of the Children and Family Services Act, May 17, 1996, Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.
Guest Speaker - "Costs of Divorce" - Maritimes Today, MITV, June, 1996, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
Presenter - Non-Accidental Pediatric Trauma - Annual Scientific Meeting, Atlantic Provinces Radiologists, October 19, 1996.
Presenter - Training for Social Workers, December, 1996, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
Presenter - Training for Social Workers, April 24, 1997, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
Presenter - Review of the Children and Family Services Act, presented to the Advisory Committee, Minister of Community Services, September 9, 1997.
Presenter - Review of the Children and Family Services Act, presented to the Minister of Community Services, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Briefing Session, February 3, 1998.
Presenter - Overview of the Children and Family Services Act, Trial Preparation and Liability Issues in Child Protection, presented to Children in Care Workers, Truro, Nova Scotia, February 25, 1998.
Presenter - Child Welfare Practice and Procedures in Family Court, presented to the Department of Community Services, June 1998.
Interviewed for Global Television re the New Brunswick cases of John Ryan Turner and Jacqueline Brewer, August 6, 1998.
Presenter - Annotations to the Children and Family Services Act, presented to the Director of Children and Family Services.
Interviewed on CBC Newsworld - "Proposed Changes to the Divorce Act", December 3, 1998.
Presenter - Documentation and Court Preparation, Case aides, Department of Community Services, November 4, 1999.
Presenter - Documentation and Court Preparation, Foster Parents Association,
Department of Community Services, November 25, 1999.
Presenter - Access Revisited - presented to Director of Children and Family Services and Staff, November 22, 1999 and January 6, 2000.
Presenter - Access Revisited - presented to Supreme Court (Family Division) Justices, Fall, 2000.
PAPERS
Assessments in Child Protection Proceedings.
The new Children and Family Services Act - Bar Admission Course.
The Children and Family Services Act - Trainer's Manual.
Preparation for Court - A Guide for Child Protection Workers.
Basic Legal Services in Child Protection Cases.
How Workers can Reduce Legal Costs to the Agency.
The Radiologist's Role in Diagnosing and Reporting Non-Accidental Pediatric Trauma.
Why Sue? Liability in the field of Child Protection.
Review of the case law regarding the Children and Family Services Act since 1991.
Preparing You as the Social Worker for Court.
Rules of Evidence and Testifying in Court.
Annotations to the Children and Family Services Act, September 1991 - January 1998.
Access Revisited - Paper presented to the Access Review Committee set up by the Minister of Community Services.
Report on Termination of Permanent Care and Custody - When is it Appropriate?
DRAFTING LEGISLATION
An ACT to provide for Adoption Information