Professor Justice (Retired) Courtney A. Abel of the University of Guyana has received the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Caribbean Lawyers (SOCAL), recognising his decades of service to the legal profession, legal education and public service across the Caribbean.
The award was presented during SOCAL’s Spring Gala 2026 at Plaisterers’ Hall in London, where judges, lawyers, academics and community leaders gathered to honour Abel’s contributions to Caribbean jurisprudence and institutional development, release from the University of Guyana said.
Abel, who serves as Professor of Law (Legal Practice) and Head of the Department of Law in the University of Guyana’s Faculty of Social Sciences, has held roles as a barrister, judge, mediator, arbitrator, legal scholar and mentor throughout a career spanning several decades.
Called to the Bar of England and Wales as a member of the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, Abel also served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Belize, where he contributed to reforms in civil procedure and promoted mediation and arbitration.
Speaking after receiving the award, Abel said recognition from the Caribbean legal community carried “special emotional and moral significance”.
“I see this recognition from SOCAL not as the conclusion of a legal journey, but as a renewed call to responsibility,” he said.
Abel said the law should be viewed as “a form of service” and stressed the importance of integrity and mentorship within the profession.
The University of Guyana said the award reflects both Abel’s contribution to regional legal development and the institution’s commitment to academic excellence, leadership and public service.
