On Friday January 15th 2010, the President and Board of Directors for the sanctioned Jamaican- American Bar Association, North East (JABA ,NE), was sworn in by the Honorable Judge Richard Nunes, Chief Judge of the Municipal Court of Newark, NJ., at a ceremony hosted  by the Honorable Geneive Brown Metzger, Consul General of Jamaica, NY.

Master of Ceremonies was the Honorable Judge Clarence Barry Austin, Chief Municipal Court Judge of South Orange, NJ.  In attendance were guest speakers, Mr. Patrick Beckford, Chair of the Jamaican Diaspora Board,  NE, the Honorable Elsie Foster Dublin, President of the Jamaica  Organization of New Jersey and Don James, Esq., President of JABA.SE chapter, Miami, Florida.

The purpose of JABA, NE, is to advance the professional interests of Jamaican American attorneys . Part of Its core mission is to serve the Jamaican American community by coordinating the development of educational programs , mentoring, career assistance for its members and service  to the Jamaican American Community and beloved homeland, Jamaica, West Indies.

At the forefront of JABA’s agenda for 2010, is addressing the issue of deportation of Jamaican Nationals, back to Jamaica.  Newly elected JABA President, Joan Pinnock, provides pro-bono legal services to the Jamaican Consulate in the area of deportation and also to many Jamaican nationals who can’t afford legal representation.