By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

SOME lawyers have seen an explosion of divorce cases post-pandemic.

“We’ve been seeing an increase in divorces, unfortunately,” said Shelly Nairn, associate lawyer at Halsbury Chambers, during a press conference yesterday announcing the return of the company’s free legal aid clinic.

“After COVID we have a lot of people even now as we take appointments, we are finding that a lot of individuals are calling in asking about divorces. A lot of marital disputes we’re seeing a rise in that.”

Branville McCartney, the firm’s general counsel, said Halsbury Chambers will provide $20k in free legal fees to people in need on September 23.

He said this will be the 16th time the service is provided and the first since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We certainly wish the public to take advantage of this opportunity,” he said.

“Things are quite tough in the country today as it’s been for many years and this is a service we thought as attorneys in this firm dating back to 2004, that we would provide.

“I daresay that we are the first law firm in The Bahamas to do any sort of a free legal clinic and we are most appreciative of the public for participating. A lot of persons have actually come up to me, approached me over the years and told me that they have benefited greatly from the free legal clinic.”

Ms Nairn encouraged people to make an appointment before the event because the company covers a range of legal matters.

“We will be dealing with mortgage matters, conveyancing, matters pertaining to agreements for sale, quieting actions, landlord and tenant issues, divorces, child maintenance matters, adoptions, guardianships, child protection orders, breach of contracts, labour and employment matters, severance packages and wrongful dismissals, binding over the peace actions, immigration debt collection, personal injury, sexual harassment, wills, probate and estate, incorporation of companies, registration of business names, trademarks and copyrights.”