Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter
THERE IS a legal row among some lawyers over whether there should be major changes to the process for selecting General Legal Council (GLC). The GLC is authorised under the Legal Profession Act to regulate the conduct of attorneys-at-law and the general environment for the practice of law in Jamaica.
Some lawyers are calling for a poll to be taken for the more than 1,500 members of the legal profession to select the members of the GLC which now comprises 14 members.
Concerns are also being raised about the Bill to amend the Legal Profession Act for the GLC to intervene in the practice of an attorney. Some lawyers are arguing that the bill without specificity, says the GLC can intervene in cases of ill health, unsound mind or if a lawyer has gone abroad.
They are are also challenging other aspects of the bill claiming that such interventions by the GLC will affect lawyer/client confidentiality.
DEBATE AT GENERAL MEETING
The bill has been posted on the website of the Jamaican Bar Association.
The issues raised are expected to be thoroughly discussed and debated at an extraordinary general meeting of the Jamaican Bar Association on February 4.
Meanwhile, calls are being made for a fixed term limit for members of the GLC to enable consistency in the governance of the GLC.
It is being suggested that there should be a maximum fixed two term limit for each member of the GLC and each term be limited to a maximum of three years.
