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Welcome to the website of the General Legal Council.. The Council recognizes the important functions that it performs. It has always been keenly aware that it needs to advise the
public and all attorneys-at-law of these functions and the impact of these functions on the conduct of attorneys-at-law in private practice and the rights of the public. Although the Council
recognizes that the creation of this medium of communication is long overdue, it is indeed its pleasure to at last join the technological age in its ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of its
performance in relation to the services it provides, and it trusts that the information and assistance it offers will benefit all those who access this site.
THE HISTORY OF THE GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL:
Prior to the passage of the Legal Profession Act 1972, there were two sets of lawyers. They were known as solicitors and barristers. The Act abolished those distinctions, and all lawyers were hence
forward referred to as attorneys-at-law. The Legal Profession Act created the statutory body known as the General Legal Council.
The General Legal Council is comprised of seventeen members. Fourteen of these members are legal practitioners nominated by the Council of the Jamaican Bar Association, the Chief Justice or her
nominee, the Attorney General or her nominee, and one nominee of the Minister of Justice. All nominated members are appointed by the Minister of Justice after being recommended by the relevant
person or body.All members serve for a period of three years and are eligible for re-election. The General Legal Council appoints its chairman from among its members. The Council has been given the
statutory mandate and responsibility under section 3 of the Legal Profession Act to:
(a) Organise legal education.
(b) Uphold standards of professional conduct.
Apart from maintaining the ethics of the legal profession to which all attorneys should adhere, the General Legal Council also plays an integral role in the admission of attorneys being enrolled to
practise in the several courts in the Island of Jamaica.
Over the existence of the Council it has sought the intervention of Parliament in introducing legislation to enhance its powers in carrying out its statutory mandate. As an example of such
legislation, there are the Legal Profession (Accounts and Records) Regulations 1999 which became operative in September 1999.
The Council has also actively promoted the passage of laws dealing with programmes for the continuing professional development of attorneys-at-law, (formerly referred to as continuing legal
education) and the intervention of the Council where necessary in the practice of an attorney -at-law. These efforts have yet to bear fruit, and become law, in spite of many years of interaction
with the Ministry of Justice and the legislature and the preparation, examination and re-examination of the proposed legislation.
The Council regrets the prolonged delay which has bedeviled such important proposed legislation, as each passing day, circumstances arise which demonstrate the need for the legislation and the
desirability of protecting the public and attorneys in bringing a resolution to intractable problems that may arise between attorneys and those they serve.
It is not possible to include in detail in this introduction all the services that the General Legal Council provides.
It is proposed that all the relevant legislation pertaining to the legal profession be included in this website, and anyone wishing to advise himself/herself may access the website or of course
contact the offices of the General Legal Council and request the desired information.
The General Legal Council has its offices at 78 Harbour Street in the parish of Kingston. These offices are staffed with a Secretary, a part time attorney-at-law and other administrative staff who
provide invaluable services to the public and attorneys-at-law.
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