Legal Assistant
- Gail Carney
- Phone:(902) 491-6826
- Fax:(902) 421-3130
- Email:
PRACTICE AREAS
BIO
Sandra is a partner in Cox & Palmer’s Halifax office. Her primary areas of practice include insurance litigation, civil litigation, and administrative law. She was admitted to the Nova Scotia Bar in 1994, having completed her Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Laws degrees at Dalhousie University. She was appointed Queen’s Counsel (now King’s Counsel) in 2019.
Sandra is chair of Cox & Palmer’s Halifax Insurance Litigation Group. She is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society, the Canadian Defence Lawyers and the Nova Scotia Medical Legal Society. She is past chair of the Administrative Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association (Nova Scotia Branch). In 2020, she was appointed to the Lawyers’ Insurance Association of Nova Scotia (LIANS) Claims Review Committee and to the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal Liaison Committee.
A frequent lecturer on civil litigation and insurance defence, Sandra has also instructed the Civil Procedure Workshop at the Schulich School of Law. She has also participated in feedback sessions for the Nova Scotia Bar Admission Course.
Experience
- Regularly represents clients in matters involving long term disability disputes, motor vehicle insurance claims and commercial risks.
- Appearances before all levels of court in Nova Scotia and the Federal Court of Appeal.
- Appearances before numerous administrative Boards and Tribunals in relation to disability claims and professional disciplinary hearings.
BACKGROUND
King's Counsel
- 2019
Bar Admission
- Nova Scotia (1994)
Law School
- Dalhousie University
Education
- Dalhousie University (B.Sc. with Distinction, 1990)
- Dalhousie Law School (LLB, 1993)
Professional Activities & Affiliations
- Member, Nova Scotia Court of Appeal Liaison Committee (2020 – )
- Member, The Lawyers’ Insurance Association of Nova Scotia (LIANS) Claims Review Committee (2020 – )
- Member, Nova Scotia Medical Legal Society
- Member, The Advocates’ Society
Activities Within Firm
- Chair, Halifax Insurance Litigation Group (2022 – )
- Member, Halifax Executive Committee (2017 -2019)
- Professional Personnel Partner (2018 – 2019)
- Member, Gender Diversity Committee – Halifax
Community & Volunteer Activities
- Board of Directors, Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia (2016 – 2022)
- Member, Lebanese Chamber of Commerce in Nova Scotia (2015 – )
- Member, IWK Foundation, Halifax Advisory Committee (2015 – 2017)
Lectures & Presentations
- Presenter, Canadian Bar Association (NS) Annual Professional Development Conference: December 6, 2018, Halifax, NS – “Claims for Minors and People under Disabilities”
- Presenter, Cox & Palmer Regional Insurance Seminar: October 27, 2017, Halifax, NS — “The Science and Art of Negotiation”
- “Managing the Difficult Witness”- The Advocates’ Society, 2014, Halifax Bench and Bar Series (April 2014)
- “New and Undiscovered Niches”– ADR Institute of Canada (ADRIC) Annual National Conference (October 2012)
- “Managing Invisible Disabilities at Work – Legal Considerations”- Insight Disability Claims in the Workplace Conference (April 2012)
- “Demographics in the P&C Insurance Industry”- Canadian Insurance Claims Managers Association/Canadian Independent Adjuster Association (CICMA/CIAA) Joint Seminar (June 2011)
- “ ‘The Tipping Point’ – Ensuring your Experts’ Opinion Wins the Day”– Canadian Bar Association Annual Professional Development Conference (January 2007)
- “On a ‘Puzzle Journey’ – Understanding Nova Scotia’s Automobile Insurance Reform Act (Bill 1)” – Canadian Insurance Claims Managers Association/Canadian Independent Adjusters Association (CICMA/CIAA) Joint Seminar (June 2005)
Law Society Memberships
- Nova Scotia Barristers' Society
- Canadian Bar Association
Languages
- English