About

OECS Bar Association

The OECS Bar Association is an umbrella group for the nine Bar Associations of the Eastern Caribbean States and Territories which comprises Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the Territory of the Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

HOW TO BECOME A MEMBER

Aims and Objectives

The aims and objectives of the OECS Bar Association are:

To be concerned with questions of human rights, justice and the rule of law and to undertake any action which in its judgement may contribute to the protection and preservation of these and other fundamental conditions for a well-ordered society.
To deal with all matters affecting the legal profession and to take such action thereon as may be deemed expedient so as to promote, preserve, and protect its Interests and the interests of its members.
To act as representative of the constituent members whenever desirable or appropriate; to develop, recommend and promulgate rules relating to professional conduct; to encourage and assist the establishment of procedures for resolving complaints against members of the profession and constituent members inter se; and to undertake conciliatory and adjudicatory functions in matters of professional discipline conferred upon it by consent, by Statute or by any competent authority.
To maintain the honour and independence of the Bar and to defend the Bar in its relations with the Judiciary the Executive and the Legislature.
To support the independence of the Judiciary and to maintain cordial relates among members of the Bar and between the Bar and the Bench.
To promote the improvement of the administration of justice.
To promote and report on legislation in the area, to promote uniformity in appropriate fields where practicable; and to promote and support desirable measures of law reform.
To express the collective opinion of the Bar in such quarters as it is deemed from time to time to be desirable and to make or support representations to government, the Judiciary and other appropriate bodies on questions affecting the legal profession.
To cooperate with and promote coordination among legal societies and organizations having similar objects.
To encourage good relations and understanding between the Bar and the Public.
To protect the public right of access to the Courts, the representation by Counsel before Courts and other tribunals and the rights and privileges of the Bar in relation thereto.
To promote, encourage and improve legal education, study of jurisprudence, legal literature and law reporting.
To encourage the establishment of schemes of legal aid.
To encourage the establishment of benevolent funds for indigent members of the Bar.

History

Highlights of our beginning

1989
Driven by the need to improve the terms and conditions of the Judiciary and to enhance the ethics of the profession, Presidents and representatives of Bar Associations within the jurisdiction of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) began meeting.
June 21st, 1989
In Castries (Saint Lucia), the gathering of constituent Bar representatives constituted themselves as a Steering Committee to take appropriate measures to establish an umbrella Association.
October 21st, 1989
At a meeting in Antigua (Dickinson Bay) the Steering Committee resolved to draft a constitution for adoption by the constituent Bars.
April 7th, 1990
The constitution of the newly formed OECS Bar Association was approved and adopted in the British Virgin Islands (BVI).
June 15th, 1991
At a meeting in Anguilla, a draft Code of Ethics was adopted. The Code of Ethics sets out the duties and obligations of an Attorney at Law in relation to the wider Profession and fellow Attorneys at Law; to the State and the public; to the Client; and to the administration of justice.
March 9th, 1996
The code was amended at a Council Meeting in Saint Lucia.

More History

Founding Fathers

Back row (from left): Ashton Piper (Deceased), Dr. Henry Brown QC, John Benjamin QC; Middle rows: Dr. Joseph Archibald QC (Deceased), Kenneth Allen QC, Othniel Sylvester CMG QC (Deceased) Front: Winston Cenac QC (Deceased) and Cosmos O. R. Phillips QC (Deceased)

Past Presidents

Dr. Joseph S. Archibald QC (Deceased)

Cosmos O. R. Phillips QC (Deceased)

Othniel Sylvester CMG QC (Deceased)

Hon. Justice Courtney A. Abel (Retired)

Nicole O.M. Sylvester (Deceased)

Sir Tapley Seaton KC (Deceased)

Ruggles Ferguson KC

Thaddeus M. Antoine

Governance

The affairs and business of the OECS Bar Association is managed and controlled by the Bar Council which includes the Officers.

Bar Council

The Bar Council is made up of the Executive Committee and Each constituent member shall designate and appoint two persons, one of whom shall be its president, to be the representatives of that member on the Bar Council. The Immediate Past President shall be a member of the Bar Council for a period of two years.

Executive Committee

Executive Committee consists of the Officers of the OECS Bar Association. The Executive Committee shall be the administrative body of the OECS Bar Association and shall have authority to take any action which the Bar Council itself might have taken, not inconsistent with the Rules of the OECS Bar Association or with any action taken or direction given by the Bar Council.