7 honoured by law school at 50th-anniversary gala

The Hugh Wooding Law School culminated its 50th-anniversary celebrations on July 13 with a gala dinner and awards function at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, St Ann's, Port of Spain.

Six graduates who have distinguished themselves in the field of law were honoured and applauded by a packed ballroom of judges, magistrates, masters, and lawyers from around the region.

Retired CCJ judge Rolston Nelson was honoured for teaching at both the Norman Manley and Hugh Wooding law schools for 50 years.

President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Adrian Saunders was the only recipient who was unavoidably absent. CCJ judge Maureen Rajnauth-Lee accepted his award in the form of a crystal gavel.

Retired chief justice of Belize Kenneth Benjamin, who was born in Guyana, CCJ judge Andrew Burgess, of Barbados, retired CCJ judge Rolston Nelson of Trinidad and Tobago and president of the Criminal Bar Association Israel Khan were present to accept their awards from principal of the law school Miriam Samaru.

Former special prosecutor Dana Seetahal, who was murdered in 2014, and former PNM attorney general Keith Sobion were also honoured posthumously.

Retired director of the Financial Intelligence Unit and former registrar general of TT Susan Francois accepted the award on behalf of Seetahal, her elder sister.

Sobion's widow, Judith Sobion, accepted the award for her husband, who died in 2008.