About Sarah
Sarah Shiels grew up in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and studied philosophy and biology at McMaster University, graduating summa cum laude in 2009. She worked as a tour guide at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography before completing an LL.B. at Dalhousie University in 2012 with a specialization in marine law. She articled with Wickwire Holm in Halifax and was called to the Nova Scotia Bar in 2013. In 2013 she launched a partnership that grew into a two-office practice in Halifax and Yarmouth; after her partner stopped practising in 2023, Sarah founded Shiels Marine Legal Services Inc. to focus her career on legal work for the marine industry, including litigation, vessel and licence transactions, port and harbour advising, and fisheries defence. She is a member of the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society, the Canadian Bar Association, and the Canadian Maritime Law Association.
Education & credentials
- Law school
- Dalhousie University
- Undergraduate
- McMaster University, Philosophy and Biology (summa cum laude, 2009)
- Other degrees
- Certificate in Marine Law, Dalhousie University
Listing compiled from public sources in July 2026. Confirm Sarah Shiels’s licence and standing in the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society directory ↗