A lawyer’s service to the community is to knit families together and not to pull them apart - Justice Gates

A lawyer’s service to the community is to knit families together and not to pull them apart.

These were the words of Chief Justice Anthony Gates while speaking to Lawyers, Magistrates and Judges at the Fiji Law Society Bench and Bar Dinner last night in Suva.

He says that mediation is very important in a lot of cases where clients cannot afford to pay, they will need to settle with their relatives over disputed family property and Justice Gates has encouraged all the lawyers that were present to get mediation accreditation.

Justice Gates also acknowledged the 24 lawyers that were admitted to bar from the University of Fiji on Thursday adding that it was humbling to hear the stories of the struggles that some had to overcome to reach their goal.

He also proposed to offer the new lawyers a pupilage to help enable them to understand how the law operates.

Justice Gates also emphasized on the first hour procedure adding that for a lawyer to be present for the first hour that a suspect is being questioned stops the improper behavior at the police station.

Justice Gates also highlighted that there will be video recording of suspect questioning and video recording of court proceedings soon that will add a sense of accountability.