The Dominica Bar Association (DBA) will be hosting its annual ‘Law Week’ from the 27th April, 2024 to the 4th May, 2024 under the theme ‘Justice Unveiled: Navigating Legal Frontiers in the Modern World.’
Law Week is an annual event, which after a hiatus for a few years due to Covid-19, is back on this year. The DBA has planned various activities for the week and the objectives of these activities are to:
- Sensitize, inform and educate the public on their rights and responsibilities,
- Give back to the community which has embraced and supported its individual members of the DBA;
- Acknowledge and honour some of the members of the legal fraternity who have made impactful contributions to the legal profession, jurisprudence and society at large, and
- Encourage socialisation among its membership.
The activities kick off with our usual Pro Bono Day – Free Consultation, which will be held on Saturday 27th April 2024 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at two locations: the Castle Bruce Secondary School and the Mahaut Primary School. Members of the Bar will be providing members of the public with free legal consultation on any subject matter. This is open to all persons. In keeping with our theme, for the first time this year we will also be offering an
online consultation option.
On Sunday 28th April 2024, members of the Bar will attend church service to mark the opening of Law Week, followed by a fun social activity.
On Tuesday 30th April 2024 there will be a Secondary School Public Speaking Competition, which will be judged by members of the Bar. A participant from every secondary school in Dominica has been invited to speak on the topic “Who needs a professional’s intelligence when there is artificial intelligence?” Prizes will be awarded to all the participants and to the top three speakers. The first prize is sponsored by Bullseye Pharmacy and is a ticket for 2 on
L’Express des Isle to any of its destinations. This competition will be held at the Ballroom of the Prevo Cinemall from 2:30pm to 5:30pm and is open to the public.
Wednesday 1st May 2024 from 7:00p.m. to 9:00p.m. we will host a Panel Discussion on the topic: “I saw it on Facebook….can it be admitted into evidence in Court?”- A discussion on the admissibility of digital and electronic evidence. The panelists are Ms. Sherma Dalrymple, Director of Public Prosecutions, Mrs Candia Carette-George, Chief Magistrate, and attorney-at-law Mrs. Gina Dyer-Munro. We are pleased to have the NTRC partner with us for this event. It will be held at the UWI Open Campus, is open to the public and free of charge. We encourage everyone to attend this very exciting and educational discussion.
On Friday 3rd May 2024 the DBA will be hosting a Dinner and Awards Ceremony, at which we will be recognising the invaluable contributions of some of the senior members of the Dominica Bar who were called to the Bar 40 years ago or more. Awards for Long Service and Dedication to the Profession and Bar Association will be presented to Joffrey C.G. Harris SC, Eamon De Freitas, Henry Dyer, Zena Moore-Dyer, Anthony W. Astaphan SC and Joan K. R. Prevost. Ms Cilma Dupigny will be honoured for celebrating over 60 dedicated years in the profession.
Special Awards will also be presented to Mr. Ray C.M. Harris and Ms Destiny Pascal. Mr Harris will be awarded for hard work and dedication in leading the Law Revision Commission in the completion of the 2017 Revised Edition of the Laws of the Commonwealth of Dominica and completion of a three year revision supplement updating the laws to January 1, 2020. Ms Pascal will be receiving an award as the top Dominican Law School student in 2022.
This year’s Law Week will wind down on Saturday May 4, 2024 with a Health and Wellness session for lawyers.
The Association encourages the general public to attend and participate in the public activities, being Saturday’s Pro-Bono Day, Tuesday’s Secondary School’s Public Speaking competition and Wednesday’s Panel Discussion.
