Two-year Programme

The Council of Legal Education (Caribbean) offers a two-year, full-time programme of study leading to the award of the Legal Education Certificate which is recognized in the participating territories as the professional qualification for admission to practice.

Approved Qualifications For Entry To The Law School

To be eligible for direct admission, applicants must be in possession of an approved qualification. The approved qualifications are:

  1. An LLB degree from the University of the West Indies:
  2. An LLB degree from the University of Guyana provided that:
    • The holder of the degree is a national of Guyana
    • The degree was awarded in 1998 or afterwards
    • The holder is included in the list of 25 graduates provided to the Council of Legal Education

Persons not qualified at i) and ii) above who wish to be considered for admission, and who are in possession of the following qualification must sit the annual entrance examination conducted by the Council of Legal Education:

  1. a first degree in law awarded by a university in a common law jurisdiction;
  2. the Common Professional Examination Certificate (UK) together with vocational training;
  3. an LLB degree awarded by the University of Guyana to:
    1. (a) non-nationals of Guyana;
    2. (b) nationals of Guyana not included in the list of 25 graduates provided by the Council of Legal Education;
    3. (c) all persons awarded the law degree prior to 1998

The Law Schools are zoned for the admission of students from the participating territories of the West Indies. Application for entry to the Norman Manley Law School shall be made by persons ordinarily resident in Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Jamaica, Montserrat and St. Kitts and Nevis. Applications from the other territories should be made to the Hugh Wooding Law School and the Eugene Dupuch Law School.

Notwithstanding this, the Principal may admit in exceptional circumstances, a student zoned for the Hugh Wooding Law School or the Eugene Dupuch Law School.

First Year Courses

Courses offered in the first year of study are:

Civil Procedure and Practice I

Course Director
Ms. Carol Aina
Associate Tutors
Ms. Hilary Phillips, Q.C.
Ms. Fara Brown
Mrs. D. Kitson
Mrs. G. Langrin
Ms. Yolande Whitely
Ms. M. Wong

Practice and procedure in summary courts including family and affiliation matters and proceedings for enforcement of judgments and orders and appeals. Practice and procedure in the Supreme Court of Judicature at first instance and in Special Tribunals. Family Law Practice and Procedure including trial of undefended matters in common law and civil law systems and status of children. Initiation of proceedings, writs, petitions, motions, summonses and other originating process. Pleadings, Interlocutory applications. Summary Judgment.

Criminal Practice and Procedure (Summary, Indictable and Appeals)

Course Director
Mr. Justice F.A. Smith
Associate Tutors
Mr. Justice Brian Sykes
Ms. Paula Llewelyn
Mrs. J. Samuels-Brown

Practice and procedure in summary courts created by statute. Preliminary inquiries and similar process. Coroners' Inquest. Appeals from summary courts. Practice and procedure in higher courts-indictments, information, trial by jury, verdict, sentence, compensation and costs in criminal cases.

Appeals to Courts of Appeal from conviction on indictment or information. Powers of Courts of Appeal, application of the proviso in criminal appeals. Rights, obligations, powers and duties of Police. General principles relating to punishment. Prisons, Borstals, Juvenile detention centres, probations, suspended sentences, fines, bonds.

Appeals to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, as of right, by leave of Courts of Appeal, by special leave of the Judicial Committee. Procedure in appeals to the Privy Council.

Evidence, Civil and Criminal including Forensic Medicine

Course Directors
Mr. Norman Davis
Associate Tutors
Mr. K. Pantry, Q.C.
Mr. G. McBean

The general principles of the common law of evidence. Res gestae. The rule against hearsay declarations; confessions, statutory variations of the common law in relation to the admissibility of evidence, competence and compellability, oaths and affirmations, proof of documents, judicial notice, primary and secondary evidence. Unsworn testimony. Convictions as evidence in civil cases. The oath as a vehicle to truth. Forensic Medicine. General Principles of medical jurisprudence and toxicology. Medical evidence in civil and criminal cases.

Landlord and Tenant (including Rent Restriction, Ejectment and Agricultural Holdings)

Course Director
Mr. Peter Carson
Associate Tutors
Miss D. White
Mr. J. Givans
Mr. R. Golding

The general principles of the Law of landlord and tenant, share cropping, agricultural contracts, agricultural holdings, security of tenure, statutory regulation and control of leases and tenancies. Chattel houses. Movable and immovable dwellings. Assignments of leasehold interests and tenancies. Damage for wrongful or forcible ejectment.

