Legal practitioners from across the country attended the 2nd SG’s Bar & Bench cocktail hosted by the Solicitor-General Mr Christopher Pryde at the Transcontinental Hotel in Nadi last week
Mr Pryde said the purpose of this cocktail was to provide government lawyers a chance to get better acquainted with their colleagues in the legal profession and also an opportunity to welcome overseas judges and magistrates to Fiji.
“As I had mentioned during the first cocktail in June, it is important for the Bench and Bar to have opportunities to mix outside our traditional venue of court,” Mr Pryde said.
“Initially the idea was to make this an occasion for chambers’ lawyers only, but since there are few opportunities for the legal profession to mix with judges, we agreed to extend the invitation to all legal practitioners.”
The SG also welcomed the new judges and magistrates appointed from overseas in particular those from Sri Lanka and also Hong Kong along with those who joined locally.
“Fiji needs a strong and competent legal profession and an independent judiciary to move forward and I commend and welcome those who have recently joined the judiciary especially those from overseas,” he added.
Mr Pryde also wished the former acting president of the Fiji Court of Appeal, His Lordship Justice Bryne the very best for his future as he leaves for retirement.