By Barbara Gayle, Staff ReporterTHE ADVOCATES' Association of Jamaica had a stormy meeting on Saturday in which members expressed disapproval that their association was the only one which did not have a representative on the General Legal Council (GLC).
They referred to a letter dated January 20, 2004 from Minister of Justice and Attorney-General A. J. Nicholson, to the Jamaican Bar Association (JBA) informing it that there should be nominees from the Advocates' Association for appointment to the GLC.
The association, of which attorney-at-law George Soutar is president, has decided to take steps to ascertain from the council of the JBA the reason the Minister's instructions were not adhered to. The association will be having a another meeting this week to decide what legal steps, if any, can be taken in the matter.
Hilary Phillips, Q.C., president of the JBA, confirmed yesterday that she did receive the letter from the Minister. She explained that the letter was read at a meeting of the council of the JBA at which members of the Advocates Association who sit on the council were present. She said the council deliberated and debated on the contents of the letter and that the members of the Advocates' Association participated.
The Attorney-General, whose letter has been causing the current furore, had said: "In the circumstances I ask that the nominees to serve for the next three years be forwarded to me post-haste since the last (extended) period came to an end in December.
MUCH WISDOM
"The Jamaican Bar Associa-tion, I am sure, would agree that there is much wisdom in having on the council representatives from the regional bodies and the Advocates' Association of Jamaica."
A member of the Advocates Association told The Gleaner that the council of the JBA had the resposibility to make recommendations for lawyers from the other associations to be appointed to the GLC. The nominees are appointed by the Minster of Justice.
"We are extremely vexed that our association which is a long-standing one has no representative on the Council," the member added.
A meeting was held on February 2, this year, in which the Council of the JBA nominated 14 members to be appointed to the GLC. Clayton Morgan of the Cornwall Bar Association, Donna Scott-Mottley of the Southern Bar Association and George Magnus of the Northern Law Society were recommended to be appointed to the GLC. The other 11 members were elected from the JBA.
The GLC has the authority under the Legal Profession Act to deal with the organisation of legal education and uphold the standards of professional conduct.
