Michael de la Bastide, KC (born 18 July 1937 in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago) is a Trinidad and Tobago lawyer. He was the

Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago The Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago is the highest judge of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and presides over its Supreme Court of Judicature. He is appointed by a common decision of the President of Trinidad and Tobago, president, the Prim ...

from 1995 until 2002.

Education

He attended St. Mary’s College, Port of Spain, from 1945 to 1955. He moved on to read law at

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, '' ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniqu ...

from 1956 to 1960. He received a Bachelor of Arts (Jurisprudence) in 1959 with First Class Honours and a Bachelor of Civil Law, also with First Class Honours in 1960.

Career

He was

Crown Counsel Crown counsel are lawyers, generally in Common Law jurisdictions, who provide advice to the government and acts as prosecutors in cases. In various jurisdictions their title can vary and they could also be known as the Queen's Advocate, King's Advo ...

in the office of the Attorney-General of Trinidad & Tobago from 1961 till 1963. In 1975, he became a Queen's Counsel at the young age of 38. He went on to serve as an Independent Senator from 1976 to 1981. He was president of the Law Association from 1987 until 1990 prior to his appointment as Chief Justice in 1995. In 2005, he was sworn in as president of the Caribbean Court of Justice until his retirement in 2011.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:De la Bastide, Michael Living people 1937 births Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Chief justices of Trinidad and Tobago Presidents of the Caribbean Court of Justice People from Port of Spain 20th-century Trinidad and Tobago judges 21st-century Trinidad and Tobago judges Trinidad and Tobago Queen's Counsel