TWENTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD Sufeena Supaul, who hails from the county of Berbice, recently graduated from the Hugh Wooding Law School and was presented before the New Amsterdam High Court by Attorney General and Hon. Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall. Sufeena acknowledged that her family and community support were the main pillars of her success. Stemming from a home with her parents and two brothers, Sufeena stressed the importance of “a village raising a child”.

According to the new lawyer, she grew up with a strong influence from her parents. Her mother, an educator, always instilled structure and the importance of education. Her father, a mechanic, instilled compassion and gentleness in her personality. Together, they ensured that Sufeena pursued her dream of becoming a lawyer by working hard to support her academic journey. Sufeena emphasised that her parents gave her the platform to grow and thrive. She also received tremendous support from her grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins—all of whom she described as her “village”.

As a young girl, she aspired to be a lawyer. In fact, she mentioned that she was often ‘talkative’, loved humour, and had a naturally curious nature. She could not think of another profession that better suited those traits. Sufeena said she was always the classmate or friend who tried to create a safe space for others. She loved mentorship, and as such, she often volunteered for certain positions. That gave Sufeena insight into the daily challenges many people face and helped her realise the type of lawyer she wants to be—one who serves her community and country at large.

The Pepperpot Magazine asked Sufeena about the most challenging aspect of her academic pursuit in law, and she mentioned balancing a social life with her studies. “As many of my friends can attest, I take a while to respond to texts, hardly make calls, and rarely hang out, but thankfully, they’re good friends and always exercise their understanding and forgiveness with me,” said Sufeena. She added that her time spent in Trinidad was not without its challenges. She had to adapt to living alone without her family, which was a daunting experience at first. She eventually relied on hours of video calls from various family members whenever she felt homesick.
Sufeena is now one of Guyana’s youngest lawyers, but it took a lot of determination and perseverance on her part. “Growing up, I was always a curious child with many questions. Now that I’m older, I have retained that trait, but in a less annoying manner, I hope,” said Sufeena. She continued, “I have since lived, and continue to live, by the ways of learning. I am always willing and ready to learn and open to guidance. I think we all know the importance of continuous learning and that we should never let our pride obstruct us from taking guidance, even if it contradicts our beliefs. We should never let confirmation bias detract us from exploring other alternatives, and we must keep an open mind in this society to remain fair and just. I live by these beliefs and will always strive to maintain them.”

Sufeena also wanted to highlight that people have misconceptions about pursuing law, and she wanted to use this platform to clarify that. She mentioned that no one should be scared to pursue law because of the work it requires. “While it is true that ‘the law is a jealous mistress,’ it depends on what you value and where your determination lies as a person. As long as you are motivated and love what you are doing, it will not be hard, and you will not find the time and effort that studying law requires to be overly exhausting. Over time, it becomes something you do rather than something you have to do,” said Sufeena.

The Berbician lawyer has already started a private practice and is attached to a firm. She stressed that she is already halfway on the road to gaining experience, which was her first plan. This law enthusiast intends to pursue a Master Degree in Oil and Gas Law. She hopes to eventually join that sector, not only for the insight and variety that practising in that field will offer but also to represent Guyana in some capacity. She further emphasised that her current commitment is to private practice, where she can help her fellow citizens. She still holds onto the compassion of helping others and stated that she will never neglect that aspect of practice, as she plans to pursue both paths concurrently.