LIVING by the mantra, ‘Weeping may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning”, young Fancius Gittens saw her childhood dream come true recently when she was admitted to the local bar to practise law here.

Her petition was presented by Attorney-at-Law Aneesa Chow to Acting Chief Justice Roxane George at the Demerara High Court on Wednesday.

Chow presented the court with a brief biography of Gittens, whom she described as “ambitious.”

Gittens attended St.Rose’s High School, followed by the University of Guyana where she studied International Relations before switching to the Law Department to read for her Bachelor of Laws Degree (LLB). She also did her in-service training at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

After completing her LLB, she attended the Hugh Wooding Law School (HWLS) in Trinidad, and was awarded her Legal Education Certificate (LEC) in September.
The Chief Justice congratulated the young attorney, and advised her to always remember her oath, and to uphold the ethics of the profession.

It was a bittersweet moment for Gittens when she addressed the court for the first time as an attorney.
“My journey to the legal fraternity has been, in the words of Martin Carter, a carnival of misery,” she said.

While chronicling her journey, the young attorney said that when she needed encouragement along the way, she always remembered a favourite saying of her mother’s: “Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning.”

Looking back over the years it took to come to this point, Gittens told the court that she is an attorney today due to the hard work, sacrifice and perseverance of not only herself, but also of her parents and sister.

“When I was offered a place at the Hugh Wooding Law School, I felt as though I’d unveiled a new level of love, support and encouragement from my family, which was an obvious endorsement of my legal journey. So, to my immediate and extended family who couldn’t be here today, the ones joining me on Zoom, and the ones who couldn’t make it for whichever reason, I am grateful for you. I appreciate your words of wisdom, and even your new habit of calling me Counsel,” she said.

Gittens also paid special homage to her alma mater, St. Rose’s High School, saying she prided herself in its Motto: “Serviam”, which, in Latin means: ‘I Will Serve’.

“Moving forward in this profession, I intend to uphold the integrity of this profession, by following the Code of Ethics stipulated by the Legal Practitioners Act, and to emulate the stellar example set by my seniors. I intend to serve, and I will serve,” she said.