Bar Admission Course

All articled clerks in Prince Edward Island must take and pass the prescribed Bar Admission Course ("BAC") before they are eligible for admission to the Bar and membership in the Law Society. The course is designed to give new lawyers an overview of PEI law and procedure and the skills necessary to practice law, so that the new lawyer will have entry level competence when called to the Bar. The course is organized by the Bar Admission Committee, coordinated by the Legal Education Coordinator, and taught by volunteer lawyers and judges.

Course Components

The course consists of two components:
  • A two-week course offered in the province, which concentrates on substantive law and practice specific to the province
  • the Nova Scotia "Skills Course" has a three-week in-person component and three online components.

Nova Scotia Component

The Nova Scotia "Skills Course" has a three-week in-person component entitled “Interviewing, Negotiation and litigation Skills”, which is offered three times each autumn.

It also has three online components: "Practice Management Skills" (delivered online in August): "Legal Writing Skills" (delivered online during Winter/Spring); and "Legal Drafting Skills" (delivered online during Winter/Spring).

Clerks from PEI are expected to make their own arrangements with the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society to attend the in-person component and to participate in the three online components of the Nova Scotia Bar Admission Course. Registration and payment of the materials fee, set by the Barristers' Society, is the responsibility of each clerk. Clerks should register early for the NS component, as late registrations may not be accommodated in the session of their choice, and Clerks may have to extend their articling time to complete the course.

Nova Scotia Bar Admission Course

Exemption for N.S. Component

Clerks who have already passed a Bar Admission Course in another province may be excused by Council from taking the Nova Scotia component. Clerks in these circumstances may apply to Council for an exemption from the Nova Scotia component. However, they must take and pass the PEI component.

P.E.I. Component

The PEI component is offered in the Fall each year, and is compulsory. To complete the course successfully, a clerk must attain a mark of at least 60% in each subject. Materials are available to clerks at one to two weeks before the beginning of the course. The tuition fee must be paid beforehand. The materials will cover topics in the course, and includes reference materials for future use.

Dates and Deadlines for 2011 PEI Component

This year the PEI Bar Admission Course was offered from October 24 to November 4, 2011. The deadline to submit the application form was no later than Friday, October 14, 2011.

Bar Admission Course Application Form

Bar Admission Course Leaders and Topics

The 2011 Bar Admission Course instructors were:
  • Supreme Court Practice - Gregory Cann, Q.C.
  • Legislation - Janet Christian
  • Commercial & Corporate - James Travers, Q.C.
  • Administrative Law - Murray Murphy
  • Real Property - Allen MacPhee, Q.C. and Pamela Williams.
  • Estates - George Lyle
  • Criminal Trial Practice - Thane MacEachern, Q.C. and Valerie Moore
  • Family Law - Brian Waddell, Q.C.
  • Law Office Economics & Management - John Hennessey, Q.C.
  • Ethics - Roy Ridlington
  • Discipline - Lynn Murray, Q.C.
  • Stress Management - Ronald Profit, Q.C.
Contact the Legal Education Coordinator: Valerie Moore at (902) 368-5030 or vamoore@gov.pe.ca.