Legal Aid Council seeks more attorneys

The Legal Aid Council (LAC), whose mandate is to ensure that all Jamaicans, particularly the vulnerable and those of limited means, have access to legal representation, information and justice, is seeking to increase its cadre of lawyers.

"We're always imploring lawyers to sign up with us. They just need to get in touch with us and complete an application form, submit their certification and their banking details. And we have an orientation exercise and then, you know, they're duly empanelled," said LAC Executive Director Dian Watson.

"So, we encourage the attorneys to come in. We do want to have different lists, listing their various expertise, so we want more and more attorneys to join us," she added. Currently there are 900 empanelled lawyers to the LAC. Watson told JIS News that in the fiscal year 2024/25, more than 3,000 persons were assigned lawyers to represent them in the criminal courts across the island. She added that more than 2,000 persons were also assigned duty counsel, who is an attorney who will make representation on an individual's behalf at a police station or lockup.

A focus for the LAC this fiscal year is to increase the number of beneficiaries, as well as to continue to do a lot of work with the mentally challenged inmates.

"During the fiscal year 2024 to 2025, 49 mentally disordered persons were assigned empanelled attorneys, while the Council monitored another 128 to ensure that there's a coordinated system to track the progress of their matters, and by so doing, uphold their rights," Watson said.

"The Council also had a case of some mentally disordered inmates reviewed in the Supreme Court, and we were assisted by the Office of the Public Defender to locate family members and or a suitable location for them, and we did have two success cases. Initially, two persons were released, one is a real success story because in that case, the defendant, he was able to be reunited with his children, and he met his grandchildren for the first time, and the family, they were truly happy and grateful for that experience," she added.

Watson also reminded the public of the rights of persons who are mentally ill and have been incarcerated.

"They were probably remanded because they were unfit to plead, and their matters didn't go back to court. So, we have been following up, working with the Department of Correctional Services to ensure that these persons are brought before the court within a reasonable time," Watson explained.