President of the OECS Bar Association Mr Ruggles Ferguson (centre) praised the Virgin Islands for setting a high standard at hosting the 10th Annual OECS Bar Association Law Fair. Photo: VINO

The OECS Bar Association held its 10th Law Fair over a three-day period (September 13 – 15, 2013) on Scrub Island, Virgin Islands. It was attended by a large number of persons in the legal field across the Region. Photo: VINO

The OECS Bar Association held its 10th Law Fair over a three day period, September 13 – 15, 2013 on Scrub Island, Virgin Islands. The event was a consortium of activities intended to provide an opportunity for continuing legal education to members of the legal profession, judiciary, and the public.

The Law Fair was held for a second time in the Virgin Islands and, according to President of the OECS Bar Association Mr Ruggles Ferguson, the standard that has been set in the VI is very high. “Let me alert all the constituent Bars who are present today that your turn will be coming and the standard has been set for the 11^th and succeeding Law Fair, the standard has been set by the BVI… so I urge you to ensure that the standard continues to rise year after year.”

Mr Ferguson pointed to the significance of the Law Fair as it was held in the Virgin Islands. “Now this is not just Law Fair 2013, but our 10^th annual Law Fair, which indeed represents a landmark for the OECS Bar,” Mr Ferguson stated.

The Law Fair was said to have started as a relatively small activity out of St Vincent and the Grenadines in 2004. “Ten years have passed and we have had the Law Fair in every single jurisdiction of the OECS save for Montserrat and that is understandable given the volcanic activity.”

The Montserrat Bar was welcomed back on board at the Law Fair this year as they have been non-functional for a number of years. “The OECS Bar has been working closely with lawyers of Montserrat to get the Montserrat Bar again going and this was achieved this year. This was one of our objectives and Montserrat is in the house,” said Mr Ferguson. The OECS Bar is hoping to have a Law Fair in Montserrat in the not too distant future.

This year’s Law Fair saw a significant reduction in the number of topics as was customary to allow for quality, productive, effective and fertile discussions among the delegates. The topics covered a wide range of areas, including Trust, Intellectual Property, Economic, Tort and Law Practice Management in times of austerity.

There were also interactions between the Bench and Bar which was seen as very unique. “…. I think nowhere else, not just in the Region but maybe in the wider world you have this level of interaction and close cooperation between Bench and Bar,” noted Mr Ferguson.

Among those present at the Law Fair were the Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Honourable Dame Janice M. Pereira and a number of Justices of Appeal.