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Lawyer’s standing remains intact

by Randy Bennett
3 min read
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For now Phillip Nicholls’ name continues to be listed on register of attorneys who can practice law in Barbados.

While there were reports that the Barbados Bar Association’s Disciplinary Committee had planned to make a recommendation to the Court of Appeal that Nicholls to be disbarred today, no such action was taken when the parties met in Court No.1 of the Supreme Court.

Instead, the matter, which was heard by Justices Kaye Goodridge, William Chandler and Rajendra Narine was adjourned until February 25, 2020.

Attorney Phillip Nicholls leaving the Supreme Court today.

It had been reported that the Disciplinary Committee was making the recommendation after Nicholls was unable to account for $860,000, the proceeds of the sale of a property formerly owned by John and Hazel Connor, in 2008.

During today’s sitting it was revealed that while the court, the Disciplinary Committee and the Bar Association were in receipt of the report, neither Nicholls nor the Solicitor General had received it.

A source said the court admitted that it did not have all of the necessary documents and ordered all of the parties to be served with them.

Emerging from the courtroom with his attorney Sir Elliot Mottley, Q.C., this morning, Nicholls told members of the media he was unaware of any attempt to have his name struck from the roll of attorneys.

In fact, Nicholls said he only found out about the planned action through the media.

He said Sir Elliot had already indicated that he intended to challenge the matter in another forum in relation to how the report had been prepared.

What was more concerning to him he said was the fact that the news almost gave his elderly father a heart attack.

“How could it be said in the paper that I was coming to court to be disbarred when I never heard anything. The court today said nobody was served with any documents so this is a hatchet job being done with the use of the paper…” Nicholls maintained.

“I didn’t need to read the paper because it was sent to me…my father nearly had a heart attack after reading it.

“I had no idea why I was coming to court. I learnt about it in the paper. But the matter was adjourned because none of the interested parties has been served with the documents. The Disciplinary Committee does not have it,” he added.

When chairman of the Disciplinary Committee Rita Evans was approached she declined to comment.

While Sir Elliot also declined to comment on the matter, attorney-at-law Michael Carrington who held for him for a short while this morning, said he was willing to join Nicholls’ legal team.

“I’m willing to assist however I can because I don’t like ugly, I don’t like unfairness. Whatever is happening here is unfair, that is my view,” the former Speaker of the House said.

Barry Gale, QC and Ivan Alert are representing the complainants.

However, Laura Harvey-Read appeared on Gale’s behalf this morning as he was out of the island. randybennett@barbadostoday.bb

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