Bridgetown.
The Barbados Bar Association is applying to the Supreme Court for a declaratory judgment to determine whether lawyers are obligated to pay annual fees to the association to practise.
Several lawyers have resfused to pay the fees but are still practising, the assocation council has decided to as the court to rule on the matter.
Lawyers have to remain financially up to date to practise law as mandated by the 1973 Legal Profession Act.
Last week, the Bar Association revealed the names of over 50 lawyers who have paid their bar fees, the names on the lists included several Queen’s Counsels.
“Our only concern is that so many lawyers still haven’t paid their fees", says Andrew Pilgrim , the president of the Bar Association.
"The law in Barbados clearly states that you have to be a member of the Bar to practise law. And to be a member of the Bar, your fees have to be paid annually, by tking the matter to court it should be settle once and for all', he added.
"We want a judge to say either they have or they don't. that would settle. The court would also be n a position to say how or if the lawyers who have not paid teir fees could be sanctioned for their action", the president said.
