Bar Association mourns loss of member Llewellyn John

The Bar Association of Guyana is mourning the loss of its member, Senior Counsel Llewellyn John, who died on Saturday.
It said in a statement on Sunday that with the passing of the veteran lawyer, the records of The Bar Association of Guyana will be amended by the appending of an asterisk at the end of the name of one of the longest-serving legal practitioners and supporters of the profession.
“As members of the legal profession, we seek to distinguish ourselves amongst our colleagues and thereby make our own unique impact on the law and the society in which we practise, the profession. The legal career of Senior was one of distinction and impact, in the legal profession and the Guyana society,” the Association noted.
John’s service was recognised in 2015 with the award of the Cacique Crown of Honour (CCH) – Guyana’s third-highest national award. He has been part of and participated in over fifty years of the transformation of the legal profession, pre-independence, post-independence, pre-republican status, the 1980 constitutional reforms, the fusions of the legal profession, the 2003 constitutional reforms, the 2016 Civil Procedure Rules.
Again, his work was rewarded in 2017 with the personal achievement of admission to the Inner Bar.
“The name [Clifton Mortimer Llewellyn] John, was a constant presence. His distinctive dress of the Nero Collared Suit, his command of the Queen’s English, and a resounding voice which enhanced his stature, all elements of a distinguished gentleman in the Law.
“For the Bar Association, we have lost a constant supporter. Senior has never waived in his support for the Association. His name is recorded as present at most meetings throughout the decades of our existence. Senior in recent years has even served as a member of the Bar Council, sharing his experience, guidance and wisdom with another generation of attorneys-at-law. With his passing, we have lost a colleague, mentor, supporter and friend,” the Bar Association noted in the missive.
SC John died on Saturday at his Croal Street, Georgetown law office. He was 95 years at the time of his death. He married Evelyn Rose Arthur in 1956 and had five children – Helen, Richard, Dina, Marie and Hannah.
Born on January 25, 1925, John spent most of his working life as a solicitor and attorney-at-law. His legal career spanned six decades and lasted until his death. He entered politics at a very young age and was part of the Forbes Burnham team that travelled to London to negotiate Guyana’s Independence from British rule in 1961.
One of John’s most significant representation in court in recent times was his involvement in the series of litigations filed post the March 2, 2020 General and Regional elections, when the country was plunged into a political and electoral deadlock.
He was also a longstanding member of the People’s National Congress (PNC). The party and its leader, former President David Granger, in a statement on Saturday evening, extended condolences to John’s family, particularly his children.