Former Journalist defies all odds to pursue law career

Thirty-year-old Tifaine Rutherford, the daughter of Member of Parliament Audwin Rutherford who endured a high-risk pregnancy, during her final year at the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad, was admitted to practise Law in Guyana on Friday last at the Demerara High Court.

The petition of Rutherford, a former Journalist, was presented to acting Chief Justice Roxane George by Attorney-at-Law Latchmie Rahamat, who described her as a woman of integrity and good character.
The acting Chief Justice told Rutherford that law was a profession that called for lifelong learning, honesty, integrity and courtesy, and encouraged her to be respectful so she could earn respect in the profession.

“The journey so far may have seemed tough; I can assure you it will get tougher. I urge you to put your best foot forward at all times and strive for excellence. Do not sell yourself; the oath you took is to serve the people of Guyana with the best of your ability,” advised Justice George.
Rutherford, after listening to the acting Chief Justice’s advice, expressed that she was grateful for the opportunity and committed to practising with integrity. The young mother expressed heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed towards her success.
The young Attorney attended Watooka Primary School and then the Mackenzie High School in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
She then commenced her A Levels at the St Stanislaus College and got her first degree in Sociology from the University of Guyana in 2010. In 2017, she secured a place at the Faculty of Law at the University, and later her Bachelor of Laws Degree.
In 2018, Rutherford attended the Hugh Wooding Law School and was awarded the Legal Education Certificate (LEC) on Saturday last.
In an interview, Rutherford revealed: “Just as I entered Trinidad in my second year, I discovered I was pregnant and while I wanted to take a leave of absence, I decided to consult with my family and see if that was the best route for me.
“In the end, I decided that I was going to continue with the programme; that was something super hard and I got a lot of ‘fightdown’ from the school to write my exams; I actually wrote exams in August. Having high blood pressure too, I realised I had to push on because I didn’t want my daughter to see me as a failure,” Rutherford said.
The young woman admitted that the journey was not easy, because she was away from her family for two years pursuing her LEC, but was thankful for the journey and experience.
She added that as a child she was very argumentative and with the help of her parents, she discovered her passion for the profession. The young lawyer advised anyone pursuing their career to not give up, for although it would be a lot of hard work, just keep on going.
Rutherford will be practising criminal, corporate and civil law.