Peters called to the OECS Bar

Young lawyer Keisal Peters has her eyes set on one day becoming a Chief Justice, but in the meantime, she just wants to remain humble, observant, and help to lift the standard of the legal fraternity here in St Vincent and Grenadines.{{more}}

The 25-year-old Campden Park resident is one of the latest persons to be admitted to the OECS Bar to practice as a lawyer and solicitor.

Her admission to the Bar, which was presided over by Justice Gertel Thom on October 25, saw attorney Stanley John presenting her application to the court, while his son, counsel Akin John seconded the application.

The call was attended by her brother and sister, members of her church and other close friends and relatives.

Former Culture minister and Lawyer Rene Baptiste and president of the Bar Association Dr Linton Lewis also shared remarks in support of Peters’ application.

In an interview with SEARCHLIGHT earlier this week, Peters said she was excited at her call to the Bar because she is realising her life long dream. “This was all I ever wanted to do since I was seven years old…When we only had channel 9, I used to watch a lot of Perry Mason and Matlock shows and I was drawn to the whole advocacy thing from that point…,” Peters revealed.

A past student of the Girls’ High School and the A’Level College, Peters obtained her Law degree with second class honours from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados, in 2009. She then went onto the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad, where she received her Legal Education Certificate.

Peters graduated on the principal’s roll of honour and was presented with the Robert Mathieu Sellier award for best performance in trial advocacy.

The daughter of Sheila Peters and the late Elroy “Strawie” Peters, the young lawyer said she cherished her time at UWI. However, she admitted that she is still sad that her father, who passed away from asthma in 2005, was not there to see her fulfil her lifelong dream.

“There were times I felt depressed and I would speak on the phone with my mother, who would pray for me…I know my father would have been proud to see that I made it,” Peters expressed.

Describing her father as the “on-call doctor” who used to be there for when she had her asthmatic attacks, she said that he always encouraged her to do her best.

She noted that while she is new to the profession, she wants to learn as much as possible and observe as much as she can.

“I see myself going on to do great things and one day, maybe even Chief Justice…,” she chuckled.

Sharing words of advice with prospective lawyers, Peters urged students to remain focused at all times, despite the challenges that may come their way.

“Surround yourself with positive people. In a small country such as ours there would be people who try to pull you down…,” she beseeched.

Peters is now attached to the Elizabeth Law Chambers.(KW)