By Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society
We are pleased to announce that the Society will welcome a new Director and Advisor to our Equity and Access Office in the coming weeks. The selection of the incoming Director and Advisor is the product of a months-long and nationwide recruitment process. I want to thank the Society’s Equity Committees for their invaluable contributions during the recruitment and interviewing process.
Below is a brief background about our incoming Equity and Access Director and Advisor:
Marla Brown will be joining us as our Director of Equity and Access. Marla previously worked for McMaster University as a Senior Human Rights Officer. Before that, Marla worked as a Staff Lawyer at two organizations focusing on advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion in different communities. Marla received a J.D. from the Schulich School of Law in 2011 and has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from York University.
Vanessa Fells will join the Society as our Advisor of Equity and Access. Vanessa previously worked for the African Nova Scotian Decade for People of African Descent Coalition as their Director of Operations. Before that, Vanessa worked in several other roles for organizations serving equity-deserving communities. Vanessa holds two bachelor’s degrees, one in Sociology and Legal Studies, the other in Criminology, and a Master of Education in Leadership, Lifelong Learning and Policy Development. Vanessa also completed the United Nations Human Rights Fellowship Program for People of African Descent in Geneva, Switzerland.
Marla and Vanessa will begin working with the Society over the next few weeks. I, along with the rest of the Society, look forward to having them join our team as we strive to champion equity, diversity, and inclusion in our province’s legal profession.
— Cheryl Hodder KC, ICD.D
