…. hard work and determination yield success

IT is often said that anything is possible with hard work and determination, and this was proven by newly sworn-in attorney-at-law, Tifaine Rutherford, when she was admitted to the local bar on Friday, October 11, 2019.

Rutherford, 30, who is the daughter of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) + Alliance for Change Member of Parliament Audwin Rutherford, was admitted to the bar by Acting Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire at the Demerara High Court.

Her petition was presented by prominent female attorney-at-law Latchmie Rahamat, who presented the court with a brief biography of Rutherford.
Rutherford, who was born in Linden, attended the Watooka Primary School, where, after completing the National Grade Six Assessment, she secured placement at McKenzie High School.

After she wrote eight subjects in 2005 at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC)Examination, she continued her education as a student at Saint Stanislaus College for her ‘A’ levels.

n 2010, she attended the University of Guyana, where she secured a Degree in Sociology.
In 2017, she secured a place at the Faculty of Law at the University and was awarded her Bachelor of Laws Degree (LLB.)

After completing her LLB, Rutherford attended the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and was awarded her Legal Education Certificate (LEC) on September 6, 2019.
Attorney-at-law Rahamat, in her petition to the court, disclosed that Rutherford was a former journalist at Stabroek News and was an impeccable young woman, who is a wife, a mother and now an attorney”.

Rahamat urged Rutherford to practise law with integrity and ethics of the profession.
The Chief Justice welcomed Rutherford to the bar and urged her to commit to the hard work that success entails and to commit to conducting thorough research to serve her clients and the citizens of this nation.

In addressing the court, Rutherford became emotional as she recounted the hard work and sacrifices that were made for her to become an attorney.
While being a journalist, Rutherford explained that she was covering a case at the High Court before Justice Navindra Singh, and realized, at that moment, she wanted to become a lawyer.

Rutherford said because of her argumentative spirit, her parents always told her that she would grow up to become an attorney.

“It wasn’t an easy journey. The road was very hard, sleepless nights, long hours. For me, the hardest thing was being away from my family for two years and having my daughter midway of my journey” Rutherford said.
The young attorney explained that during her second year at law school when she returned to Trinidad she discovered that she was pregnant.

“While I wanted to take a leave of absence, I decided that I would consult with my family and friends to see if that was the best route for me,” Rutherford said.

However, in the end, she decided that she was going to continue with the law programme to finish with her peers, because, if she waited, it would set her back another year.
Despite having high blood pressure during her pregnancy, Rutherford said that she continued with her studies because she did not want her daughter to see her as a failure.

“Don’t give up! Don’t doubt yourself, keep pushing through” were the words of advice Rutherford wishes to give other persons studying to become an attorney.