Appointment of Senior Counsels and Senior Attorneys: Mixed Atmosphere at the Supreme Court on Monday
The Supreme Court elevated 31 legal practitioners to the ranks of Senior Counsel and Senior Attorney during a ceremony on Monday, which was marked by controversies and the enactment of a new law clarifying the procedure.
After weeks of debate, 19 lawyers and 12 attorneys were officially appointed as Senior Counsels and Senior Attorneys on December 8, 2025, during a ceremony at the Supreme Court, bringing the total number of honorees this year to 31.
Presided over by Chief Justice Bibi Rehana Mungly-Gulbul and Master & Registrar of the Supreme Court, Wendy Rangan, the ceremony followed the issuance of Letters Patent by the President of the Republic, the official document authorizing these appointments.
However, this event was marred by a challenge at the Supreme Court initiated by two lawyers and an attorney. The dispute ended with the adoption of the Senior Counsel and Senior Attorney Act of 2025, a law clarifying the future nomination process.
The press was barred from the courtroom as the ceremony commenced, and several lawyers and members of the public were also denied access due to space constraints.
Attorney General Gavin Glover, Senior Counsel, criticized the ceremony's proceedings. He expressed his "sorrow" for his colleagues and added: "This should have been a moment of joy. Clearly, that was not the sentiment of everyone. I hope this is the first and last time this happens. In future ceremonies, I hope it will be more elegant. This is certainly not how this ceremony should unfold. I myself was made a Senior Counsel in 2010. What I experienced today is disheartening. It’s clear that there was no desire for me or the Chairperson of the Bar Council to make a statement. This does not bode well for the Supreme Court."
As for the President of the Bar Council, Me Anwar Moollan, Senior Counsel, he welcomed the new law concerning the appointment of Senior Counsels and Senior Attorneys. Addressing the newly appointed, he emphasized their role as role models for young professionals: "You must guide them and teach them to resist the temptation to breach ethical rules. You need to maintain excellence."
