After more than 24 years on the Bench, the Honourable Leslie J. Dellapinna is retiring from the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia (Family Division).

“Justice Dellapinna has dedicated his legal and judicial career to family law, with a strong, ongoing emphasis on sharing his expertise and knowledge with colleagues and lawyers over more than four decades,” said the Honourable Deborah K. Smith, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia. “On behalf of the Supreme Court, I congratulate Justice Dellapinna on an outstanding career and wish him a happy retirement. He will be greatly missed.”

Justice Dellapinna, who was born in Halifax, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Saint Mary’s University in 1976 and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Dalhousie University in 1981. He was called to the Nova Scotia Bar in 1982.

As a lawyer, he spent 19 years in private practice, specializing in family law. He was a member of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA), a Fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and served on the board of directors of the Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia. He also served on subcommittees of the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society, including committees for discipline and proposed amendments to the Divorce Act, the CBA’s Nova Scotia Task Force on Court Structure and was a member of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. He was also a frequent presenter on family law issues for the Nova Scotia Bar Admission Course and the Nova Scotia Continuing Legal Education Society and a guest lecturer at Dalhousie University.

He was designated Queen’s Counsel (now King’s Counsel) on December 21, 2000.

Justice Dellapinna was appointed to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia on June 6, 2001, and has presided in the Family Division his entire judicial career. As a judge, he served on the Courts’ Media Liaison Committee and on various Family Division committees including the Bench and Bar Liaison, Rota and Rules committees. He also served on the board of directors for the Judges Counselling Program for approximately 20 years, becoming president in 2016.

He elected supernumerary status in 2018.

Justice Dellapinna’s retirement is effective June 30, 2025. As a supernumerary judge, his departure does not create a vacancy on the Supreme Court.