Justice Ministry hails Zaila McCalla
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Justice on Monday congratulated Justice Zaila McCalla OJ, Chief Justice of Jamaica, who was last Tuesday conferred with the prestigious honour of being appointed an Honorary Bencher of the Middle Temple Inn in London, England, in recognition of her contribution to the law in Jamaica.
The Middle Temple has a long and distinguished history as one of four Inns of Court which have the exclusive rights over admission to the Bar in England and Wales, the ministry explained in a release.
Chief Justice McCalla joins an elite group of members of the Middle Temple, which includes such luminaries as Eric Holder, former Attorney General of the United States of America, Sir Edward Zacca, former Chief Justice of Jamaica, and David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the release said.
Chief Justice McCalla’s stellar legal career commenced in 1976 with her admission to the Jamaican Bar, followed by service as a Clerk of Court, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Senior Resident Magistrate, Puisne Judge and Judge of Court of Appeal, before being appointed Jamaica’s first female Chief Justice in June 2007.
The Ministry of Justice says it also wishes to offer congratulations to Patrick Robinson, Judge of the International Court of Justice and former Deputy Attorney General of Jamaica, who was also appointed a Bencher of the Middle Temple last Tuesday. Justice Robinson is one of Jamaica’s most illustrious lawyers.