Laleta Davis-Mattis is currently General Counsel at the University of The West Indies and a member of the Executive Management Team since she joined the staff of The UWI in March 2013. As General Counsel, Mrs Davis-Mattis oversees the University’s legal engagements and contractual undertakings, and represents the University before key judicial, educational, ethical and governmental bodies. Mrs Davis-Mattis is also directly involved with the compliance of The UWI’s subsidiaries and holds the position of Secretary to these bodies. Mrs. Davis-Mattis is a Teacher by profession, having had her beginnings in teacher education at Shortwood Teachers College. From there she branched off into media and communication having completed a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication at the Caribbean School of Media and Communication, UWI. Later she pursued Law at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, and the Norman Manley Law School. Encapsulated by the rights of the environment, sustainable use and management of natural resources, she pursued a Master degree at Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia Canada where she obtained the Master in Marine Management.
Mrs. Davis-Mattis is an Adjunct Lecturer in the Faculty of Law at the Mona Campus where she lectures in the areas of International Environmental Law, and Caribbean Environmental Law. She is also an Adjunct Lecturer in the Faculty of Science and Technology in the Environmental Management Unit where she lectures in Environmental Law and Policy.
Since embarking on her legal career, apart from her current position at The UWI, Mrs Davis-Mattis has held positions of Chief Legal Counsel to the Natural Resources Conservation Authority; Director: Legal, Enforcement and Regulations Branch of the National Environment and Planning Agency; Company Secretary for the Natural Resources Conservation Authority; the Town and Country Planning Authority and the Land Development Utilization Commission and Executive Director of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust.
Her professional focus outside of environmental management and higher education has been in the areas of culture including the preservation of Jamaica’s material and cultural heritage and deep sea bed mining. She currently holds the position of Chair of the National Council on Reparation, and in this capacity sits on the CARICOM Reparations Commission. She is also Chair of the Committee on Culture on the National Commission on UNESCO. Mrs Davis-Mattis is a researcher and consultant in the areas of Deep Sea Bed Mining, and was instrumental in Jamaica’s application to Sponsoring State status under the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea. She is a member of The Code Project, a cooperative enterprise of scientists and legal scholars from eleven nations. The project’s mission is to provide analyses of the latest drafts of the rules and regulations that will comprise the Mining Code of the International Seabed Authority. Her national contribution to heritage culture and the environment culminated in her being the recipient of a National Award, Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander (CD) for her contribution to The Jamaica National Heritage Trust and the development of environmental law in Jamaica.
Mrs Davis-Mattis is a member of the Constitutional Reform Committee recently announced by the Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Most. Hon. Andrew Holness. The primary role of the Committee is to provide expert guidance and oversight to the Government and people of Jamaica during the constitutional reform process and to implement recommendations on the consensuses reached.
Artificial Intelligence and its use to enhance academic research and writing has been one of the latest additions to Mrs Davis-Mattis’ repertoire of interests.
