SC may Face Axe?

I N T H I S

I S S U E :

Principal’s

Welcome

2

Making a Good

First Impression

3

Petrotrin

partners with

HWLS

4

Time

Management

5

SRC Orientation

Activities

6

Profiles of

School Clubs

8

9

Sneak Peek of New Staff

10

How to Survive Law School

11

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1

THE GAVELTHE GAVEL A P U B L I C A T I O N O F

T H E H U G H W O O D I N G L A W S C H O O L

BY RUSSELL CAMPBELL

ON DECEMBER 30TH, 2011, the President of the

Republic of Trinidad and Tobago appointed 16 persons

the title of Senior Counsel, an honour which is re-

served for legal practitioners who have distinguished

themselves and demonstrated excellence in their cho-

sen areas of practice.

The list of awardees included the Prime

Minister, two Justices of Appeal including the Chief

Justice, the Attorney General, the Director of Public

Prosecutions and several senior attorneys-at-law. In

the days that followed, the tidal wave of public opinion

generated by the appointments would see both appel-

late Judges return their instruments in the face of se-

vere criticism from Senior Counsel.

The chorus of opinions that filled the pages

of the daily newspapers for the early weeks of January

2012 came as no surprise given the nature of the offic-

es of some of the newly appointed. One popular fabric supplier challenged: “Anyone could wear silk, We

Selling Satin!” Equal parts innocent and insidious, the

sentiment espoused by the advert seemed to perme-

ate almost every discussion on the issue at the time.

The conclusion: The population was deeply troubled

by this latest turn of events.

In the face of widespread public criticism the

Attorney General referred the issue of the appoint-

ment of Senior Counsel in Trinidad and Tobago to the

Law Reform Commission for review. The findings and

recommendations of the commission have recently

become available and will hopefully assist in putting to

rest the concerns raised in the wake of the last round

of appointments.

In the interest of word limits, exploration

of the proposed reforms will be guided by two

questions that were frequently asked during the

public debate: What requirements must attorneys-at

-law satisfy to be considered for the award? And,

what systems will be put in place to ensure the high-

est levels of transparency are maintained throughout

the process of appointment?

The Commission‟s recommendations pro-

pose to retain the current requirements expected

of applicants and augment the appraisal process to

include fields of competence, within which applicants

could be individually adjudicated. The selectors

would therefore be tasked with evaluating an appli-

cant‟s understanding and use of the law, oral and

written advocacy, ability to work with others, ability

to appreciate cultural diversity and integrity.

The report further proposes the establish-

ment of an independent selection panel, which could possibly include a representative of the Hugh

Wooding Law School. The panel would evaluate and

through consensus, compile a list of persons recom-

mended for the award. This list would be forwarded

by the Prime Minister to the President for formal

appointment.

It has also been recommended that provi-

sion be made for the revocation of appointments.

Following a formal complaint, the independent panel

would be empowered to hear representations from

both sides and determine whether the award should

be revoked, a disciplinary exercise unprecedented in

Trinidad and Tobago.

Should the suggested reforms be put in

place, one hopes that the next round of appoint-

ments would serve as an incentive to junior advo-

cates to strive for excellence in the profession and

demonstrate the transparency members of the pro-

fession and the public alike have demanded. ■

T H E G A V E L

Principal’s Welcome BY MIRIAM SAMARU,

PRINCIPAL

FORTY YEARS OF

leadership in legal educa-

tion in the Commonwealth

Caribbean.

That is the lega-

cy of the Council of Legal Education, Hugh Wooding

Law School, of which you

are now a part. You will

soon join the thousands of

graduates who have passed

through the halls of this leg-

endary and prestigious institution. It is not sur-

prising that so many of our graduates hold high

public offices throughout the Caribbean and are

leading practitioners, judges and magistrates.

While at Law School, you will meet

students from across the Caribbean. You

should take this opportunity to make new

friends and create alliances. You will one day

look back at your time at Law School and cher-

ish the memories and hopefully have no regrets.

There are many opportunities for self

-development including the many social clubs

and activities such as sporting activities, moot-

ing activities, debating, public speaking and

other competitions. Law School is not just

about successfully completing the course of

study. That should not be your sole focus.

You are now lawyers in training

and in all that you do, you should strive to

be defined by your respect for others, cour-

tesy, proper conduct, integrity, commitment

and your humanity.

You have chosen to join a noble

profession and we welcome you as you start

the final stage of that journey which provides

its own rewards. ■

Credits

THE GAVEL is the official

newsletter of the Hugh

Wooding Law School situ-

ated at Gordon Street, St.

Augustine, Trinidad and

Tobago. It is published

three times a year by a

joint committee of staff

and students.

Contributions and

comments are welcomed from

staff, students or any other

interested parties.

