Starting 4 July 2017, the Cayman Islands Courts will offer a new Judicial Clerkship programme for Articled Clerks with local law firms, which will count towards their legal training requirements.

Announcing the programme, the Chief Justice, Hon. Anthony Smellie explained that it was developed by the Judicial Education Committee (JEC) jointly with the Caymanian Bar Association (CBA) and local law firms.

The programme was approved by the Legal Advisory Council, the statutory body that has oversight of legal professional education, following an amendment to Legal Practitioners (Students) Regulations by Cabinet. Programme Coordinators are Mr. Neil Timms, QC, Hon. Justice Ingrid Mangatal and Hon. Justice Richard Williams, the Chief Justice added.

“I am delighted that we are able to provide a concentrated educational programme within the courts system for our locally articled, newly qualified lawyers. They will get a good grasp of the complex functions our courts and judges perform and will additionally be able to participate in them,” the Chief Justice commented.

“This Judicial Clerkship will count towards legal training requirements and the 18 months of Articles, so long as the supervising Judge and/or Magistrate certifies that the training was completed satisfactorily,” he added.

The Judicial Clerk will sit with Judges and Magistrates for a total of one month, in weekly rotation among them, Mr. Timms explained. This way each clerk will learn from four different judges and magistrates. During this time, the Clerk will sit on cases in the Summary Court and various divisions of the Grand Court, gaining “incomparable and invaluable training” as well as a “unique insight into how the judicial process works,” he commented.

Mr. Timms called for applications for places to be sent to the Caymanian Bar Association for the programme that starts on 4 July. The association would “liaise with the Judicial Education Committee and the clerk’s training principal to match applicants with available placements and to ensure client and case confidentiality needs are met,” Mr. Timms elaborated.

On behalf of the JEC, Hon. Justice Mangatal noted that the programme aims to provide in-depth look at the courts’ work during a participant’s articles. Areas covered will include opportunities for applying and improving legal skills, case presentation and judicial decision-making processes, she added.

For more information, visit the CBA website.

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IMAGE: Chief Justice Hon Anthony Smellie