The Tribune

A retiring Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) judge is joining a Bahamian law firm’s Nassau office as a consultant from September 2019 onwards.

Justice David Hayton’s, pictured, practice will span Lennox Paton’s trust and litigation groups, while also enhancing the firm’s arbitration services.

Brian Simms QC, Lennox Paton’s senior partner, said in a statement: “As a leading trust expert, Mr Justice Hayton has had a significant influence on trust and estate law in recent times. We are honoured that he has chosen to join Lennox Paton in the next phase of his legal career, and to offer his wealth of expertise and talent to our firm’s clients.”

Justice Hayton added: “I was impressed by the quality of cases handled by Lennox Paton, and of its advocates when appearing before me as an acting Bahamian Supreme Court judge. I am further impressed by the firm’s strong trust practice and the innovative approach it takes to solving clients’ problems. Given this, I am excited to be associated with such a dynamic firm as I return to private practice.”

He has served as a full-time judge on the CCJ in Trinidad for 14 years. Justice Hayton joined the court at its inception in 2005, and is one of its longest-serving judges. He is also the only judge on the Court from the UK. As a member of the CCJ, he has been described by advocates and fellow judges as an “intellectual giant” and “a jurist of international repute”.

Before joining the CCJ, Justice Hayton sat as a recorder (part-time Judge) in London from 1984 to 2000, and as an acting justice of the Supreme Court of The Bahamas in 2000 and 2001. Among his professional achievements, he became a Fellow of Jesus College Cambridge; professor of law of King’s College London; and Bencher of Lincoln’s Inn (after practising in the Inn since 1970).

Justice Hayton headed the UK delegation to The Hague conference on private international law XVth and XVIth Sessions, producing The Hague Convention on the law applicable to trusts and, on their recognition 1985 and the convention on succession to the estates of deceased -ersons 1989.

He has also written or edited 15 books in the areas of trusts, property, succession and tax, and over 50 scholarly papers. He is thus arguably the leading authority in the UK and Europe on trust law.