Category: Life

Reita Clarke Memorial Award

My Rita Clarke Memorial Award 2014 gimpI am deeply honoured (and shocked) to have been chosen as the 2014 recipient of the Law Centres Network’s ‘Reita Clarke Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement‘ on Friday 28th November, the day after my Call to the Bar by the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple.

The Reita Clarke Memorial award was created in memory of the late Reita Clarke, long-time Trustee of Luton Law Centre and member of LCN’s Executive Committee. It is awarded every year at LCN’s national conference in recognition of outstanding work by people within the Law Centres movement.

The judges said they chose me because of my “award winning initiatives, (my) dynamism and creativity, and for (my)commitment to justice for the people of Hackney”.

I would like to thank my colleagues at Hackney Community Law Centre (HCLC) for nominating me (secretly) for the award and for giving me such strong support since I joined HCLC.

 

My Call to the Bar

Call picture gimpIt is such an honour to have been called to the Bar of England and Wales by my Inn, The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple.

I absolutely love constitutional law. My favourite ever case is M v Home Office ([1994] 1 AC 37) and constitutional law is one of the top three areas I wish to practise in should I ever have the opportunity to go to the Bar.

I was therefore overwhelmed with happiness that My Call was proposed by former Lord Justice of the Appeal Sir Stephen Sedley, who is a Master of the Bench at Inner Temple.

In his time as a senior judge in the Court of Appeal, Stephen did so much to advance the development of constitutional law and, though now retired, he still writes and lectures prolifically. I couldn’t have asked for a more amazing start to my career as a barrister than to have him propose me.

Thank you again to Sir Stephen Sedley and to Inner Temple for the amazing support they have given me in my legal career thus far.

Still I Rise

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may tread me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise. Continue reading “Still I Rise”

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

Darin and Miranda at the theatre Dec 2009

A marvellous trip “up west” earlier this week, with my cousin Darin (over from Dominica visiting Europe on a work trip) to see ‘Cat On A Hot Tin Roof‘ at London’s Novello Theatre.

The play was just superb. The audience was so mesmerised you could have heard a pin drop throughout.

I had been really excited about seeing James Earl Jones in person but the whole cast was just excellent – especially, star of the play, our own home grown Adrian Lester of ‘Hustle‘ fame.

Alongside a lovely “flight” on the London Eye and an excellent private tour of Parliament, courtesy of Harry Cohen MP’s wonderful staff (well done, Andy Burham, who was on fire in the Commons chamber socking it to the Tories on disability benefits) , I think Darin really enjoyed herself.

Thank you again, dear, for a lovely few days.

I hope you can persuade Uncle S to come and visit me BEFORE any weddings!!! 😉

xxx