Sir Brian George Keith Alleyne is a Dominican jurist.

Early life and education

Sir Brian George Keith Alleyne, SC, KCN, was born in the Commonwealth of Dominica, West Indies on 28 April 1943, the son of Justice Keith Alleyne and his wife Hermia. He studied law at the Gibson & Weldon School of Law, and at Lincoln’s Inn where he was called to the Bar in November 1966. He was admitted to the Bar of the Commonwealth of Dominica in January 1967. 

Career

The Honourable Brian Alleyne entered politics and served 16 years in the Commonwealth of Dominica Parliament. There he gained a reputation as a thorough legal mind and an astute diplomat. He was variously Senator, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Minister of Home Affairs, and Minister of External Affairs. He also served as the renowned Queens Council, Attorney General of the Windward Islands, and acting Judge of the Windward and Leeward Islands High Court.

For his outstanding diplomacy, the Republic of China in 1990 awarded him the Order of the Brilliant Star. His elevation to Senior Counsel (SC) of the Commonwealth of Dominica Bar followed in 1991.

Apart from serving as chairman or member of the Board of several companies, Justice Alleyne also gave substantial service to the various local and regional organizations of the legal profession. Among other positions, he was Vice President and Secretary of the Dominica Bar Association, Director and Vice President of the Organization of Commonwealth Caribbean Bar Associations, and Director of the Caribbean Human Rights and Legal Aid Company.

On 1 July 1996 Justice Brian Alleyne was appointed High Court Judge of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. He was later elevated to Justice of Appeal, 1 September 2003, and subsequently Acting Chief Justice on 1 March 2005, a position which he held until his retirement on 28 April 2008. 

As Chief Justice, he was the supreme judicial officer of the courts of Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Prior to his service on the Court, Alleyne served in the House of Assembly of Dominica and in various capacities within the Dominican government under Eugenia Charles.

Honours and awards

In July 2007, for his distinguished service to the OECS region and to the Law, Justice Alleyne was knighted.

Personal life

Sir Brian Alleyne is married to Brenda Alleyne (nee McMillan) of St. Vincent, has two sons, a daughter and six grand children.