Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/3514/-1/140/
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A New Face At The Bar TARA KEMMONE CARTER
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It seems only a very short time ago that Tara Kemmone Carter, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Pagette Carter of East End, was a bright student at the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School. Now after a period of intensive academic study, she is a Barrister-at-Law and Solicitor of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme, Court Anguilla Circuit, a fine role model for Anguillian young people.
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Taking the Oath: Lawyer Tara Carter
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The 26-year-old lawyer was admitted to the Anguilla Bar before Resident High Court Judge, Madam Justice Janice George-Creque, on Thursday, April 27. Her application for admission was made by John Benjamin, President of Caribbean Juris Chambers, where, in addition to her Leeward Islands debating competitions, she was provided with the bedrock motivation to pursue her legal career.
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L-R: Lawyers Benjamin, Carter and Astaphan
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Mr. Benjamin said Miss Carter, now a lawyer in his Chambers, had met all the requirements for admission to the Bar and he gave a rundown of her educational achievements. Between 1999 and 2001 she completed two years of undergraduate studies in Business Administration at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. She obtained the Bachelor of Laws degree after studying at the University of Manitoba, Faculty of Law in Winnipeg, from 2001 to 2004 and the Legal Education Certificate from the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad, where she studied from 2005 to 2006.
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Judge congratulates Lawyer Carter
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“Let me be one of the first persons to congratulate Tara. I have known her for ten years at a young tender age coming to this Chambers from school and we have always been impressed with her,” Lawyer Benjamin told the Judge. He said she was very intelligent and hard-working. He advised his young colleague to follow the books and that once she was honest and fair with herself, she would do well.
The application was supported by Lawyer Thomas Astaphan who described Miss Carter as “potentially an excellent candidate for practice at this Bar” and said he had therefore joined with Mr. Benjamin “in commending her to your Ladyship.”
After reviewing Miss Carter’s documents, the Judge permitted Mr. Benjamin to place the legal robe on her and said to her: “Take your rightful place at the Bar.”
In congratulating Miss Carter, Lawyer Josephine Gumbs-Connor told her she, Tara, was coming from the Caribbean Juris Chambers which had not only made a contribution to law in Anguilla, but had a strong social commitment to the community. “You are a young Anguillian and have come to serve your people,” she went on. “I urge you as you go along your legal career that you not only focus your energy on your growth and the responsibility that you will have to the Court… but also the social responsibility that is expected of you in the community.”
She cautioned that sometimes her work might earn her harsh criticism and disaffection, but admonished her “to remain steady on course…to be fair, right, just, honest and with a Christian approach, distinguishing herself in both the legal and social spheres.”
Lawyer Pamavon Webster said she was proud of Miss Carter whom she described “as an excellent role model” who had demonstrated a high sense of values, honesty, interest in church and community life and had wonderful parents. She was confident that she would have a distinguished legal career.
Justice George-Creque told Miss Carter that the practice of law was one of the oldest and noblest professions. “It is a profession that comes under the scrutiny of the public with the expectation of honesty, integrity and fairness,” she stated. “As a member of the Bar, you are thereby an officer of the Court. The expectations are that you practice and see after your clients’ interest fearlessly, but always remembering that you are, at the end of the day, also keeping the balance ensuring that in the carrying out of your duty, you are doing so in the fullest acknowledgement of your role as an officer of the Court.”
The Judge said she looked forward to Miss Carter’s appearances before the Court and to her “carrying out her duties in the highest traditions of the profession.” She noted that Miss Carter was accompanied by a large gathering of family and friends who were all proud of her.
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Lawyer Tara Carter and family
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Replying, Miss Carter said she was grateful to God for guidance during her studies and for the support of her parents and other family. She particularly thanked Mr. Benjamin and Caribbean Juris Chambers and Justice Don Mitchell for helping to shape her legal career and the Anguilla Government for financing her education.
She pledged to uphold the ethics of the legal profession through honesty, integrity and dignity.
Miss Carter first distinguished herself when she was the proud recipient of the Island Scholarship Award for Best Advanced Level Results in Sixth Form, enabling her to begin her university education in Canada from 1999-2004.