Following a ceremony held at the Victoria Law Courts in Georgetown, Justice Navindra Singh admitted two United States-based Guyanese lawyers to practise law in their homeland.
The new additions to the Guyana Bar are Stephanie Prashad and Mohindhar Doodnauth, who are both recent graduates of the Eugene Dupuch Law School, The Bahamas where they completed their Legal Education Certificate (LEC)—the final academic qualification to practise as an Attorney-at-Law in the English-speaking Caribbean.
During their address to the court, both lawyers expressed gratitude to their parents and the many other persons who have contributed to their academic and professional journey.
Cognisant of the responsibilities imposed upon them, they vowed to uphold the ethics of the legal profession and to execute their duties to the best of their ability.
Before the Attorney’s Oath was administered, Justice Singh told the lawyers about the many opportunities for service as career lawyers and urged them to always maintain high standards.
In so doing, he recited the following from Chief Justice Andrews: “It is not enough for an attorney that he be honest. He must be that, and more. He must be believed to be honest. It is absolutely essential to the usefulness of an attorney that he be entitled to the confidence of the community wherein he practices…But…if once the practice becomes to him a mere brawl for hire, or a system of legalized plunder where craft and not conscience is the rule, and where falsehood and not truth is the means by which to gain his end, then he has forfeited all right to be an officer in any court of justice or to be numbered among the members of an honorable profession.”
These remarks were made by the Judge in 1891.
Given that Prashad, 35, has years of practise under her belt, Justice Singh especially advised 25-year-old Doodnauth that since this is the beginning of his career, he should set new goals. “Excellent advocacy will always be admired by the Bench,” he said while imploring them to always be honest and well-researched in light of the constant evolution of law.
The presiding Judge, who was admitted to practise law in the State of New York, told the new admittees that their experience practicing law overseas would be a great asset to the local Bar.
Prashad attended the Boston College Law School where she was awarded a Juris Doctor (JD)in 2017. She then wrote and passed the Bar Exam for the State of Massachusetts and has been admitted to practise law in that State.
Doodnauth, on the other hand, holds an undergraduate law degree from the University of London and a Master of Law from the Fordham University School of Law, New York. He then wrote and passed the Bar Exam for the State of Wisconsin where he was admitted to practise in 2021.
Eager to practise in Guyana, they both attended The Bahamas-based law school where they completed a six-month transitional course and were both awarded the LEC on April 14.
They did their in-service training at the law firm, Mohabir A. Nandlall and Associates.
Following her admission to the local Bar an elated Prashad told Guyana Times she knew that she wanted to become an attorney from a very young age.
“…I graduated from law school very quickly. I jumped straight into practise with a series of law firms. And I found that law was the perfect combination to match my passion for finance and business as well as understanding the framework that works with them…”
In sharing her experience at the Caribbean law school, Prashad related that she was not only able to explore the history of Guyana but also the country’s various legal systems.
She plans on opening her own law firm in Guyana in the near future.
Meanwhile, Doodnauth shared that his plans for the future are “wide open” as he intends to practise law in Guyana and further his education.
It was at the Eugene Dupuch Law School that Prashad and Doodnauth met and they became very good friends since there were not many Guyanese students at the institution.
Their Bar admission petition was presented by Attorney-at-Law Manoj Narayan.
