Young Attorney Called to the Bar via Skype

Twenty-four-year-old Allana Cumberbatch, stepped out of an impeccable academic career, and into her journey as an attorney-at-law, after being called to the Bar this Tuesday, March 31.

Allana and her mother, Karen Cumberbatch, supporting lawyers Israel Bruce and Roderick Jones, as well as counsel Kay Bacchus-Baptiste who moved the call, were present for the occasion at the office of Bacchus-Baptiste, while Justice Nicola Byer presided.

Allana’s call to the Bar took place via Skype, due to the cautionary measures taken by the High Court following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Skype is a telecommunications software that specializes in providing video chat and voice calls between computers, tablets and mobile devices.

“While I never expected to be called to the bar from an attorney’s office via Skype, I am nonetheless happy and grateful and proud to finally be able to address this most honourable court as an attorney-at-law,” Allana stated during her maiden speech.

The young lawyer noted that she has been waiting a very long time for the day when she would move from being a student of the law to an attorney-at-law, as it has always been her desire to become one.

Her love and passion for the subject especially ignited when she attended the St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Community College, she disclosed.

“Today, nine years later the passion and excitement I had for the law has not changed but has intensified,” the counsel asserted, and it is the reason that she has excelled throughout her journey.

Allana began her academic excellence at College, when she bagged the highest qualification – a grade one, in both year one and two law at CAPE.

Using her national scholarship, which she received in 2013, Allana continued her education at the University of the West Indies(UWI) Cave Hill campus, and obtained her Bachelor of Laws, with first class honours.

At the Hugh Wooding law school in Trinidad, she spent another two years of intense learning, before graduating on the Principal’s roll of honour, with three awards: the H Aubrey Fraser Memorial Prize for best performance in Ethics, Rights and Obligations; the Association of Legal Officers of Trinidad and Tobago prize for best performance in Ethics, Rights and Obligations and the Oswald J Wilson Memorial prize for best performance in Landlord and Tenant.

The new lawyer thanked God, and her family for their support, noting that she is proud to have made them proud.

“I would especially like to thank my mother Karen Cumberbatch, my aunt Samantha James and the love of my life James Josaphat for being pillars of strength and support in my life and for always believing in me even when I did not believe in myself,” she added.

Also receiving gratitude were the lawyers who supported her call, and Jones, who allowed her to study under his wing.

The young lawyer noted that as she turns a new page in her life, she promises to be an attorney that practices with integrity and honesty.

“I hope to one day have a great and positive impact on our justice system, our country and this world at large,” she concluded.

Allana’s mother revealed that her daughter becoming a lawyer has given her a “flood of emotions.”

“I’m elated. I’m relieved. I’m a bit wary of her choice of profession given the not-so-nice image that society has of it,” she disclosed.

“Me nose swell,” she commented jokingly, and indicated that she was proud of her daughter.