Legal education in Antigua and Barbuda is set to receive a major boost following a landmark new partnership between the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus (UWI FIC) and the Antigua and Barbuda Bar Association. The collaboration, formalized via a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) hosted at the Five Islands Campus, aims to expand access to hands-on professional development and real-world learning experiences for emerging law students at the institution.
Senior stakeholders from both organizations gathered for the official signing ceremony, including Pro Vice-Chancellor and UWI FIC Principal Professor C. Justin Robinson, Assistant Lecturer Jenna Dicocco from the campus’ School of Humanities & Education, Antigua and Barbuda Bar Association President Luann De Costa, and legal sector representative George Looby.
Professor Robinson emphasized that the agreement arrives at a critical juncture for the campus, which is currently rolling out its new Bachelor of Laws (LLB) programme. The programme has already drawn strong interest, receiving applications from prospective students across Antigua and Barbuda as well as the broader Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) region.
“Our goal extends far beyond simply granting students access to a law qualification,” Robinson explained during the event. “We want our learners to develop rigorous research skills and build advocacy expertise centered on the pressing legal issues that impact our own local jurisdiction.”
For her part, De Costa underscored that the Bar Association intends to take an active, hands-on role in shaping the growth and direction of the new LLB programme, rather than acting as a passive third party. “We are here to be genuine partners in this initiative, not just observers,” De Costa stated. “That commitment covers everything from contributing to curriculum design to one-on-one student mentoring, and supporting students as they work to launch a dedicated student law society and peer-led law journal.”
The MOU outlines a range of concrete collaborative initiatives between the two institutions. A new structured mentorship scheme will connect participating students with seasoned practicing attorneys from the Bar Association’s membership. The partners will also co-host regular workshops focused on pressing legal topics that deliver tangible benefits to both learners and sector employees.
Additionally, the Antigua and Barbuda Bar Association will help promote and facilitate internship placements for UWI FIC law students at its member law firms and affiliated legal organizations. In exchange, the university campus will host ongoing Continuing Legal Education (CLE) sessions led by active practicing attorneys, allowing local legal professionals to maintain and update their professional credentials.
To further connect emerging and established legal professionals, the partnership will also include regular joint networking events that give students direct access to members of Antigua and Barbuda’s wider legal community.
In a post-ceremony press statement, UWI FIC noted that the new partnership reflects a shared dedication between both institutions to properly prepare the next generation of legal practitioners for work within the Commonwealth Caribbean legal system, while forging deeper, more collaborative ties between the national academic sector and the local legal profession.