From poor relief to the Bar - Shanique Sommerville rises to become first lawyer in family

Having cleared numerous hurdles, some of which threatened to derail her dreams to become an attorney-at-law, Shanique Sommerville, from the little-known community of Peggy Barry in Grange Hill, Westmoreland, was called to the Bar last Friday, paving the way for her to start practising law in Jamaica.

Sommerville, 25, a beneficiary of poor relief funding, is the first member of her family to become a lawyer. Her grandmother, Dawn Warren, is elated with Sommerville's accomplishment. Warren, a vendor, and her father Desmond Sommerville have been key pillars of support for the newly minted attorney-at-law.

"I feel good, I feel overwhelmed, I am so proud of her, words can't explain! As early as four years old, she [was] always with other children keeping school, reading [and] writing. From primary school, she always getting awards, so I was looking for it," a proud Warren told THE STAR yesterday.

"I am just so proud of her for even being the first lawyer in my family, and coming out of the community of Peggy Barry. She shows the others that good things can come out from here," the grandmother added.

Sommerville's father, who operates a taxi, is equally proud of her achievements.

"I've always been proud of my daughter because she has always done very well. I know her and I know what she is capable of doing, so it didn't surprise me that everything she said she was gonna do, she do it, and she going to reach as far as she want to reach."

A constant source of motivation for Sommerville throughout her journey has been her late mother, Cheva Newton, who passed away when Sommerville was 12 years old. The attorney expressed a heartfelt wish for her mother to witness her growth and accomplishments.

"I would just want to tell her that her Queenie made it. Her Queenie is an attorney-at-law at this age, that's something that I really wish she was here to see and be a part of," Sommerville said.

Last Friday, the Manning's School alumna, in delivering the address on behalf of her batch, said "this is the day that we get married to the law, a day that will forever be etched in our minds and memories, for this is a marriage we can only do once".

"As we begin our legal careers, I encourage us all to be fervent stewards of the law, and, above all else, in every action and speech, do all we can to maintain the public's confidence in this our noble profession."

The 25-year-old's journey to the Bar not only brings pride to the family, but also fulfils the promise she made to put Peggy Barry on the map. Sommerville was been a beneficiary of social support funding, first under the PATH programme and then assistance from the Poor Relief Department. Additionally, she has been a beneficiary of the Josephine 'Lilly' Wolfe Memorial Scholarship Foundation, which supported her journey from her undergraduate studies to pursuing her legal education at Norman Manley Law School.

"Having a scholarship made it a lot easier for me, there was nothing really that I had to worry about than just passing my courses [and] attending my classes, so that was a great feeling. The stress was definitely lessened," Sommerville told THE STAR.

Pivotal to Sommerville's journey was attorney-at-law Lambert Johnson, her mentor and the one who had the honour of calling her to the Bar.

"He has truly been the best mentor to me. I believe [that] everything a mentor should be, he is that and more," she said.

Reflecting on her time at Norman Manley Law School, she acknowledged the difficulty, describing it as the hardest thing she's ever done to date. She expressed gratitude for overcoming them, and attributed her success to the support she received and her faith in God.