John Coombs called to the Bar

With 26-year-old John Coombs donning his legal robes last Friday, and following the footsteps of his elder brother before him, his father’s prayers have finally been answered.

This much was said by Queen’s Counsel Parnell Campbell, who appeared with counsel Duane Daniel before Justice Brian Cottle at the High Court on November 1 to move the petition for Coombs to be admitted to the Bar of St Vincent and the Grenadines(SVG) as a Barrister and Solicitor.

Campbell indicated that “It gives me great pleasure to do this, more so because Mr Coombs is the younger brother of a member of this profession.”

“John Coombs would be a worthy member of the legal profession. If all he did was to emulate his elder brother, he would be on the right track,” the Queen’s counsel assured the Justice.

Campbell said that he could attest to Coombs’ character, but also noted that “not withstanding that he (Coombs) is of age, were he to fall below the standard expected of him, Mr Venold Coombs Senior would not hesitate to bring him back on the straight and narrow.”

The queen’s counsel noted that he has been close friends with Venold for over 40 years, and that his friend “has struggled to bring up a family, where he now has, or will shortly have, two sons in the legal profession.”

“The Lord has answered your prayers which you have offered many years ago,” Campbell told his friend.

“He has taken you my brother through many a danger, and snare, and has brought you to this day, where you can see your younger son John about to be admitted to this noble profession,” Campbell continued.

The new attorney received his Bachelor of Laws, Upper Second class honours degree, from the University of West Indies, Cave Hill campus, and then achieved his Legal Education Certificate at the Hugh Wooding law school in Trinidad and Tobago.

The young lawyer has been in the hands of counsel Duane Daniel at his chambers.

John, in his address, recalled five years ago when he set out to begin the journey to realizing his “lifelong” aspiration “As I tried desperately to put on a brave face, whilst I bade farewell to my father and brother at ET Joshua Airport, my thoughts could only be directed towards the expected difficulties and uncertainties that lay ahead,” he told the court, as he stood behind the outer Bar table.

“Little did I know at the time, was that in between round the clock studying and what seemed to be an endless flow of assignments, exams and assessments, there would be moments and experiences to be had, so personally impactful that words alone cannot capture their value,” he stated.

He said that he was honoured that his sojourn has successfully led to him being a member of the legal profession, and more so that it has made him a more compassionate human being.

“It was not purely by my own will, but by the will of God, that I was able to accomplish what seemed at the outset to be an insurmountable task,” he noted.

He especially thanked his parents and three siblings for their support, as well as friends gained at Hugh Wooding.

“As I formally end one chapter of my life, and begin another I pledge to serve my clients diligently, and to maintain high standards of ethical and professional conduct,” the young man promised.

Additionally he noted that prioritizing the interest of justice and their clients, “means that monetary reward ought not to be the central consideration when tasked with the sacred responsibility,” of legally representing individuals.