“My passion for law stemmed from the injustices I’ve seen”– new attorney

The injustices in the world bothered her since childhood and she always looked at ways to help the people around her and make a difference. For 24-year-old Merisa Johnson, it was her calling to pursue a career in law. After all, to her, the law is the bedrock of society that maintains order.

After completing her Legal Education Certificate (LEC) at the Hugh Wooding Law School (HWLS) this year, Johnson was admitted to practice law in, and before the courts of Guyana last Wednesday. Her petition was presented by lawyer Beulah Williams before Justice Jo Ann Barlow at the Victoria Law Courts.
Johnson is a former student of the Christ Church Secondary School where she attained 10 passes at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC). She obtained eight passes at the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) after completing sixth form classes at the St Joseph High School.
From 2016-2019, she completed a Bachelor of Laws (Distinction) at the University of Guyana (UG). Having placed sixth in her class, she gained automatic entry to the law school in Trinidad. In presenting her petition to practice, Williams described Johnson as being a very determined and studious young woman.
Johnson told the court that law was not always her first choice since she had been placed in the business stream and had developed a love for accounting. She, however, said that after writing CSEC, her parents advised her to register for sixth form in order to kick start a career in the legal profession.
While attending St Joseph High School, she confessed that it was her CAPE law teacher who made her fall in love with the subject. But it was not only that; an issue in her neighbourhood further sparked her interest in this field. She recounted that there was a problem in her community about a coconut tree that was hanging very low in another neighbour’s yard.
“I recalled trying to be a mediator between the neighbours in order to resolve the issue since I had already been enrolled in the law programme at UG and had knowledge of nuisance and abatement,” she said.
Unfortunately, she was not able to make peace because the owner of the coconut tree was reluctant to cut it or have the neighbour in whose yard it was hanging, cut it.
According to Johnson, she saw this as an injustice since at any moment a coconut could have fallen and hit someone. “This made me realise that justice can only be done if persons are aware of their rights and the law.” This experience made her work even harder to be among the top 25 in her LLB class.
While the new lawyer expressed that she is truly humbled and blessed to be part of this noble profession, she said that her journey to the Bar was no walk in the park.
She shared, “There were many challenges and hurdles to cross along the way. There were many sacrifices and doubts about whether I had chosen the right profession. Through it all, God has been ever so faithful. Indeed, with hard work, determination, and faith in yourself, and faith in God success is inevitable.”
Johnson credited her success to her family and friends. Their unwavering love and support, she added, brought her through, not only as the latest admission to the Bar but as the very first lawyer in her immediate family.
The young lady related that at one point, she was unsure if she would be able to attend HWLS due to her family’s financial constraints. But when all seemed lost, she related that her mother reminded her that “God did not bring you this far to leave you; he will make a way.”

Honour, integrity, and humility
She vowed to wear her robe with honour, integrity, and humility and perform her duties to the best of her abilities. “I endeavour to be respectful to the court, my colleagues, and clients. I endeavour to always uphold the high standards of the profession, the rule of law and to always remember the code of ethics.”
“Since my passion for the law stemmed from the injustices I’ve seen over the years, I wanted to make a difference. So, I will ensure that justice is not only done but seemed to be done,” she said while adding that after a much-needed break, she intends to pursue an LLM to contribute meaningfully to the region’s jurisprudence.
For her part, Justice Barlow told Johnson that the practice of the law has become a very popular profession. “There are many of you, so the task is yours to so distinguish yourself so that you can rise above the others. I am not saying to you that you are better than anyone else, we are all equal.”
“But in our equalness,” Justice Barlow advised the new lawyer that she owes it to herself and to those she represents to present herself in such a way that those who look on, leave not with some sense of distaste or disgust but be able to convey to others a positive word.
“As you seek to represent your clients, you bear in your mind your duty to them and you keep foremost in your mind your duty to the court. If your client comes to you with an unmeritorious case, feel comfortable telling them, that you will not bring it to the court. Not only because it will make you look bad but because it wastes precious judicial time,” said the High Court Judge to Johnson.
Besides that, the Judge reminded her that she is joining the profession when the COVID-19 pandemic and all its dangers have forced the courts to resort to blended hearings (virtual and in-person). She, therefore, urged Johnson to present her best self, whether she appears in-person or virtually.
“Whatever you do, it must not be something that receives from counsel opposite a negative comment, and worst from the court, a negative comment. Let not your absence from the four walls of the court make you feel that you can so relax yourself that you no longer present as an attorney,” the Justice added.
Justice Barlow told the young lawyer, “Only you can determine what type of lawyer you will be perceived by your colleagues and by the court”. She informed Johnson that she is new to the profession, and in every court, she may have to earn the respect of that court. But this, the Judge noted, is easy as she went on to give the young lawyer some guidance.
“When you come to the court, prepare, when you come to the court appearing as if you know your client’s case from cover to cover, you earn the respect of the court win or lose.” In charging Johnson to reach for the stars, she said to her, “Whatever path we choose to take there is room for us to rise above the others”. (G1)