Attorney General Joins Leaders at Conference, Recognised for Distinguished Contribution
Photo Caption: Attorney General Honourable Samuel Bulgin joined fellow Attorneys General and senior law officers at the 2026 Overseas Territories Attorneys General Conference in the British Virgin Islands.
Attorney General of the Cayman Islands, Honourable Samuel Bulgin joined fellow Attorneys General and senior law officers from across the British Overseas Territories last week (April 13-17) for the 2026 Overseas Territories Attorneys General Conference, held in the British Virgin Islands.
The annual conference hosted by the Attorney General of the Virgin Islands, Honourable Dawn Smith, is a premier forum for legal and governance collaboration among the Overseas Territories, Crown Dependencies and the United Kingdom as well as the United States Department of Justice. It marked a significant personal milestone for Honourable Samuel Bulgin, who was recognised for his distinguished contribution as the longest-serving Territory Attorney General, a remarkable 23 years of service as Attorney General of the Cayman Islands. His dedication to the rule of law, legal excellence and the advancement of justice across the Overseas Territories was acknowledged by fellow delegates.
Held under the theme, “Stronger Together: Common Challenges, Collaborative Solutions,” discussions over the five-day conference covered a wide range of pressing legal and governance issues, including constitutional law reform, human rights implementation, governance and institutional integrity, sanctions compliance, judicial modernisation, digital justice and technology, cybersecurity, migration and maritime law. Delegates reflected on the increasingly complex and fast-moving nature of these shared challenges and agreed that effective responses require co-operation grounded in mutual respect and shared democratic values.
Delegates emphasised the importance of moving beyond formal legal compliance towards meaningful practical implementation, particularly in the areas of human rights, public consultation in legislative reform, and the protection of marginalised communities. On governance, participants agreed that strong institutional arrangements are essential to public confidence, resilience and the rule of law. There was strong agreement on the value of sharing effective approaches to reform and capacity building across jurisdictions.
A dedicated session on judicial modernisation and digital justice explored the potential of technology to enhance the efficiency and resilience of justice systems across the Territories. Delegates expressed strong interest in deepening co-operation on digitalisation and legislative system reform and signalled an intention to focus more extensively on technology at the next conference.
The event concluded with a shared commitment to continued collaboration in support of effective governance across the Overseas Territories. A joint communiqué and action plan will guide delivery and accountability over the coming year. Gibraltar will be the host Territory for the 2027 conference.
