Originally from Wallace Bay, Nova Scotia, James lives in Fletchers Lake, Nova Scotia with his wife, Sarah. James received his Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and Criminology from the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s University. It was through his exposure to some law courses during his undergraduate degree that he became interested in pursuing law as a career. James enrolled at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University, graduating with his Juris Doctor and Business Law Certificate in May 2020.
While in law school, James received the Schulich Scholarship for academic achievement and community involvement, as well as receiving other awards for achieving the top grade in some of his courses. James also volunteered with the Dalhousie Wills Project and was involved with the Dalhousie Christian Legal Fellowship. He was also selected for the 2020 team that represented the law school at the Donald G.H. Bowman National Tax Moot in Toronto.
Following his law school graduation, James worked as an articled clerk with Burchell MacDougall LLP, having summered at the firm during law school. Upon being called to the bar in June 2021, James joined the firm as an associate.
James primarily serves clients in the areas of Wills & Estate Law, and Elder & Capacity Law, and he endeavors to approach each client interaction with compassion, recognizing it as an essential ingredient of a successful lawyer-client relationship.
“Compassion should not just be an “extra” that lawyers provide” he says. “In Estate Planning, Estate Administration, and Capacity Law, compassion is a necessity.”
In his free time, James loves to sit down to play a board game or two with friends and family. James and his wife are proud of their large and ever-growing collection of board games. James also enjoys being involved with his local church.
Professional Qualifications & Education
Nova Scotia Bar Admission (2021)
Juris Doctor - Dalhousie University (2020)
Business Law Certificate - Dalhousie University (2020)
Bachelor of Commerce - Saint Mary’s University (2017)
Professional Associations & Membership in Community Organizations
Member, Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society
Member, Canadian Bar Association
Member, Canadian Tax Foundation
Member, Christian Legal Fellowship
