Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

Amending of Legal Profession Act critical for foreign law firms – Premier Smith

- said care must be taken when amending laws as it could affect the territory's financial services
Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith said that the territory has to be very careful when amending legislation because of its being a financial services jurisdiction. Photo: VINO/File
Premier Smith was speaking during yesterday's January 26, 2016 Sixth Sitting of the First Session of the Third House of Assembly as the debate on an amendment to the Legal Profession Act got underway following its second reading. Photo: VINO/File
Premier Smith was speaking during yesterday's January 26, 2016 Sixth Sitting of the First Session of the Third House of Assembly as the debate on an amendment to the Legal Profession Act got underway following its second reading. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith said the territory has to be very careful when amending legislation because of it being a financial services jurisdiction on which some amendments could have negative effects.

He was speaking during yesterday's January 26, 2016 Sixth Sitting of the First Session of the Third House of Assembly as the debate on an amendment to the Legal Profession Act got underway following its second reading.

The Premier noted that the principal Act was brought to the House of Assembly last year 2015 after being worked on for a considerable period.

However, he noted that even though the act had been in the making for ten years, there were still elements of it that did not sit well with the territory and needed amending.

“And Madam Speaker even as some issues are addressed others are emerging,” he said. Giving an example, he said there is now a one-year residency requirement in the VI for non-Virgin Islands lawyers who worked in other overseas territories.

Premier Smith said that another issue that has surfaced is the time line that practice certificates come into force.

He said overseas legal firms need to have non-resident lawyers working for them and for that reason among others the passage of the amendment is important.

“So it is important to have this Act passed, because if nothing happens many lawyers will be [left] without practice certificates and that won’t be good for the territory’s legal firms,” he said.

Some of the provisions of the Principal Act speak to the power of the General Legal Council; the criteria and qualifications for admission to practice and issue of practice certificates, funding of Legal Aid, the criteria for temporary admission of Foreign Counsel, the mechanics of pupillage or post qualification training and the Code of Ethics.

6 Responses to “Amending of Legal Profession Act critical for foreign law firms – Premier Smith”

  • Killaman (27/01/2016, 09:43) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    If you can not protect your own who do you think you can protect?
  • ccc (27/01/2016, 09:48) Like (2) Dislike (4) Reply
    Always looking out for expat companies SMH
    • What? (27/01/2016, 13:58) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
      Excuse me, but in case you hadn't noticed the BVI doesn't produce anything but a tourism product and financial services.

      Your money ALL comes from overseas, whether it's cruise ship passengers, sailing charters or companies wanting anonymity or tax efficiency.

      The BVI is entirely reliant on foreign people and companies, and unless you realise and appreciate that, you're going to find yourself broke.
  • Give it up Doc. (27/01/2016, 09:54) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    Dr Smith is not leading. He is being Led by men with bad intentions. Doc grow up a good man. Hard to see how he is happy or comfortable with what's going on
  • Lawyer (27/01/2016, 13:29) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    I would recommend care be taken when enacting laws too, as they also affect financial services.


Create a comment


Create a comment

Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.