The Tribune

By ANNELIA NIXON

TRIBUNE Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

A BAHAMIAN law firm yesterday said demand for affordable legal guidance continues to drive participation in its annual free legal clinic, with attorneys reporting recurring needs ranging from divorce and adoption matters to employment, landlord-tenant and business woes.

Halsbury Law Chambers will host the event on Saturday, September 26, from 9am to 3pm at its Village Road offices, continuing an initiative it launched more than 20 years ago to provide Bahamians with access to legal advice at no cost.

Shelly Nairn, one of its attorneys, said the need for the service has grown over the years as individuals facing significant legal issues often cannot afford to retain an attorney or even pay for an initial consultation.

“Over the years, we saw the need grow for that service; the need for free legal services,” she said. “There was a need in The Bahamas where we saw that people, they had major issues. They couldn’t afford the services of an attorney, so they took advantage of what we had to offer.”

Ms Nairn said the clinic has remained consistently well attended, apart from a break during the COVID-19 pandemic. She added that the initiative is intended to help bridge the gap between individuals who can readily afford legal representation and those who may otherwise be unable to obtain legal advice.

“We look at our judicial system, and our judicial system basically operates in the interest of justice,” Ms Nairn said. “And so we have to ensure that justice is available to everyone, whether you can afford it or you can’t afford it.”

She added that some individuals have legitimate legal matters but cannot afford even an initial consultation, making the clinic an opportunity to determine whether they have a viable case and what steps they can take.

Bria Tai McCartney, another Halsbury Law Chambers attorney, said consultations will be conducted privately and will last around 15 to 20 minutes.

“So you will meet with one of our attorneys, and we will sit down with you in a private room and just go through any issues you may be having,” she said. “You can ask us any questions.”

The clinic will cover a broad range of civil and commercial legal matters, including family law, civil litigation, labour and employment, mortgages and conveyancing, landlord and tenant matters, wills, probate and estates. Ms McCartney said the firm will also address company law matters, including incorporation of limited companies, business name registration, company formation, trademarks and copyright. Criminal matters will not be addressed.

Ms McCartney encouraged members of the public to register for appointments ahead of Saturday, although walk-ins will also be accepted.

Among the issues Ms Nairn said attorneys have increasingly encountered are divorce and adoption matters. “I have seen an increase in my practice with regards to divorces,” she said, adding that more individuals are seeking legal assistance to leave marriages in which they experience physical or mental abuse.

She also pointed to an increase in adoption applications involving relatives or other caregivers who have raised children for extended periods without having formal legal rights over them.

Ms Nairn added: “You would be surprised how many individuals don’t know their rights. They don’t understand the law, or sometimes they’re operating on antiquated law. And they don’t realise over the years that the laws have changed.”

Ms McCartney said greater public education about the law should be part of the private sector’s contribution to improving access to legal guidance.

“I would say try to spread legal information,” she said. “Try to take any avenue they can to inform the public of just general legal information, so they can know the options that are available to them generally.”

Ms McCartney said greater access to information can help individuals understand the options available to them before deciding how to proceed with a legal dispute.

Ms Nairn said there is no specific demographic that dominates the clinic’s clientele, noting that its users range from individuals with limited financial means to people from different backgrounds and circumstances. “There is no demographic of persons,” she said. “It stems from the littlest person to the biggest person.”

Halsbury Law Chambers does not generate income from the clinic, with Ms Nairn describing the benefit to the firm as the satisfaction of providing a community service. Ms McCartney similarly described the clinic as an opportunity for the firm to give back to the community.

“With any form of community service, you do feel that internal gratification, and we just are happy to give back to the community in this way and help the Bahamian people in whichever way we can,” she said.