Send all e-mails to

hwls.newsletter@gmail

.com.

Editorial Committee:

Nisha Mathura-Allahar

(Staff)

Rudranath Maharaj

(Staff)

Vaasha A. Parag

(Student)

Tamar Grant (Student)

Editor:

Tamar Grant

Design and Layout:

Vaasha A. Parag

THANK YOU

THE GAVEL NEWS

Team would like to

a c k n o w l e d g e o u r

appreciation of two past

pupils, who have greatly

assisted and those members

of the administrative staff,

who help us to publish every

issue. Specifically we wish to

thank Imran Ali, Lila

Rodriguez-Roberts, Michael

Rampersadsingh, Shevkumar

Singh, Marlene Herriera, James

Allen, Diane Williams, and

Roger A. Ramgoolam.

“Many hands make the work

light .” ■

P A G E 2

ITS THAT TIME again at The Gavel when we bid farewell to

our hardworking, creative, talented and dedicated colleagues,

who worked tirelessly to produce an exciting year of publica-

tions.

We wish to extend special thanks and much gratitude

to the outgoing second year students: Nikeh Smithen (design

and layout), Lila Rodriguez-Roberts (editor) and Ayodele Murray

(former SRC Publications chair).

In the words of Steve Jobs in his address to the class of

2005 at Stanford University, “... you can‟t connect the dots look-

ing forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So

you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your

future. You have to trust in something– your gut, destiny, life,

karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down and it

has made all the difference in my life.”

Your experience at the Gavel may be only a dot on

your CV going forward but it was fun to connect along the way.

All the best,

The Gavel Team. ■

It’s That Time Again

GAVEL TEAM 2011- 2012

(top-bottom) Nikeh Smithen,

Lila Rodriguez-Roberts and

Ayodele Murray.

P A G E 3 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1 T H E G A V E L

BY JUSTICE RONNIE BOODOOSINGH

AS YOU BEGIN your Law School stay, you will meet many

lawyers, judges and magistrates as tutors. These are the people

who will hire you for your first job, give you a reference and

who you will have to appear in court before for many years.

Making a good first impression is important. Here are a few ways

to NOT make a good first impression.

HOW NOT TO MAKE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION

If your phone rings, answer it.

Your phones should be off in class. You should not be sending

texts, email or instant messages. You should not be checking or

replying to texts, email or instant messages. Don‟t tweet what‟s

happening. If, through some brain lapse, you left your phone on

and it rings, grab it, turn it off immediately, apologise, look con-

trite, and never let it happen again. Don‟t ever think you should

answer it.

Arrive late for class. Punctuality is central to professionalism. Be on time waiting in

the classroom. Don‟t wait for the tutor to come in before you

sit in class.

If you are late with an assignment, say your computer

crashed just as you were about to print.

This excuse rings hollow. It seems just too coincidental. Always

back up your work as you go along by emailing it to yourself or

saving it on a flash drive. The “computer crashed excuse” is

looked at sceptically.

Don’t prepare and go to class to wing it.

A tutor can see through a waffle from a kilometre away. Proper

preparation is essential to good performance in class. Make a

Making a Good First Impression

timetable so you can devote time to preparing for all your classes.

Write your tutor as you would your best friend.

Your tutor is not your best friend, your “BFF”, your “hoss” or

your “dawg”. When sending an email, write professionally. Use

standard English and punctuation. Don‟t use abbreviations such as

GR8, LOL, and BTW. Don‟t send smiley faces or emoticons. End

an email professionally such as by “Yours respectfully” or “Yours

faithfully”. Don‟t use “Regards” or “Best Regards” when emailing

your tutors.

Don’t number your assignment pages. Staple the pages in the

wrong order.

Care and due attention must be paid to how you format your

documents, how you present them and what they contain. Always

edit and proofread. Always ensure the document is in order be-

fore you send it in.

Dress like a tramp.

The attire of the legal profession is conservative. When attending trial advocacy, men, wear a tie and jacket. Have the tie properly

tied. Ladies, dress elegantly. Wear a jacket over a shirt or blouse.

Avoid faddish dress or extremes of fashion.

Don’t say good afternoon.

It is usual to greet your tutor by the appropriate greeting for the

time of day. Manners make a good impression. Lack of manners

reflects poorly on you.

Don’t pay attention.

Most classes are interactive. The tutor will sometimes ask ques-

tions at random. Be alert. Don‟t tell the tutor you will pass on

that one. Don‟t be distracted. Don‟t distract others. Be ready to

answer questions and to participate. You are now in postgraduate

study. Show maturity. ■

P A G E 4

Petrotrin partners with HWLS

THERE ARE SOME images that one can automatically conjure up when it comes to the energy sector. For equipment, one can

visualize tanks, wells, pumping jacks, drills or industrial plants. For people, one would think of the refinery operator, laboratory

technician, engineer, geologists, surveyor, diver or driller. All of these images are natural aspects of the energy sector, but there are

others that are not always in the forefront. One crucial area that is not often highlighted is the legal side of oil and gas.

