18 NEW ‘SILKS’ appointed

This island’s top judge has called on the newly appointed ‘silks’ to be mentors to the younger members of the Bar.

“Show them the path that you have taken and show them where it has led, and you will be certain that they will follow,” Chief Justice Sir Marston Gibson stated.

He was at the time welcoming the outstanding legal professionals to the Inner Bar before a full sitting of judges, magistrates, lawyers, family and friends at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre (LESC) yesterday.

The 18 newly appointed Queen’s Counsels are: Junior Allsopp, C. Anthony Audain, Andrew Ferreira, Emerson Graham, Michael A. Griffith, Mary Haynes, Fiona Hinds, St. Clair Howell, Maurice Adrian King, Michael Lashley, Dale Neblett-Brown, Philip Pilgrim, Dawn Shields-Searle, Larry A.C. Smith, Rosalind Smith-Miller, Monique Taitt, Andrew Thornhill and Michael Yearwood.

“You are standing where you are because you have demonstrated leadership at the Bar. Each of you has demonstrated a level of excellence in your varied practice from Canon Law to Intellectual Property to Corporate Practice. Our areas of expertise have gone far and wide and it speaks volumes to the level of excellence which you demonstrated,” Sir Marston said.

Attorney General, Adriel Brathwaite QC, moved for the admission of 17 of the attorneys to be elevated to the level of Queen’s Counsel, while former Attorney General, Dale Marshall QC, moved for the admission of Andrew Thornhill.

On behalf of the new Queen’s Counsels, St Clair Howell QC not only expressed his gratitude to Her Majesty the Queen for their elevations, but pledged to uphold the high standard of the legal profession.

“…Our training might have taken place at various institutions, in different parts of the world, but the purpose and the object has always been the same – we shall aspire to give of our best professionalism of all our various clients.

“My learned colleagues and myself acknowledge that we have a heavy responsibility in our society. Lawyers are important people… This is a proud profession; this is a courageous profession. Yet in the spirit of true professionalism, my experience is that we do it all by the grace of God and with humility. There can be no doubt that the legal profession in Barbados is most certainly in good hands,” he assured.

Earlier this week, Registrar of the Supreme Court, Barbara Cooke-Alleyne, and her husband, Attorney-at-law Ramon Alleyne, as well as Acting Judge, Alrick Scott, were also admitted to the Inner Bar during a special sitting at the Supreme Court. (TL)