By Sue-Ann Wayow
FORMER president of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) Lynsley Doodhai is now an attorney-at-law.
Doodhai became one of the 136 new attorneys to be admitted to the Bar during virtual ceremonies last month.
The virtual ceremonies replaced the traditional call to the Bar, which is normally held at the Hall of Justice in Port-of-Spain, due to the Covid-19 protocols.
Doodhai who has been a member of the teaching service for 35 years is anxious to transition from the classroom to the courtroom.
He served as TTUTA’s president during the 2016 to 2019 term and was a vice president between 2013 to 2016. He has also been the principal of the Torrib Trace Presbyterian School since 2008.
The virtual ceremonies were presided over by Chief Justice Ivor Archie, Justice Gail Gonzales and Justice Jade Rodriguez. CJ Archie in welcoming the new attorneys reminded them that the ability to practice law was a privilege and not a right and was an onerous responsibility.
Advice to new lawyers
Rodriguez, in addressing the new attorneys at one of the two ceremonies advised them that their reputation was fragile and that they should treat it as an expensive ceramic vase. “Do your very best to behave in a manner, in all things, at all times, to spawn a good reputation”.
She warned that one lapse of judgment can result in no one remembering their previous good character. “Your bad deeds will overtake all the good you have done.”
She also said that the new attorneys had the honour of being admitted to the Bar during a pandemic when employment prospects were low.
“The current pandemic, therefore, calls you to be innovative and creative to practise in a totally new landscape. Only grit and determination will see you through,” she said.
Rodriguez made two appeals to the young lawyers.
For those practising civil law to avoid litigation as much as possible.
She advised giving mediation a chance.
“There is no winner if a matter goes to court when it could have been settled out of court.”
She also made an appeal for criminal lawyers as there were not enough criminal lawyers to meet the demands. The field is dominated by a few who can only be in one place at a time, she said.
A dream come true
Doodhai described his admittance to the Bar as being a dream come through. He was unable to pursue his dream earlier in life, as he was one of six children and his parents were unable to afford the cost of law studies.
His has been a long journey made more difficult by having to work and study at the same time. Studying law part-time is very demanding, he said. He pursued his Bachelor of Education from the University of London from 2008 to 2011. He had to put on hold for six years (2013 to 2019) the pursuit of his Legal Practice Certificate (LEC) as he served the teachers of T&T. In September 2019, he began his Legal Practice Certificate at the De Montfort University in Leicester, England, which he completed in 2020. He completed the mandatory six internships in September 2022.
Doodhai hopes to soon make the transition from the classroom to the courtroom soon. He hopes to practise in the civil field, having done electives in Employment Law, Personal Injury and Medical Negligence and Sports and Media Law. With his background in industrial relations, he hopes that he can once again represent teachers and workers in general whose employment is affected.