At Petrotrin, our Law Department combines a legal and technical expertise with in-depth industrial knowledge and plays

a critical role in securing our interests, particularly when it comes to the project and transactional side of our energy operations.

Recently, our Law Department participated in an initiative to identify some of their activities in the energy sector as part

of an oil and gas clinic which they facilitated together with the Hugh Wooding Law School. The aim of the clinic was to educate law

students about the different aspects of Petrotrin's operations and students were invited to apply to participate in the program. Due

to the overwhelming number of applicants, the school conducted a lottery program to select two final year law students. In the end, Alana Alexander-Devonshire and Letisha Rocke-Agostini won the opportunity to visit our operations and participate in the oil

and gas clinic.

The Clinic was divided into sessions and the students stayed at our Santa Flora and Pointe-a-Pierre operations for a total

for 10 weeks. During this period, they were exposed to daily interactive presentations describing the highly specialized type of law

utilized by the Company.

The first session commenced on January 13th, 2012 and lasted for five weeks. During this period, the students were

based at Santa Flora and exposed to the different aspects of our Upstream Operations.

General Counsel Exploration and Production Keith Kangaloo, who was charged with the responsibility of organizing the

Santa Flora segment of the Clinic, said, "If a student were to come fresh out of law school, this (program) is what they would have

to know (when) working in this organization."

The secondary part of the Clinic commenced on February 17th at Pointe-a-Pierre and also lasted for five weeks. During

this period, several presenters from the Refining and Marketing and Corporate Law department exposed students to their areas of

expertise.

General Counsel Refining, Marketing and Corporate (Ag) Calise Martin coordinated the Pointe-a-Pierre section of the

Clinic. She said, "We were very pleased with all the support we received from the Refining and Marketing departments, our clients,

in organizing the Clinic."

At the end of the overall program, Corporate Manager Law and Land Management Janice Koylass-Abraham described the

program as a great success and thanked her team members for their active support. The participants also provided positive feed-

back.

Rock-Agostini stated, " I must say all the presenters were always well prepared and all in all it was a very good experi-

ence."

The Legal Oil and Gas Clinic is another demonstration of Petrotrin's commitment to the sound educational development

of our nation's young who are expected to drive the nation's strategies and to create policies in the future. ■

T H E G A V E L

(L-R) General Counsel Refining, Marketing and Corporate (Ag) Calise Martin; Alana Alexander-Devonshire; Corporate Manager Law and

Land Management Janice Koylass-Abraham; Letisha Rocke-Agostini and General Counsel Exploration and Production Keith Kangaloo.

Courtesy the Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago.

Mooting is an avenue to success

Time Management BY JUSTIN JUNKÈRE

THE CONCEPT OF a „day‟ is quite a mysterious one; one day may

pass by so quickly and another may take ages to drag on...but each

day has the same 24 hours. There are approximately 240 days be-

tween the date of publication of this article and the end of the Aca-

demic Year; how you utilise those days will determine how many

additional days you may be forced to spend in pursuit of your Legal

Education Certificate. (Checking the number for its accuracy would

have cost you precious time you could have spent reading the rest of

the article). The purpose of this piece is to provide practical guide-

lines for effectively managing that most precious resource: Time.

Step One: Prepare a blank Semester Calendar.

This Semester Calendar will provide you with a bird‟s eye

view of the Academic Year. In the calendar blocks, fill in the dates of

all significant events and deadlines. These would include Examination

Dates, Assignment Deadlines, School Breaks and other noteworthy

events which will impact on your time. This will give you an idea of

when you need to amplify your focus on certain obligations and it will

allow you to plan ahead by working backwards from the date of de-livery to the date you choose to begin preparation.

Step Two: Prepare a Weekly Calendar

This Weekly Calendar will allow you to specifically appor-

tion your time. Insert those obligations that are inflexible. These will

include Seminars, Mooting, Legal Aid Clinic Times, Organisational

Meetings, Study Groups and other standing commitments. Then

make allowances for sleeping, worship, hygiene, exercising and social-

ising.

P A G E 5 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1 T H E G A V E L

Step Three: Carve out Specific Study Times.

Now that you know what you need to do and the time avail-

able to do it, apportion those time slots to subject areas. Determine

how many hours each class or assignment requires in study and prepa-

ration time. A good rule of thumb is to allow for 2-3 hours outside of

class for every 1 hour spent in class and a solid 3 hours (cumulative)

for an assignment.

