Beautiful Virgin Islands

Saturday, Jul 26, 2025

Dawn J. Smith appointed VI Attorney General

Dawn J. Smith appointed VI Attorney General

Indigenous Virgin Islander, Ms Dawn J. Smith has been appointed to the seat of Attorney General in the Virgin Islands (VI), effective October 1, 2020.

The announcement was made on Friday, September 18, 2020, following the approval of H.E. Governor Augustus J.U. Jaspert in accordance with section 95(1) of the Virgin Islands Constitution Order, 2007, on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC).


Principal legal advisor to Gov’t


On May 15, 2020, Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) first and accurately reported that Ms Smith was selected to fill the post from sources familiar with the matter.

Premier Andrew A. Fahie (R1) had announced on the same day, that a Virgin Islander had been selected for the post to serve as principal legal advisor to the Government as established by the Constitution, and has the overall responsibility for all aspects of civil litigation.

Ms Smith will also serve as a Member of Cabinet providing legal advice as may be necessary in its decision-making process. As an Ex-Officio Member of the House of Assembly (HoA), she will pilot Bills and render advice on legal issues arising with respect to the proceedings of the House and other related matters.

Ms Smith’s appointment effective replaces Baba F. Aziz who served as Attorney General from 2010 to 2011 and again from 2015 to the present with his appointment ending September 30, 2020.


Ms Smith’s appointment effective replaces Baba F. Aziz who served as Attorney General from 2010 to 2011 and again from 2015 to the present with his appointment ending September 30, 2020.

Background & professional experience


Ms Smith, a Virgin Islander and Attorney, is a former Director of Legal and Enforcement Division of the Financial Services Commission and a Permanent Secretary in the Premier’s Office.

She was admitted as a Barrister of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (Virgin Islands) and holds a Bachelor of Liberal Arts (Cum Laude) from Middlebury College - Vermont, USA, a Bachelor of Laws (Upper Second Class Honours) from the University of the West Indies - Cave Hill Campus, Barbados and a Certificate of Legal Education from the Norman Manley Law School – Kingston, Jamaica.

Ms Smith, the sister of former Financial Secretary, Mr Neil M. Smith, is also a member of the BVI Bar Association, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and is a founding member of the BVI Chapter of the Caribbean Branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Her current professional credentials and memberships include Corporate Legal Operations Consortium (CLOC), Arbitral Women, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Supreme Court of England & Wales (non-practising), Notary Public for the Territory of the Virgin Islands, BVI Bar Association and Barrister, Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (Virgin Islands).

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
×