Kokaram sworn in as High Court judge

Vasheist Kokaram was sworn in by President George Maxwell Richards as a temporary High Court judge during a simple ceremony at President’s House yesterday afternoon. His appointment will be for six months.

Kokaram brings to five the number of temporary appointments made to the Bench this month. Earlier this month, retired judges Lennox Deyalsingh and Mustapha Ibrahim were brought back on the Bench to help clear the backlog of old criminal cases.

Englishman Ian Stuart Brook and James Aboud were also sworn in in January. Larry Lalla will be sworn as a judge in February. Lalla could not take up his appointment this month because he was one of the defence attorneys in the Chandra Naraynsingh murder trial, which came to a screeching halt yesterday.

Kokaram attended Hillview College between 1981 and 1988. He went to the University of the West Indies where he graduated from the Faculty of Law in 1992. He went on to the Hugh Wooding Law School, St Augustine, and was admitted to practice law in Trinidad and Tobago in 1994.

Kokaram started off with Senior Counsel Israel Khan, before he had a stint with Boynes and Boynes law firm. He then moved to MG Daly and Partners law firm where he remained until his current appointment.

During his legal career, Kokaram’s practice concentrated on commercial litigation, industrial relations and international law. He spent a lot of time appearing before the Industrial Court. He has also presented a number of papers on international law at several international conferences.

Kokaram, who will sit in the Civil Courts, loves cricket, cycling, football and drama. Both his parents are retired school principals. His father, Richard, was a principal of Hillview College, and his mother Lynette was attached to the Tacarigua Presbyterian School.

Also attending the swearing-in yesterday was Chief Justice Sat Sharma.