Additionally...Follow these time management guidelines:

Study at a regular time and in a regular place.

Knowing when, what and where you are going to study saves a lot of

time figuring out what to do with yourself in your free time.

Study as soon after lecture class as possible.

Review lecture notes while they are still fresh in your mind. Start as-

signments while your memory of the instruction is still accurate.

Limit your blocks of study time to no more than 2

hours on any one course at a time.

After 1 ½ to 2 hours of study you begin to tire rapidly and your ability

to concentrate decreases rapidly.

Provide for spaced review.

Engage in a weekly cumulative review exercise when you will re-

examine the work in each of your courses.

The time invested in employing these practices will pay im-

mediate dividends in the short term and will also provide long term

returns in fostering efficient habits for professional practice. As a stu-

dent, time is your only currency; spend it wisely, or procrastination

will spend it for you....and regretting wasted time is the biggest waste

of time. ■

BY ROGER RAMGOOLAM

WELCOME TO ALL new first year students

and welcome back to all second year students.

September signals the start of a new school

year and with it, all the exciting possibilities that

life at Hugh Wooding Law School has to offer.

Among these possibilities is participation in one

of the various mooting competitions in which

the law school competes every year.

Many second year students may be

initially cowed by the apparent barrage of as-

signments and seminars, which are a mandatory

part of the curriculum and are therefore reluc-

tant to participate in any voluntary activities.

Among those students over the years who have

volunteered however, few have regretted their

decision. Indeed, most students have testified

that their mooting experience was an enor-

mously rewarding one. For the benefit of those who are

uninitiated, mooting is a legal debate, typically

set in a courtroom type-setting and which may

take the form of a mock-appeal. The moot is

argued by student attorneys representing the

parties to the appeal and their submissions are

heard by a bench of judges.

Both sides receive a preconceived

factual scenario and they are required to pre-

pare and file legal arguments before the actual

moot. The submissions made in the actual

moot are supposed to be based on their pre-

submitted arguments. The judges are supposed

to decide who has won the moot, based on

which side has argued its case most effectively.

Success in the moot is not dependant on the

strength of one‟s case, but rather on the skill of

the advocate in effectively marshalling his/her

facts and legal principles in support of his/her

case.

The fact that the entire activity is

staged and that the advocates are still students

does not detract from the courtroom drama

that sometimes comes to the fore! At these

times, the students get a real taste of what it is

like to argue a case in the “real world” where a life may hang in the balance or where a fortune

may be lost or won.

The actual experience of arguing a

case before judges is a valuable one, but it is

just one of many benefits which the student

stands to gain from mooting. Other benefits to

be gained include:

Understanding the benefits of thorough

preparation;

Developing the skills of concise and

analytical legal writing;

Learning to apply the law creatively,

especially when the law on point does

not favour one‟s case;

Developing one‟s advocacy and public

speaking skills; and

Learning how to work as part of an

integrated team.

This list is by no means exhaustive and in

fact one item which most mooters would

insist on including is that mooting leads to

healthy human interaction, fellowship and

fun!

Having read this brief discourse on

mooting, I am certain that many of you will

become emboldened and will be more will-

ing to chance this brave new world. If you

do take that step, you surely won‟t regret it!

■

P A G E 6

T H E G A V E L

FRESHERS’ MINGLE: Orientation

Week 2012 capped off with a cock-

tail reception on September 20th at

the Law School.

Students were treated to an evening

of live entertainment and cocktails

by the SRC.

SRC Orientation Activities!

P A G E 7 T H E G A V E L

ISLAND ADVENTURE!

The SRC hosted a North Eastern

Island Tour as part of their 2012

Orientation Week Activities on

September 21st.

The contingent made their way up

to Toco to visit the Keshorn Wal-

cott Lighthouse and cooled their

heels at Forest Point Beach and the

Turure Water Steps in Valencia.

SRC Orientation Activities! V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1

event we shall also unveil the Debating Society banner and slogan.

From there on the Debating Society in conjunction with

the Mooting Committee will play a key role in the organisation

and planning of many internal events. These include a seminar and

video presentation on trial advocacy applications. It is our hope

to elicit the support of our year 2 peers in producing models for

students to have access to; for we believe impossible is nothing

and everyone is capable of acquiring „outstanding‟ in all their appli-

cations.

The next event carded will be a panel discussion with

an experienced practitioner aimed at career guidance for young

lawyers.

The above event will be closely followed by Part 2 of

“Project Toughen your Skin”.

Finally, the long overdue Inter-year Debating Competi-

tion, where year one students will be pitted against their year

two counterparts; be afraid, be very afraid. That was a minute

attempt at humour since many year one students may very well

put us to shame.

We look forward to your support and participation.

