Bar Secretariat Year End Report

REPORT

In an effort to provide a more efficient and effective service to the LAWYERS who are members of the Bar Association of Saint Lucia, LAWYERS who have not joined the Bar Association of Saint Lucia and members of the public, I was appointed Administrator of the Secretariat which the Bar commenced on the 1^st of March, 2017,

One of the primary goals of the Secretariat is to ensure that there is an established and functioning unit to deal with matters such as:

1. Processing, reviewing, filing and managing incoming and outgoing correspondence;
2. Interfacing with members of the public with their complaints, of which there are many;
3. Clearing of the Post Office Box and classifying in coming New Law Journals which are received every month from the United Kingdom;
4. A standard location to house all matters pertaining to the

Bar association of Saint Lucia

5. Any other duties that are required by the Executive of the Bar Association from time to time, Protocol etc.

- Although most correspondence reach the secretariat via electronic mail, it still requires the attention that is given to normal mail; some would require the response of the President which is effected via telephone or whatever other action is necessary including onward transmission.

- Interfacing with the general public happens whenever the Secretariat is open. Complaints against lawyers are lodged often at the Secretariat through a form provided by the President – the complaint form requires Name, Address, Telephone Number and Nature of complaint. This is reviewed and appropriate action is taken by the President on the day of the week set aside for the Bar Secretariat.

The Complaints are usually dealt with swiftly by the President placing a telephone call to the lawyer in question and very often the problem/misunderstanding is resolved.

The Secretariat appears to be a place of quick solutions for members of the public who have simple grievances against their lawyers among them being the common complaint of them not meeting with their lawyers after walking up and down leaving messages etc. They appear pleased to find redress through the Secretariat as most complaints are resolved with satisfaction.

• Clearing of the post Office is done every Monday and the mail received are attended to promptly.

Brochures and New Law Journals are also received through the post, mainly from the United Kingdom. The Brochures are displayed in the Secretariat and the New Law Journals are given a reference number and are also displayed in secretariat. All LAWYERS have access to the New Law Journals which are extremely informative.

LAWYERS who wish to borrow the New Law Journals are required to provide the Secretariat with their names, telephone/cell number, the title of the New Law Journal(s) they wish to borrow and the date on which the particular journal(s) was/were borrowed.

• Other duties from time to time which are expected of the Administrator include the Administrator moving desk from the Secretariat to the various events, lecturers, workshops, parties, organized by the Bar Council for the Bar Association of Saint Lucia.