31 Guyanese graduate from HWLS in 2021

An outstanding group of 31 Guyanese is part of the Hugh Wooding Law School’s graduating class of 2021. Having completed the Legal Education Certificate (LEC) – a prerequisite to practise law in the Commonwealth Caribbean, the majority of them have already been admitted to practise law before the courts of Guyana. And despite being faced with the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, they persevered and completed their studies to become Attorneys-at-Law.
They are: Nakesha Cosbert, Abhimanya Dev, Alyea Williams, Ama De Clou, Brian Primo, Chandanie Dyal, Christal Amsterdam, Cynthia Ramroop, Delonte De Clou, Gabriel Benn, Hugh Park, Iyanna Butts, Jevon Cox, Kerri Brusch, Khalif Gobin, Kyle Nicholson, Leslin Warden, Marisa Edwards, Melisa Adolphus, Merisa Johnson, Natesha Moseley, Niomi Alsopp, Paneeta Persaud, Shercola Exeter, Thalia Thompson, Fancius Gittens, Aliyyah Abdul-Kadir, Dhaneshwar Deonarine, Caressa Facey Henry, Jermane Alleyne, and Simran Gajraj.
The latter five were among those on the Principal’s Roll of Honour.
In the school’s 2021 Yearbook, its Principal, Miriam Samaru said the Class of 2021 is the first set of graduates in the 48-year history of the Council of Legal Education-HWLS who have completed the two- year-programme fully online. When the COVID-19 virus outbreak was declared a pandemic, she said that, without time to prepare, students had to pack up and return home before borders closed and teaching had to be transitioned from in-person to online via the Zoom platform.
“There is no script, manual, or guidebook that could have prepared anyone for the effects of the pandemic caused by the COVID-19. It came like a thief in the night dealing deadly blows to anyone with whom it came into contact. It created panic, worry, and disbelief. In the twinkling of an eye, the world had changed and continues to change as we try to return to some measure of normalcy while the pandemic continues,” said Samaru, who has been the school’s Principal since 2008.
According to her, this year’s graduates have displayed their agility and have adapted themselves to the new normal. She noted that at every twist or turn, they were able to pivot, innovate, and create, adapt and respond. She added, “No longer would they wait for someone else to implement change. They became the change. They are the modern lawyers who are the masters of technology and have proven that they can conquer and challenge. They are Generation Z (GenZers).”
The Principal said that they would be the ones who would help the practice of law evolve and become more efficient. As they venture out into the world of work, Samaru reminded the graduates that they were unique, talented, resilient, agile, and pragmatic. But despite their individual achievements, she told them, “You will be standing on the shoulders of giants in the law who came before you and who have paved the way for you to be a modern Caribbean lawyer with a social conscience.”
Samaru pointed out that they have received an education that is second to none and which has given them the basic skills for the practice of the law. Having been immersed in the law and codes governing the ethics of the legal profession, she encouraged them to go out and become agents of change by following their passion and finding their purpose. “Good luck, be ethical as you go out into practice, do good things and conquer the world,” said the Principal in her closing remarks.
The Council of Legal Education was created in 1971 and operates three law schools in the Region: the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica, the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad – both established in 1973 – and the Eugene Dupuch Law School in The Bahamas, which was established in 1998.
To be admitted to these law schools, persons must have first obtained a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of the West Indies (UWI), the University of Guyana (UG), or a degree in law awarded by a university in a Common Law jurisdiction. Each year, UWI graduates and the top 25 students from UG’s Law Department gain automatic acceptance to the law schools to read for their LEC.
Those who are not on the list of 25 graduates and those with non-UWI law degrees can be admitted to the law schools if they are successful in the Council of Legal Education’s annual entrance examination. Once admitted to the law schools, students must then complete two years of study and practical training at one of the three schools to be qualified to practise as an Attorney-at-Law.
The three law schools also offer a six-month transitional programme for Common Law-professionally trained persons. Each year, the Government of Guyana offers fully-funded scholarships to the HWLS. The scholarships are offered through the Public Service Ministry and are open to new and continuing students.
To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must be the holder of a Bachelor of Laws degree with a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.3. The applicant must be under the age of 35 and must have obtained the degree within the last five years. The applicant must also have an acceptance letter from the HWLS.
Present students at the HWLS who wish to apply for the scholarship must have passed year one studies with at least three courses passed with Grade A. The HWLS offers the two-year programme at the cost of G$6,516, 427 to Guyanese students. The cost varies for students from other countries. Before the pandemic, students also had to foot the cost of boarding, food, and school-related expenses.