Paul Nettleton

In November of 2009, Paul completed a year as the Executive Director for Legal Services of Nunavut (“NLSB”) after two contract years as a Poverty/Civil Lawyer. His work was headquartered in the capital city Iqaluit and involved extensive travel throughout the Territory and Canada. He was responsible for the management of an annual budget of approximately six million dollars, hiring and management of staff and lawyers throughout Nunavut, including the hiring of private lawyers from outside of the Territory. He was able to provide leadership while working collaboratively with the Territorial and Federal governments to address a number of challenging issues within a complex and sensitive political environment. He also continued periodic formal training, through the B.C. Law Societies’ Continuing Legal Education program in mediation, negotiation and alternate dispute resolution.

Prior to his employment with NLSB, Paul had spent nine years in public life as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. He was involved with Caucus Committees and all-party Select Standing Committees of the Legislature which provided additional opportunities to learn of:

• Crown Corporations
• Federal and Territorial Government Ministries
• Municipal and Regional Governments
• Government Boards
• Schools and School Districts
• Universities and College
• Self-regulating Professions such as the Law Society,
• Private Sector Partners
• First Nations
• Legislative Reform

In summary, he has a broadly based working background in senior leadership positions with the additional experiences of a public servant over nearly a decade. As Legal Counsel, Executive Director and MLA, he had experience managing varied and complex caseloads before the courts, Legislature, tribunals and public agencies. He has been tasked with rendering legal opinions, drafting contracts, development and public presentations of reports for Caucus and the Legislature, and acquired extensive experience negotiating in various settings. He managed offices, staff and budgets over large and diverse regions of the province of British Columbia and the Nunavut Territory.