Attorneys-at-law Kevin Powell and Pierre Rogers appointed King's Counsel

Former Jamaican Bar Association President Kevin Powell and criminal defence attorney Pierre Rogers have been appointed King's Counsel, one of the highest professional honours for lawyers in Jamaica.

Their elevation to the Inner Bar - a group comprising senior lawyers who have been granted the title of KC - signifies formal recognition of their distinction and seniority within Jamaica’s legal profession.

Powell and Rogers were installed during a ceremony at the Supreme Court on Tuesday, presided over by Chief Justice Bryan Sykes.

President of the Court of Appeal Justice Marva McDonald-Bishop, along with senior judges of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal and members of the Bar, attended the event.

The Jamaican Bar Association has congratulated the men on their appointments.

Attorneys-at-law are appointed King's Counsel in Jamaica following recommendations from several bodies, which are then submitted to Governor General Sir Patrick Allen for approval.

The honour is conferred on attorneys who have practised for at least 10 years and have demonstrated distinction in the legal profession.

Members of the Inner Bar bear the honorific title “King’s Counsel” and are entitled to wear a silk gown, hence the term “taking silk.”

The title of King’s Counsel, or Queen’s Counsel when the British monarch is a woman, dates back to 17th-century England, where it was created to recognise and grant privileges to leading legal officers who served as senior advocates for the Crown.

Over time, the title’s use expanded to honour outstanding lawyers across the Commonwealth.

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