THE ISLAND’S TOP JUDGE has urged nine new Queen’s Counsel to continue to show respect to the island’s judges and its courts.
In a veiled reference to the incident involving Queen’s Counsel Alair Shepherd and High Court judge Dr Sonia Richards, Chief Justice Sir Marston Gibson told the nine new “silks” that as new leaders at the Bar, they would now be called upon and would be expected to give leadership and guidance to junior attorneys.
“The honour which you have garnered has come at the price of your continued respect of the court system in which you work and of which you have been officers since the date of your admission to practise law,” Sir Marston told them.
“Those junior to you in years called, and in years born, will look to you for guidance and leadership. They must continue to receive it and to see it demonstrated, not only in your words, but in your actions, particularly in your respect for Her Majesty’s judges and her courts,” he said.
The Chief Justice went on to note that yesterday’s ceremony, before a full sitting of judges, prominent QCs, retired judges, relatives and friends, was historic since it was the first to be held in the Supreme Court complex.
The last admission to the Inner Bar was in 2009.
Sir Marston added that the admission was the highlight to legal careers after the attorneys had laboured “long and hard in the service of the law”.
And he said he was pleased to see that “silk” had been conferred on “those who demonstrated excellence in non-contentious practices”.
“I am equally pleased,” Sir Marston further said, “that among our newly made silks is a member of the profession who has quietly gone about her practice, rendering expert service to the public, appearing before our highest court, the Caribbean Court of Justice.”
And with the words: “May I invite you to take your seat at the Inner Bar?”Sir Marston welcomed Deputy Solicitor General Donna Brathwaite, Speaker of Parliament Michael Carrington, Brian Clarke, Stephen Farmer, Hal Gollop, Mark Goodridge, Deputy Clerk of Parliament Nigel Jones, Milton Pierce and Stephen Walcott as new QCs.
Andrew Pilgrim, who was absent from the ceremony, will be conferred with his honour at a later date.
