Eminent lawyers conferred with Senior Counsel title

Four of the country’s most respected attorneys were Wednesday conferred with the title of Senior Counsel in recognition of their longstanding and excellent contributions to the legal profession.

Those conferred with the title were Mr Kalam Azad Juman Yassin, Mr Fitz Le Roy Peters, Mr Andrew Mark Fitzgerald Pollard and Ms Josephine Whitehead.

The honours were first announced on December 30, 2017, given the lawyers’ “high quality of service in the legal profession.”

President David Granger, who conferred the honours at State House Wednesday afternoon, said the status of Senior Counsel is one of “pride and prestige” within the legal profession.

“The title is a professional symbol that distinguishes attorneys for their erudition, their experience, their eminence and their excellence,” the President stated.

He said the title of Senior Counsel is among the country’s national symbols, which define the Guyanese identity.

He said the service of those who were conferred with the title are worthy of emulation and can encourage juniors in the profession to strive for the highest standards.

The President said that the ceremony was an important personal obligation and that it was his duty to recognsie those who serve with distinction. He said failure to confer these awards would constitute dereliction of duty and disdain for an honorary tradition.

“I shall therefore with regularity, respect, recognise and reward deserving attorney and legal officers by conferring these honours every year,” he said.

“This is the custom of our people, this is the convention of good governance, this is the culture of good society,” the President added.