Law of Remedies

Course Director
Miss Dorcas White

General and special damages in contract and tort. Pleadings and proof. Calculation and assessment of damages in cases of personal injury and death. Judicial trends in the West Indies. Apportionment of damages. Remoteness.

Legal Drafting and Interpretation

Course Director
Mr. Peter Carson
Associate Tutors
Mr. R. Mangal
Mr. G. Madden
Mr. H. Facey

The techniques of drafting legislation and documents with legislative effect. Use of language. Legislative recognition of customs and practices. The drafting of deeds, wills and other documents. The general principles of interpretation of deeds, statutes and other instruments. The interpretation of Constitutional Instruments. The writing of opinions, decisions and judgments.

Second Year Courses

Courses offered in the second year of study are:

Civil Procedure and Practice II

Civil Procedure
Course Director
Mr. Dave Garcia
Law of Associations
Course Director
Ms. Eulalie Greenaway
Associate Tutors
Mr. Justice L. Ellis
Ms. Natalie Farrell-Ross
Ms. Shellie Leon
Mrs. S. Minott-Phillips
Mr. M. Manning

Determination of proceedings without trial. Preparation for trial. Trial, judgment and orders. Enforcement of judgment and orders. Equitable remedies and Prerogative Orders. Restitution. Costs. Review of taxation of costs. Appeals in relation to costs. Appeals from courts of first instance including interlocutory applications in appeals, security for costs, stay of execution of judgments appealed from, dismissal of appeals for non-compliance with rules, reinstatement. Hearing and Judgment. Costs of appeal. Appeals to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, as of right, by leave of Courts of Appeal and by special leave of the Judicial Committee. Practice and procedure in appeals to the Judicial Committee.

The law of associations relating to the formation, operation and dissolution of companies and other associations. The practice and procedure in contentious matters in Probate and Administration proceedings.

Conveyancing and Registration of Title

Course Director
Ms. Eulalie Greenaway
Associate Tutors
Mr. H. Grant
Mr. R. Golding

General principles of conveyancing in relation to freehold, leasehold and other interests in the common and civil law systems of the West Indies including indigenous developments in both systems. The acquisition of title and land registration. The Torrens System, the Roman-Dutch system of conveyancing. Title registers.

Practice and procedure in relation to the acquisition of interests in land by judicial process. Vesting of property under statute. Legislation relating to housing, town and country planning and compulsory acquisition of land. Crown and state land tenures and interests. Restrictive covenants and their modification and variation. Prescription, Mortgages, charges, liens and hypothecs.

Ethics, Rights and Obligations of the Legal Profession

Course Director
Mr. Dennis Morrison Q.C.
Associate Tutors
Mr. Rambarran Mangal
Mr. A. Lambert

The status of members of the legal profession as officers of the Courts, independence of members of the legal profession, duties to the Court, clients, the public and the profession, the ethics of the legal profession; obligations to the public to promote the rule of law and to support the creation and maintenance of an independent judiciary; the role of the legal profession in aiding members of the public to secure adequate representation in legal proceedings, representation in matters in forma pauperis. Solicitors' practice. Advocacy and Legal Aid.

Law Office Management, Accounting and Technology

Course Directors
Mr. W. Clark Cousins
Mr. Michael Roofe
Associate Tutor
Ms. S. Donaldson

General principles of office management. Bookkeeping and accounts. Double entry book-keeping. The interpretation of balance sheets. Accounts generally and the separation of clients' accounts from personal accounts. The preparation of bills of cost in legal proceedings. Records, filing and safekeeping of clients' documents. Taxation of professional men. Duty to make tax returns. Professional advice on taxation.

Law of Succession (Testate and Intestate)

Course Director
Mr. Ian WIlkinson
Associate Tutor
Mrs. D. Henry-James

The general principles of the law regulating testate and intestate succession in the common and civil law systems of the West Indies. Wills, intestacy and the administration and winding-up of the estate of deceased persons. The administration of trusts and settlements. Practice and procedure in non-contentious matters in probate and administration proceedings.

Students are also expected to acquire competence during the two-year course in:

  1. general advocacy (including court room etiquette)
  2. negotiation and alternative dispute resolution
  3. interviewing clients
  4. preparation of cases for litigation and settlement.

Download Applications

If you would like to apply for our 2 year programme, download the following forms.