Congratulations to family law associate Jennifer Kooren, the 2016 winner of the Canadian Bar Association (NS) Young Lawyer Award. The Zöe Odei Young Lawyers Award was established in 2003 in memory of the late Zöe Odei of Halifax, an active CBA member who exemplified the distinguished and exceptional service contemplated by this Award. This Award is to honour and recognize a young lawyer’s distinguished or exceptional service to the Canadian Bar Association and the community or charitable causes. In Jenny’s case, this includes years of service to the organization’s Law Day Committee, ongoing participation in the Parent Information Program at Supreme Court Family Division, serving as an executive member of the Family Section, volunteering with the Pro Bono Law Student’s Association and a general willingness to make volunteering a priority as she developed her practice. We’re very proud.

And we’re celebrating an achievement of a different sort. Doug Sealy, QC and Julia Cornish, QC have marked a quarter century of working together in family law practice. In reflecting on the reasons their working relationship has lasted for 25 years, our two partners agree that their shared belief in the importance of family law, their desire to handle matters so as to minimize the conflict between separating parties and their willingness to challenge each other towards continual improvement have been key. The ability to acknowledge and appreciate the inevitable differences in approach and outlook has been equally important. And maintaining a sense of humour…without which any kind of relationship is in peril!