Best wishes on behalf of the Mooting Committee. ■

LAUNCHING FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE HUGH WOODING

LAW SCHOOL DEBATING SOCIETY

BY MUDASSAR KARAMATH

MEMBER OF THE MOOTING COMMITTEE

WE, THE MEMBERS of the Mooting Committee, strive to bring you

an exciting year of academic events aimed at honing and fine tuning your

advocacy, public speaking and critical thinking skills.

Armed with a dedicated team and an enthusiastic Chairman,

the Mooting Committee seeks to establish for the first time, the Hugh

Wooding Law School Debating Society. In the past, the Mooting Com-

mittee has mainly catered to the needs of year 2 students; this we hope

to change. The Debating Society will be led by a year one student and

its main purpose is to organise, coordinate and partake in events geared

towards the development of critical thinking and public speaking target-

ing all students with special emphasis on the freshers.

Briefly outlined below are a few events planned for this se-

mester.

Our first main event scheduled for the second week in Octo-ber is part 1 of our public forums. We have realised that a key factor

which hinders participation in classes is „fear‟, fear of the lecturer/tutor

and fear of ridicule from peers. Therefore at this event, entitled

“Project Toughen your Skin”, controversial and fun topics will be dis-

cussed; students may voice their opinion, which will then be met by

harsh and robust criticism. We believe that overcoming this hurdle is a

key element to improving public speaking and advocacy skills. At this

P A G E 8

Mooting Committee

BY GANESH RAMPERSAD

PRESIDENT

MAHATMA GANDHI ONCE said “Religions are different roads

converging to the same point. What does it matter that we take a different

road, so long as we reach the same goal. Wherein is the cause for quarrel-

ling?” This has been the source of our inspiration which defines us as a

religious but all-inclusive group.

The Hindu Students‟ Society of the Hugh Wooding Law

School is an all-embracing, non-profit, religious group which aims to

foster a greater awareness of practical Hinduism to the student and

staff population. During the course of the academic year we hope to

provide an opportunity for all interested persons to participate in a

number of activities geared towards promoting a more balanced, excit-

ing and meaningful study environment that should enhance your overall

experience.

VISION STATEMENT: To be a model organization that

will teach and preserve high spiritual values in order to enhance the

lives of all students of whatever creed, race or religion, thereby helping

to shape the conduct of the future lawyers of the region. MISSION STATEMENT: To provide a myriad of activities

that will expose students to authentic Indian and Hindu culture and

allow them to better understand and appreciate Hinduism.

We intend to conduct, inter alia, regular Meditation and

Yoga classes. These are two potent areas of spiritual practice. When

practiced regularly they have been proven to calm the mind and body

while at the same time heightening concentration and memory.

We look forward to your support and participation. ■

Hindu Students’ Society

BY LILA RODRIGUEZ-ROBERTS AND TAMAR GRANT

ON FRIDAY 16TH March, 2012, the Hugh Wooding Law School

(HWLS) in partnership with The Embassy of The Kingdom of the Neth-

erlands hosted the Human Rights Law Clinic‟s Human Rights Seminar at

the HWLS Lecture Hall. The morning was abuzz with the arrival, greet-

ing and registration of participants from secondary schools, UWI and

HWLS.

The thrust of the event was „know your rights and how to

defend them‟. Featured presenters included Ambassador MoenirAlam,

Mr. Timothy Affonso, Mr. Kirk Bengochea and Mr. Roshan Ramcharitar.

Ambassador MoenirAlam was very pleased about educating

young people on the important topic of Human Rights, in particular

Freedom of Speech, which is a pillar of democracy. The Ambassador

passionately, spoke about the role that technology is playing in the pro-

motion and protection of human rights. She made the interesting prop-

osition that free and unfettered access to the internet, though not a

human right, should be provided to every individual. She noted that in

today‟s environment the internet has been a major tool to inform per-

sons about their rights and a way for people to tell the world about human rights breaches. She gave the example of the many young people

who had taken the time to see the film “Invisible Children” on the In-

ternet and who have taken action by forwarding the link to others.

