The Honourable J. Michael MacDonald, ONS, CM
Counsel
Language(s) spoken: English
Bar Admission(s): Nova Scotia, 1979
Legal Assistant(s): Leona Clements
The Honourable J. Michael MacDonald joined Stewart McKelvey as Counsel in April of 2019 following a distinguished career on the Bench. Mr. MacDonald was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia in 1995 and the Associate Chief Justice three years later. He became the 22nd Chief Justice of Nova Scotia and the Chief Justice of the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal in 2004. During his time sitting on both courts, he wrote approximately 500 decisions. A member of the Canadian Judicial Council for twenty years, he has chaired several of its committees, most recently the Judicial Conduct Committee.
As Chief Justice, in 2014, Michael led the creation of the Nova Scotia Access to Justice Coordinating Committee, a group of legal professionals working to make Nova Scotia a national leader in access to justice. During his tenure as Chief Justice, he promoted several judicial outreach initiatives to engage the Indigenous and African Nova Scotia communities. His efforts to foster inclusion on the Bench include creating a judicial mentorship initiative for African Nova Scotian and Indigenous lawyers. He also volunteered with Phoenix Youth to host justice day camps for young people from racialized communities.
From 2020 to 2023, Michael chaired the Mass Casualty Commission, which culminated in 130 recommendations designed to make Nova Scotian and Canadian communities safer.
Michael’s access to justice initiatives have been recognized by Cape Breton University and Mount Allison University with honourary doctorate of laws degrees. The Canadian Bar Association (Nova Scotia Branch) has renamed its annual access to justice award the “J. Michael MacDonald Access to Justice Award” to honour Michael’s work in this area. In 2024, he received the Order of Nova Scotia, the Province’s highest honour, and in 2025, he was appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest civilian distinctions.
He has presented at, and participated in, numerous legal conferences in Canada, the United States, and Europe, and has assisted the judiciaries in Kazakhstan and Ukraine. He is a regular guest speaker at Dalhousie’s Schulich School of Law and a recipient of the Queen’s Golden, Diamond and Platinum Jubilee medals, along with the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
Michael focuses his practice on alternative dispute resolution. He also volunteers with Phoenix Youth and presently chairs its board of directors.
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