A nine-strong panel of legal practitioners has been appointed to serve as part-time assistant justices in the Civil and Commercial Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.

John Riihiluoma, David Kessaram, Narinder Hargun, Jai Pachai, Mark Diel, Delroy Duncan, Jeffrey Elkinson, Rod Attride-Stirling and Kiernan Bell will serve in the positions when required.

They have agreed to receive “nominal sitting fees” following an agreement reached with the Bermuda Bar Council in 2012.

A Government statement said: “The establishment of the panel enhances and diversifies the judicial capacity of the Civil and Commercial Division of the Supreme Court and seeks to strengthen the partnership between the Commercial Court and the Commercial Bar which was forged when the Commercial Court was established in January 2006.

“Each panel member has in excess of 20 years continuous civil and/or commercial advocacy experience.

“All panel members have either previous part-time judicial experience at the Supreme Court level and/or experience as private arbitrators or as members of statutory tribunals.”