Ambassador MoenirAlam ended on the note that Human

Rights are universal but all countries do not deal with them in the same

way. “Geen woorden Maar Daden!” Not only words, but deeds! ■

Internet, a Major Instrument

for Human Rights

T H E G A V E L

The Best Closer vs. College Drop-Out Genius

BY CHANTAL LA ROCHE

MY NAME IS Chantal La Roche and I am addicted to legal based

television shows! The Practice, The Good Wife, Law and Order,

Drop Dead Diva (don‟t judge me); once there is a court room scene

I‟m tuned in. My most recent addiction is

Suits. For those of you under a rock,

Suits is set in Pearson Hardman law firm

where ruthless advocate Harvey Spec-

ter, with his sleek wardrobe and sharp

tongue, is a partner. He hires Mike Ross

a genius/college-dropout/con-artist (who

has never attended law school) to work

as his intern. As a young attorney (and

former law student) Suits has taught me

the following:

You’re going to crawl before you

walk and walk before you soar

Specter rolls around in town cars and

limousines while Ross gets to work on a

bicycle. Harvey has the massive office

with the beautiful view and his own secretary, but Mike and the other

interns work at cubicles, make their own copies and share the office

paralegal. The lesson is simple: when you leave law school you are not

going to have the glamorous life that Specter lives. You have to pay

your dues, earn respect and prove your competence no matter how

many moots you participate in or awards you win at graduation or

even if you are a genius with a photographic memory. I‟ve been an

attorney for two years and I still make my own coffee and copies

(gasp!).

Dress the part

Every week I wait with bated breath to see what Jessica Pearson will

be wearing. Jessica gives Michelle Obama a run for her style money. She‟s

always impeccably dressed, in well-tailored suits, exquisite pumps and

leather handbags and tasteful jewellery. The boys are always razor sharp

chic in power suits and polished shoes. Even Donna, Specter‟s secretary,

wears beautiful blouses and knee length hemlines. Trust me, this is the

way you ought to dress to gain respect

especially as a young attorney. Leave the

mini-skirts, sneakers and short shorts

for the weekend.

Experience trumps genius

Although Mike has a high IQ and photo-

graphic memory, Harvey is always one

step ahead of him. The reason: experi-

ence. Don‟t be a know it all, because the

truth is you will NEVER know it all. You

can read the Archbold from cover to

cover and know its contents by heart,

but you do not have the practical experi-ence that Ms. Seetahal SC or Mr. Justice

Rahim have amassed over the years.

Listen, learn, be humble and absorb all

the knowledge you can at every opportunity you are given.

A little TV goes a long way

By now you are wondering “When does this girl expect me to watch

Suits? I barely had time to read this article!” I know, I know, you have 2

assignments due, 7 chapters to read and SRC meetings to attend. You do

however need to take a break every now and then, even if it is just one

hour a week to watch your favorite (legal) TV show. The intense law

school schedule can send even the most calm and rational person insane,

so take a breather every now and then. I did, and I survived to tell the

tale. ■

P A G E 9

T H E G A V E L V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1

Geen woorden Maar Daden!

The Human Rights Seminar hosted

by The Embassy of The Kingdom of the

Netherlands and the HWLS sustained

lively participation and emanated the

passion felt for human rights.

P A G E 1 0 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1 T H E G A V E L

JUSTIN JUNKÈRE

Attorney- Legal Aid

Clinic

How would you de-

scribe yourself?

One word…”Fearsome”.

One cannot answer this

question without sound-

ing either self-serving or

falsely modest so I asked friends to describe

me. Everyone came up with complimentary

adjectives: “gentlemanly”, “witty”, ”kind”, but

no one came up with the most obvious –

“short”! So clearly I intimidated them to the

extent that they could not be honest with me,

so yes… I must be terrifying.

What is your pet peeve?

I have many. Here are a few:

Questionnaires that begin with questions

like "How would you describe yourself?”

Poor spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Traffic at the Curepe Junction.

Persons who take credit for their own suc-

cesses but blame others for their failures.

What career would you have considered

other than law?

None! The law is an unforgiving and jealous

mistress… Even thinking about another career

would be considered cheating on her.

What advice would you give to aspiring

lawyers?

Consider what you would do if you won the

lottery and did not have to ever work again.

Assuming the answers are constructive, I would advise them to develop their legal practice

around that activity. For instance, if someone

would open a shelter for disadvantaged single

mothers, then they should consider a Family

Law practice which would allow them to be an

Sneak Peek of New Staff advocate for single mothers. The key to happi-

ness is to find your passion, and devise a way to

make a living doing it. ■

ALICE DANIEL

Attorney- Legal Aid

Clinic

How would you

describe yourself?

Simple/Easygoing

What is your pet

peeve?

Injustice/Unfair treatment where ever occurring

What career would you have considered

other than law?

Jazz singer

What advice would you give to aspiring

lawyers?

Always remember, it is a great service the law-

yer provides. Staying true to the act of ser-

vice will keep you on the right path. ■

PETRONILLA SYLVESTER

Attorney– Legal Aid

Clinic

How would you describe

yourself?

I am a risk taker, adven-

turous, spontaneous and a

team player. I enjoy taking

on new opportunities/

challenges. I enjoy compe-

tition and enjoy solving problems. I am ener-

gized by being able to advance in my career and

I am concerned about results.

What is your pet peeve?

