The five-year agreement “represents a major victory for government legal capacity,” group says
Crown counsels in New Brunswick are set to be paid similarly to their prosecutor peers under a new five-year collective agreement ratified by the New Brunswick Crown Counsel Group.
According to the group, the agreement “represents a major victory for government legal capacity.” It locks in three out of four of the NBCC’s key pay pitches, including pay equity with the New Brunswick Crown Prosecutors Group. The wage gap between the two groups was in the 29-49 percent range for senior lawyers and junior lawyers, respectively, even though qualifications and responsibilities were the same.
The agreement also covers considerable wage grid improvements and market adjustments reflecting the value of Crown counsels’ work. A tentative agreement was inked in the wake of conciliation meetings held in July; the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada acted for the NBCC in the process.
“This agreement protects both our members and the public interest by ensuring the government has the legal capacity it needs,” NBCC president Eric Boucher said in a statement. “This deal validates what we've been saying all along – Crown Counsel deserve the same compensation as their prosecutor colleagues. The 95 percent strike support sent a clear message that our members were united and serious about achieving fairness. This agreement ensures New Brunswick can recruit and retain the legal expertise it needs.”
The agreement is retroactive to 2023 and will be in effect until 2028. It lines up NBCC’s salaries with those of Crown counsel in other provinces.
PIPSC noted that New Brunswick had spent $8.6 billion in 2024-2025 on private law firm services – double the amount spent on such services in 2019-2020 ($4.1 billion). Crown counsel retention would result in significant cost savings.
Crown counsel advise departments and Crown corporations, defend against suits and grievances, and appear at arbitrations. They check the government’s compliance with the law and the Constitution, draft and negotiate contracts, and draft public laws and regulations.
