Attorney General Says No Need For General Legal Council

Eamon Courtenay

With that explanation, it seems unlikely that the General Legal Council will be operational anytime in the near future. Elrington, in the meantime, is under fire from the Bar Association which continues to call him out. Still, even we get the impression Elrington isn’t budging on this one, since he doesn’t even seem convinced that a General Legal Council is strictly necessary.

Eamon Courtenay, President, Bar Association [File: February 7^th, 2015]

“I have said it before and I will said it again. There are many complaints against attorneys. I have said it before and I will say it again. The General Legal Counsel is not functioning because the Attorney-General is not complying with the law and he himself has brought the General Legal Counsel to a stop. Those complaints are just there waiting to be heard. I think members of the public are frustrated and they should not be frustrated because the Counsel should be dealing with the complaints.”

Wilfred Elrington

Wilfred Elrington, Attorney-General

“If in fact people have complaints against attorneys they can go to the Court. They don’t have to deal with the General Legal Council. They can go to Court. If you allege that monies are being misappropriated by attorneys, you can go to Court. The Court is there, nothing stops you from doing that. Going to Court actually makes it a more speedy process, you know. In my experience dealing with the General Legal Council, going to Court you are very likely to get a favorable decision much more quickly that going to the Bar Disciplinary Committee. That’s my experience.”

Reporter

“In terms of attorneys who do this type of thing being disbarred, being unable to practice again…don’t you think something like that is absolutely necessary?”

Wilfred Elrington

“The person who finally makes the decision on whether or not you will practice is the Chief Justice, so again it can be done through the courts.”

Reporter

“Without going through the General Legal Council?”

Wilfred Elrington

“That’s my view…without going through the General Legal Council.”

Late this evening President of the Bar Eamon Courtenay told us via text that, “the Court should be the last resort. Litigants should not be forced to the courtroom and the expense when an efficient and free process is established by the law in the General Legal Council.”