Frank Solomon, SC, passes away

Members of the legal fraternity yesterday described late Senior Counsel Frank Solomon as a luminary par excellence but one who, apart from his prowess in the courtroom, will also be missed for forthrightness and skilful use of words.

Although he did not know him personally, attorney Keith Scotland regarded Solomon as a gifted advocate.

“I always tell myself that if I can be half the advocate that he was, I’ll be good,” he said yesterday.

Scotland said like late Queen’s Counsel Karl Hudson-Phillips, the fraternity has lost yet another legal giant.

“I say to myself that we have lost some stalwarts. We have lost Karl Terrence Hudson-Phillips and we have lost Frank Solomon and they were just great advocates.”

Scotland also regarded Solomon as “quite a personality.”

He added: “It is something that I respectfully think is lacking a little in the profession. That the personalities are going out of the profession. I think we are substituting personality somewhat for deadlines. It is something that I think we ought to look at.”

Solomon reportedly died on Friday.

News of his passing was announced during the annual Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago (LATT) Dinner at Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port-of-Spain.

During his distinguished, decades-long career, he served as lead counsel on a slew of high-profile cases, maintaining his spot among an elite group of local attorneys.

Scotland said he learnt a lot about courtroom procedure from Solomon over the years.

“I saw him in PI (Preliminary Inquiries) in the High Court and because of the openness of the matters, meaning sometimes you would go in a chamber court and the chamber court is packed so you would be able to see senior practitioners like Frank Solomon, SC, make an application for an adjournment, make an application for judgement. It was a learning experience.”

Scotland told Sunday Newsday that he and close colleague Larry Williams also attended Fatima College with Daniel Solomon and extended condolences on their behalf.

Senior Counsel Israel Khan shared Scotland’s view.

“He was one of the best advocates that this country has ever seen. He was very eloquent and he was innovative and a very good cross-examiner.”

Khan recalled Solomon also served as LATT president from 1995 to 1997.

“He practised more civil law and he was always willing to give advice to young attorneys. This is what I know of him.”

Avory Sinanan, SC, who recalled serving as Solomon’s junior on a few matters, said he led a distinguished career.

“He was known for his forthright manner and he had a way with words. He was known for his vocabulary, language and diction in terms of putting his point across.”

LATT president Douglas Mendes, SC, said he was “shattered and heartbroken” by Solomon’s demise.

He said the association would issue a formal statement on his passing tomorrow.