I have a few: Wobbly tables, loud chewing and

time wasters.

What career would you have considered

other than law?

Interior Design but if I didn‟t have to think

about money at all then I would be a Travel

Reviewer.

What advice would you give to aspiring law-

yers?

Maintain an open mind as to what the future

may hold. Be receptive to all opportunities that

may come even if it takes you out of your com-

fort zone. Know yourself! Acknowledge your

own strengths and weaknesses and always be

willing to learn and experience new things.

Serve your clients to the best of your ability

and don‟t forget to enjoy yourself in the pro-

cess. ■

ALANA HUMPH-REY

Registrar

How would you de-

scribe yourself?

Dedicated, fun loving

with a passion for stu-

dent welfare and devel-

opment.

What is your pet peeve?

Encountering persons who fail to display basic

manners which, I believe, is a critical compo-

nent of good character.

What career would you have considered

other than law?

Well that‟s an easy one, seeing that I am not a

lawyer . I have a passion for the field of Edu-

cational Administration…alternatively teaching.

What advice would you give to aspiring law-

yers?

To thine own self be true. Be your personal

best. Always remember that a good name is

better than gold; don‟t compromise your eth-

ics, morals or principles. ■

fession into disrepute.

Do you think the title "Queen's Counsel" is

still relevant in today's society?

Yes I do! Queen's Counsel is an honour appoint-

ed to any Counsel for his or her achievement and

if it is by conduct and work that you distinguish

yourself, then yes it is still relevant. What it

shows is that there are leaders and Counsel who

are moving the profession forward effectively and

What do you think about that Panel

being empowered to revoke the appoint-

ment if Queen's Counsel "for cause"?

It is a necessary power that the Panel should

have. I feel strongly about attorneys and

Queen's Counsel who engage in serious mis-

conduct. Consequently, if an attorney miscon-

ducts himself or herself not only should they

be stripped of silk but also disciplined and pos-

sibly disbarred if their conduct brings the pro-

(Continued from page 12) productively and in the interest of clients.

What do you like most about the legal

profession?

As a senior practitioner I enjoy the role of

teacher, mentor and friend to junior practi-

tioners of law especially those now entering

the profession. This is a role I will like to

continue. ■

Cicely P. Chase QC: Women soon to Dominate Law (cont’d)

P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1 T H E G A V E L

BY JAVIER FORRESTER

MY ADVICE TO young

attorneys entering the world

of Legal Practice at the Hugh

Wooding Law School and

beyond is very simple and

straightforward and can be

summed up in five words,

“stay ahead and get in-

volved”.

The LLB, besides

teaching us the Law as it

stands in the books, also

psychologically conditions us

to accept the Law in the format

of academia. Many of us therefore would

have come across the very liberating experi-

ence of realizing that you can pick up your

tort or contract book the night before the exam, cram some principles and a couple of

cases and be ready to pass at least three

questions.

The Legal Education Certificate

programme and, ultimately, the world of legal

practice, is a very different ball game. Your

assessment is not merely based on how well

you can regurgitate a few cases, rattle off

some principles and call that George. While

you will be assessed on your ability to re-

member, reproduce, analyze and synthesize

the Law, you will also be assessed in the most

psychological and unconventional ways

known to man.

For instance, no amount

of cramming will assist you

the day you are in your

first trial advocacy moot,

your heart pounding and

the Judge ripping you apart

for being poorly dressed

and lacking confidence in

your submission toward

the court. Unless you can

somehow fake a heart

attack before Justice Boo-

doosingh, Justice Holdip

or Justice Rahim (who

have seen it all), you simp-

ly have to practice over and

over again and attend the moots (hint,

hint) and yes I mean that, it can be very

simple and fun if you just follow the rules

and stay ahead. Another example of the assess-

ments at Law School is when you take

your first venture down to the dimension

of the Legal Aid Clinic. I guarantee you,

after less than an hour in Legal Aid you will

understand why those who spend all their

time in the Library, noses constantly bur-

ied deep in a Law book, will be the slowest

in the group and the last to leave. In addi-

tion to giving a first hand experience of

what it feels like to handle a matter, Legal

Aid also exists to unconsciously test your

social skills and interaction. Being unable

to confidently communicate your matter

to the Attorney in charge or to say good

morning to the hard-working staff of the Legal

Aid Clinic, is only going to see you plummet

into the abyss of cluelessness and unnecessary

repetition. In other words, to survive the

experience of Law School (which is really a

microcosm of the legal world) you have to

become all round in your development as a

professional and as a person.

