Section 24 Application

Section 24 (2) of the LPA provides the following:-

“(2) Subsection (1) applies to any case where an Attorney-at-law makes an application for a practising certificate—

(a) where for twelve months or more he has ceased to hold a valid practising certificate; or

(b) while he is an undischarged bankrupt or there is in force against him a receiving order in bankruptcy; or

(c) where having been suspended from practice or having had his name struck off the Roll, the period of his suspension has expired, or his name has been restored to the Roll, as the case may be; or

(d) not having held a valid practising certificate within the twelve months next following the date of his registration on the Roll; or

(e) when he has been adjudicated a person of unsound mind; or

(f) without having paid any penalty, compensation or reimbursement or costs ordered by the Disciplinary Committee to be paid by him, or without having otherwise complied with any order of the Disciplinary Committee; or

(g) after having had an order made against him for the issue of a writ of attachment; or

(h) after having been adjudicated a bankrupt and obtained his discharge or after having entered into a composition with his creditors or a deed of arrangement for the benefit of his creditors; or

(i) after having had, given against him, any judgment which involves the payment of moneys other than costs and is not a judgment as to the whole effect of which upon him he is entitled to indemnity or relief from any other person, and without having produced to the Court evidence of the satisfaction of such judgment”

Once Section 24 (2) of LPA applies to you then you must make a Section 24 Application to obtain a practising certificate.

Note: The need to make a Section 24 Application may be communicated by the Registrar of the High Court in some, but not in all cases.

The Application:

You will need an Attorney-at-Law to prepare and file the Section 24 application on your behalf – you cannot represent yourself.
The Section 24 Application is made by fixed date Claim Form and supporting Affidavit. Once completed, the original together with copies must be filed in the High Court and a copy must be served on the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago at 95-97 Frederick Street, Port of Spain.
NOTE: The Law Association is not to be named as a party to the Section 24 Application.
A precedent of the Section 24 Application is available for download and edit (Section 24 Precedent file).

The Process:

Once the application is received by LATT it will be reviewed by the Section 24 Sub-Committee to determine if there is any objection to the issuance of a Practising certificate. If further details are required the applicant will be notified of the details which must be provided by supplemental Affidavit and filed in the proceedings.

Once the applicant complies with all the requirements, the Sub-Committee will communicate its decision on a Section 24 application to the JSO to the Judge in the matter and the Attorney for the Claimant by issuing a letter stating that LATT has no objection to the application.

Please Note: The Registrar will check the official records to ensure all requirements are complied with and there is no bar to the issue of the Practising Certificate.

All outstanding fees and payments must be paid and evidence of payment attached to the Section 24 Application.

The Judge may deal with the application without a hearing or may set a date for the hearing of a Section 24 application.

Section 24 Precedent

Section 24 Precedent PDF Format

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Section 24 Precedent Word/DOC Format

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