Alden made QC after decade’s absence from court
(CNS): Former premier Alden McLaughlin has some new letters to add to his name as he has been made Queen’s Counsel, along with four other Caymanian lawyers. McLaughlin is said to be returning to the bar after well over a decade’s absence from the courtroom. With his return to the legal stage as a ‘silk’, he will be required to do some pro bono work for people unable to afford representation, though the professional accolade will ensure that his fees for paying work will be worth his while. In addition to McLaughlin, Solicitor General Reshma Sharma has also become one of the country’s latest QCs.
They are joined by Mac Webster Imrie, a consultant with Maples and Calder; Rachael Reynolds, global senior partner at Ogier; and Colette Ann Wilkins, a partner with Walkers.
It is four years since any attorneys in Cayman received ‘silk’ designation and no criminal prosecutors or defence attorneys have been elevated in this latest round of QC appointments.
In a press release from Judicial Administration, Chief Justice Anthony Smellie, who recommends the appointment to the governor, gave a detailed explanation of how the lawyers were selected and the need to balance these senior appointments.
And while Cayman already has a number of silks still practicing in financial and civil areas, with the exception of one QC who occasionally takes on criminal defence work, the courts are almost entirely dependent on senior lawyers from the UK to do the more serious criminal work.
In a release announcing the new QCs, who will be formally inducted at the Grand Court on Friday, Chief Justice Smellie said the appointments came at the end of an intensive process of consultation and vetting, this time commencing in January 2021, by himself and his colleagues, and the UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
He said the selections were made having regard to the needs of the jurisdiction, as prior holders relocate, retire, or channel their service into the local judiciary, and the need to maintain a stable pool of QCs relative to the size of the profession and local population.
See the full release outlining the details of and process for appointing QCs, the history of the role and more information on each one of the new silks in the CNS Library.
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Politics was good to him
Alden should have been made an honourary QC, but we don’t have that here. Sir Jeffrey Jowell is an honourary QC as well. His contributions were to the law, and his books are cited in court every day, but he did not make a career of advocacy at the highest level; he was an unusually accomplished and prominent academic. QC is an advocacy quality mark – it’s a way to tell the public and law firms who the best barristers are. We need QC (Hon) here, which would actually, reading the list of Alden’s contributions, have been appropriate.
Not even that shoe fits. Conduct alone should have barred him from eligibility.
I agree 100%.
Interesting how Alden is receive QC status and, ironically, he was the Premier that passed the disastrous Legal Services Act 2020, which (if brought into force) will destroy the legal profession.
Alden is an elitist, who has not looked out for the best interests of Caymanian attorneys. And Alden has not practiced law in years. How does enacting legislation (Legal Services Act) destructive to the legal profession, and which against Caymanian attorneys, qualify him to be a QC?
He’s just as qualified as Cheryl and Sheridan who got last time. How an island this size has so many recommended by Chief Justice is beyond me. QC is becoming just as common as Hero’s day awardees.
Except not all are heros.
You’re right, 4:58 PM….. He is a Zero.
QC doesn’t mean sh!t anymore, hasn’t for years.
I agree….. It certainly doesn’t.
Well said and accurate.
I hope all of our overseers see the above comments.
Herewith an example of the overall criteria for selection of candidates for grant of QC honour, Alberta, Canada; Please note the “Or”:
“It is tradition to appoint lawyers as Queen’s Counsel (QC) who have made particular contributions to:
the legal profession, or
public life”
QC from Canada is a joke. You basically nominate yourself, apply and get it. It isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.
Then it is about the same as ours, huh?
It is rather galling that in your own country when a Caymanian has earned some distinction that he is viewed as a “token” Caymanian, as in remarks about Alden’s appointment to Charles Adams law firm.
Now that he has striven to the political pinnacle, he is lambasted right and centre. Luckily, he has by now developed a hard exterior shell so that he is now impervious to this and other unjust criticisms.
Hey, guys, let us be happy for those who have worked hard and have achieved distinctions.
I heartily congratulate Alden for his life of service to the Cayman Islands.
And by the way, Alberta Canada, among others do award QCs to persons who have contributed with distinction to the legal profession OR public life.
As it turns out, Alden has done both.
Here is the website:
https://www.alberta.ca/queens-counsel.aspx
Remember he did more for himself, cayman made him a multi millionaire.
Massive congratulations especially to the three ladies who are being made Silk. Massive achievement for each of them in what remains an enormously male-dominated profession. Immense achievement for each of them to get where they are.
Is his political exit strategy also a job at one of those big cartel firms – kinda like Tara? Is this the CJ making sure his plans work out?
No, he already had a job at a law firm. Being a QC isn’t how you get a job, you have already be successful at your job to be made a QC.
But if that’s how you get QC then he shouldn’t have gotten one!
He hasn’t had a job at a law firm in years. And how he got made QC not having practised law in all that time is an interesting question. Think its a bit like Mac’s honorary doctorate!