Finally, get involved, get involved,

get involved! The last words you want to hear

from a member of staff are, “Were you at last

sports day? I didn‟t see you.” It is important to

get into the activities of the Law School be-

cause these are the avenues by which you will

practically learn skills such as time manage-

ment and better social interaction. When you

first enter Law School, yes, it is overwhelming,

six courses, trial advocacy and assignments

that go through more cycles than Mother Nature. Yes, yes, we have all heard the whin-

ing, but the most honest words you will hear

are „it only gets worse‟. The trick is to learn

that as it gets worse, you can get better.

You have to understand that all

these challenges are essential to teaching you

how to balance and to be an all round person

and the only way you can do that is by staying

organized, keeping focused, staying ahead and

getting involved and for the God faring ones

(which I hope will be all of you), prayer and a

healthy spiritual connection with God will be

the most important tools in your arsenal.

All the best and God‟s Blessings on

you all. ■

How to Survive Law School

LIBRARY PROPOSITIONS

A guy asked a girl in a library, “Do you mind if I sit be-

side you?”

The girl answered with a loud voice, “I DON’T WANT

TO SPEND THE NIGHT WITH YOUUU!!!”.

All the students in the library started staring at the guy

and he was embarrassed.

After a couple of minutes, the girl walked quietly to

the guy’s table and she told him, “I study psychology

and I know what a man is thinking, I guess you felt em-

barrassed right?”

The guy responded with a loud voice, “US$200 JUST

FOR ONE NIGHT THAT’S TOO MUCH!!!!”...and all

the people in the library looked at the girl in shock and

the guy whispered in her ears, “ I study Law and I know how to make someone look guilty.”

BY ANTHONY FRANCIS-WORRELL

What is your name?

My name is Cicely P. Chase Q.C.

How long have you been practicing law?

I have been called to the Bar since the October

12th, 1983 to the present.

What is your favourite area of law? My practice is dominated by both civil and corpo-

rate litigation. I also do a substantial amount of

work in Family Law. In addition to the civil and

corporate litigation, I also do consultancy work

for corporate clients concerning areas such as

labour, industrial relations and human resource. I

would say I am very intrigued by the issues rela-

tive to the distribution of property in property

settlement.

What is one of your pet peeves about the

profession?

I frown on practitioners who depart from in-

stances of truth in the pursuit of self interest or

to win.

When were you appointed a Queen's

Counsel?

I was appointed on July 20th, 2005 and at that

time, I was the youngest female appointee in the

batch of appointees.

How do you feel about the gender imbal-

ance among the upper crust of the profes-

sion?

I would have to say that in the context of Barba-

dos the upper echelons of attorneys constituted

senior male practitioners or the silk who com-

manded the best briefs. I became associated with

eminent male silk attorneys and I learnt court

craft, the art of negotiating and handling clients

and dealing with them on a day to day basis. Gen-

der does not play a role as much as experience

and ability to get along with your peers and the

client in becoming a Queen's Counsel. Being a

Queen's Counsel is an honour and can only be

achieved by hard work.

Do you think there is a gender bias in the

profession and in who becomes a Q.C.?

I do not think that is the case. Women are seen

as the fairer sex. To the extent that for matters

requiring aggression, there is usually the per-

ception that a male is needed. Even if you look

at criminal law, labour negotiation and advocacy

skills, generally males are chosen by clients. I do

not think that there is a gender bias in who

becomes a Q.C. Pre-2005 there were many

males who became Q.C.'s. Post-2005 a greater number of females are being appointed as

Q.C.'s. Based on the ratio of males to females

coming out of law school, I would say in the

near future females will outweigh males in ap-

pointment to Q.C.

Did you have to make any sacrifices to

attain silk?

There were no personal sacrifices or compro-

mises. There was no bartering for the appoint-

ment of Queen's Counsel. Recommendations

are made by the judiciary and senior members

based on the quality of work and the quality of

clients. There is also a consideration of the

result success rate of cases and the general

contribution of the attorney to the profession. I

think I became Queen's Counsel based on my

work and my contribution to the Bar. I love to

assist young attorneys on their entrance to the

Bar.

What do you think about the recommen-

dation of the Trinidad Law Reform Com-

mission to appoint an independent panel

responsible for making appointments of

Senior Counsel?

Such a panel should have persons familiar with

the law, administration of justice and the provi-

sion of legal services. To that extent the panel

should be populated by at least some attorneys

and other prominent members of the commu-

nity. It is an excellent recommendation and

conforms to the view expressed by Sir Roy

Marshall in his paper on the improvement of

the administration of justice in Barbados. I have

long advocated such ideals be implemented in

Barbados.

THE GAVELTHE GAVEL A P U B L I C A T I O N O F

T H E H U G H W O O D I N G L A W S C H O O L

V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2

(Continued on page 10)

The Esteemed Q.C.,

Ms. Cicely P. Chase

Cicely P. Chase QC: Women soon to Dominate Law