Committee established to discipline lawyers

Last Updated on Saturday, 30 December 2017, 12:43 by Written By Denis Chabrol

From left to right (standing) Ms. Emily Dodson, Mr. Robin Stoby, S.C., Ms. Dionne Mc Cammon, Mr. Narendra Singh, Ms. Kim Kyte-Thomas, Ms. Ayana Mc Calman (representative of the Attorney General), The Hon. Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, Mr. Kamal Ramkarran, Mr. Andrew Pollard and Mr. Devindra Kissoon. From left to right (sitting) Ms. Tracy Gibson, Ms. Faye Barker-Meredith and Ms. Mandisa Breedy.

The way is now clear for Guyanese of all walks of life to lodge complaints against Attorneys-at-Law for alleged malpractices, with the establishment of a 12-member Legal Practitioners Committee (LPC) that is provided for by law.

“The LPC is the body established under the Legal Practitioners Act, Chapter 4:01 which is charged with hearing and determining complaints against Attorneys-at-Law with disciplinary powers,” according to a statement issued through the Guyana Bar Association.

The Legal Practitioners Committee (LPC) was Thursday reconstituted after some time by the appointment by the Chancellor (ag.), Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, of twelve Attorneys-at-Law as members after consultation with the Bar Association of Guyana.

Persons who feel aggrieved against an Attorney-at-Law may lodge a complaint with the Secretary of the LPC, Ms. Jewel Campbell, at the Court of Appeal in Kingston, Georgetown.

The twelve appointed members of the Committee are Mr. Robin Stoby, S.C., Mr. Rafiq Khan, S.C., Ms. Emily Dodson, Mr. Andrew Pollard, Mr. Teni Housty, Ms. Tracy Gibson, Mr. Moenudin Mc Doom, Mr. Narendra Singh, Mr. Devindra Kissoon, Ms. Dionne Mc Cammon, Ms. Mandisa Breedy and Ms. Faye Barker-Meredith. In addition, the Attorney General, The Honourable Basil Williams and the Solicitor General, Ms. Kim Kyte-Thomas are ex officio members of the Committee.

The members of the Committee shall hold office for three years from today after which the life of the Committee as constituted expires.

The Committee shall sit in two divisions of seven members each. Division 1 shall be chaired by Mr. Robin Stoby, S.C. and Division 2 shall be chaired by Mr. Andrew Pollard.

In brief comments to the Committee at the Court of Appeal, attended also by Mr. Kamal Ramkarran, President of the Bar Association and Ms. Pauline Chase, Secretary of the Bar Association, Chancellor of the Judiciary , Justice Cummings-Edwards, thanked the Attorneys-at-Law for giving of their service and encouraged them to make recommendations for the strengthening of disciplinary powers over Attorneys-at-Law.