The island’s legal fraternity welcomed a historic addition on September 23, 2025, when Mark A. Fulford, President of the Turks and Caicos Islands Bar Association (TCIBA), was formally admitted to practice before the courts of Saint Lucia.
The ceremony, presided over by the Honourable Madame Justice Cenac-Phulgence, saw Fulford don his robes and take his place among the island’s Bench and Bar, becoming the first known attorney from the Turks and Caicos Islands to be called in St. Lucia.
Delivering the formal address, Justice Alvin S. Pariagsingh praised the calibre of the new admittee:
“Mr. Mark Fulford brings seasoned experience. As managing partner of a major firm in the Turks and Caicos Islands, as President of the TCI Bar Council, as an arbitrator and tribunal chair, he has led not only in practice but in governance of the profession itself. He has worked in banking, finance, government, and international arbitration. His admission here adds a distinguished voice to our Bar.”
The warm welcome continued with Ramon Raveneau, president of the Saint Lucia Bar Association, who said: “Mark Fulford’s admission to our Bar is both historic and symbolic. He is a distinguished leader in his homeland, where he has spearheaded reforms, chaired institutions, and elevated the standing of the profession. To have him join our fraternity in Saint Lucia is not only an honour, it is a reminder of the strength we gain when the Caribbean works together. His achievements prove that small jurisdictions can produce leaders of regional and international calibre, and we are proud to welcome him among us.”
Fulford, who is also managing partner of F Chambers Attorneys-at-Law in Turks and Caicos, used his remarks to place the event in a wider regional vision.
“This call is not ceremony alone — it is regional integration in practice. When lawyers are admitted across borders, when our Bars and judiciaries collaborate, we show the world that Caribbean unity is more than aspiration; it is reality.”
He tied his words to the vision of Prime Minister Hon. Philip J. Pierre, noting: “Prime Minister Pierre has often reminded us that our destiny is inextricably linked; CARICOM is strongest when we act together. Today, those words find meaning.”
Fulford also pledged to share Turks and Caicos’ pioneering experience with the world’s first court-issued Practice Direction on Artificial Intelligence in legal proceedings, describing it as part of his commitment to innovation and regional cooperation.
The admission has been hailed as a milestone moment, affirming the strength of the Caribbean legal community lies in cooperation, recognition, and shared destiny.
