Executive Office of the Nova Scotia Judiciary

Executive Office of the Nova Scotia Judiciary

The Executive Office provides planning, policy and communications support to the Nova Scotia Judiciary, with a particular focus on the priorities of the Council of Nova Scotia Chiefs.

The office is independent from government and unique in that it is the only one of its kind in the country that supports all judges in all levels of Court in the province. It evolved out of an idea first put into practice by The Hon. Lorne Clarke, the former Chief Justice of Nova Scotia (1985-1998). In the mid 1990s, recognizing that many of the issues faced by one Court are shared by the other levels and types of Courts, Chief Justice Clarke brought the Chief Justices and Chief Judge together as the Council of Chiefs. That development eventually led to the creation of the Executive Office in 2002.

Today, members of the Executive Office are committed to: 

  • enhancing and defending the independence of the Judiciary; 
  • supporting and improving the proper administration of justice; 
  • providing continuing education about the Courts and the Judiciary;
  • liaising with members of the media and the public; and
  • working with government at the policy level, where appropriate. 

The Executive Office includes:

  • Jennifer Stairs, Director of Operations
  • Andrew Preeper, Communications Director
  • Lisa Reiten, Publication Manager
  • Michael MacPhee, Manager of Judicial IT Security
  • Laurel Paul, Office Manager
  • Donata Krakowski-White, Judicial Librarian 

The Executive Office also employees three Judicial Research Officers who serve the Supreme Court and the Provincial Court, and oversees the clerkship program for the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. 

Staff members in the Executive Office represent the Judiciary when working with other justice system organizations on initiatives aimed at improving the administration of justice. They are responsible for the publication of judges' decisions, protecting the security of judicial information, providing policy and communications advice to judges, maintaining the Courts' website and social media presence, and overseeing the livestreaming of court proceedings and special events.

Contact the Executive Office

Phone: 902-424-3690 
Email: communications@courts.ns.ca 
Fax: 902-424-0758

Mailing Address:

The Law Courts, 5th Floor
1815 Upper Water Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 1S7