Alric Lindsay 
Ms. Tassja Mitchell, Legal Aid Counsel, Legal Aid Office. (Image source: Cayman Islands Judiciary)
As announced by the Legal Aid Office.
The Cayman Islands Legal Aid Office has announced the appointment of Tassja Mitchell as its new Legal Aid Counsel — a role she took up on June 1, 2026.
In its announcement, the Office said the appointment strengthens its ability to provide legal representation and advice to eligible members of the public. Under the Legal Aid Act, the Legal Aid Counsel provides representation and gives legal advice in approved civil matters, following consultation with the Chief Justice.
According to the Office, Ms Mitchell arrives with more than seven years’ legal experience gained across Jamaica and the Turks and Caicos Islands. She joins the Legal Aid Office from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Turks and Caicos Islands, where she most recently held the post of Senior Public Prosecutor. Earlier in her career she served as Clerk of Court of the Western Region Family Court and as Judicial Clerk of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal of Jamaica.
Ms Mitchell holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, and a Legal Education Certificate from the Norman Manley Law School, the Office said. She was called to the Jamaican Bar in December 2018.
In the announcement, Ms Mitchell said she was grateful for the chance to serve the people of the Cayman Islands in the role. “I look forward to supporting the Legal Aid Office’s important work by providing high‑quality legal services to those who need them most, while serving with professionalism, integrity and fairness,” she said.
The Director of Legal Aid, Stacy Parke, welcomed Ms Mitchell to the team, saying she brought “significant experience in criminal prosecution, court administration and legal practice across the Caribbean.” Ms Parke added: “Her appointment expands the Legal Aid Office’s capacity to provide high‑quality legal representation and support to members of the public. We are delighted to welcome her to the team and look forward to the contribution she will make to the Office and the clients we serve.”
What is legal aid, and who can get it?
Legal aid provides legal representation and assistance to people who cannot afford to pay for it privately. It is governed by the Legal Aid Act and administered by the Director of Legal Aid. According to the Judiciary, it is available in criminal matters — both on indictment and in summary proceedings — in certain civil proceedings in the Grand Court and Summary Court, on appeal in criminal and civil cases, and in family proceedings involving a minor child, such as residence, contact, access, adoption, or maintenance and other financial relief for a child.
Eligibility depends on the type of case. In civil matters, the Director weighs an applicant’s financial need — taking into account their disposable income and other resources, their potential to earn, and the likely cost of the case — together with a merits test, granting aid only where the applicant appears to have a reasonable prospect of success. Applications are made in writing to the Director on the designated form, supported by a statutory declaration verifying the facts. The Legal Aid Office is at 67 Fort Street, George Town, with walk‑in hours Monday to Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Further information about legal aid services is available on the Judiciary’s website at judicial.ky/legal-aid.
