By Sue-Ann Wayow
ATTORNEYS in Trinidad and Tobago may be allowed to advertise their services should a United National Congress (UNC) coalition form the next government.
This is one of the many proposals being laid out by UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar as part of the General Election campaign.
Persad-Bissessar, SC, and former attorney general said on Monday night, there will be consultation with the legal fraternity concerning the regulating of advertising for attorneys.
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She was speaking during a UNC political meeting at the Himalaya Club in Barataria.
Persad-Bissessar also admitted that some of her own lawyers may not like the idea.
She said, “We will begin consultation with the legal fraternity. Some of my lawyers may not like it but I do believe it is important. We will have consultation with the legal fraternity on the issue of having lawyers to advertise.”
Persad-Bissessar said if lawyers were to advertise, it would allow younger lawyers to get a chance in the professional ladder as well as aid in the reduction of the cost of high lawyer fees.
She said, “Let lawyers advertise. You know why? It is the same ‘eat ah food’ lawyers up there don’t want the younger bright lawyers to come up. Every case you see the ‘eat ah food’ lawyers, is the same old, same old but you cannot advertise.”
Persad-Bissessar continued, “They could advertise in a different way because they give them the million-dollar briefs and the media write them up in every one of those big cases.”
She said, “It will drive down the cost of hiring lawyers. It will increase competition help the young lawyers.”
Last October, Independent Senator Anthony Vieira, SC at the inaugural law conference hosted by the Law Association of TT (LATT) at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port of Spain shared that he believes lawyers should be allowed to advertise.
Attorney Ravi Heffes-Doon had agreed with Vieira’s opinion.
By law, as outlined in the Legal Profession Act Code of Ethics of 1986, attorneys are prohibited from advertising their services.
The Act also states, “The best advertisement for an attorney-at-law is the establishment of a well-merited reputation for personal integrity, capacity, dedication to work and fidelity to trust.”
