The Plaintiff Magazine (June 2023)

Academic Year 2023

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LAW QUOTES

LAW WEEK- PAJAMA DAY

IF LAW FAILS DAY

LEGAL WEAR

LEGAL REGAL

DEANS LIST

MOOT- REUNION OF THE 1997 GRADUTAING CLASS

MOOT- CCJ MOOT

MOOT- CLARKE GITTENS FARMER

GRADUATION CLASS OF 2022

VALEDICTORIAN- LAW FACULTY INTERVIEW

LECTURE SERIES - PROF. MAGNEMAGDALENA ŁAGIEWSKA

RETIREMENT- PROF ALINA KACZOROWSKA- IRELAND

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MEMBERS FROM LEFT- PAUL MCBURNIE, TIANNA CLUE, FAAIZAH MOMLA, SHACHIA SMALL, LUCAS JONAS

The power of the lawyer is in the uncertainty of the law.

Jeremy Bentham

'[The Law] is like a jealous mistress, and requires a long and constant courtship.'

Joseph Story

LAW WEEK PAJAMA DAY

Everything is better in pajamas...

LAW WEEK LEGAL WEAR

LAW WEEK LEGAL REGAL

LAW WEEK LEGAL REGAL

THE DEAN ' S LIST CEREMONY

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CCJ-BESTACADEMICINSTITUTION

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CLARKEGITTTENSFARMERMOOT

GRADUATING CLASS OF 2022 CLA

GRADUATING CLASS OF 2022

VALEDICTORIAN-MARTINAMAGALHAESINTERVIEW

HOW DID YOU FIND OUT THAT YOU WERE THE VALEDICTORIAN? WHAT WERE THE VARIOUS EMOTIONS?

I HAD ACTUALLY JUST WOKEN UP FROM 15-MINUTE NAP IN BETWEEN CLASSES (BECAUSE YES, LAW SCHOOL IS THAT HECTIC YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO SCHEDULE YOUR NAPS) WHEN MY ALARM WENT OFF, I GRABBED MY PHONE TO TURN OFF MY ALARM AND SAW AN EMAIL NOTIFICATION STATING THAT I WAS SELECTED AS VALEDICTORIAN NOW, AS THE TRINIS WOULD SAY, “I WOKE UP STUPID” SINCE I WAS STILL FIGHTING OFF THE POST-NAP GROGGINESS I KID YOU NOT, I LAY ON MY COUCH FOR A GOOD FIVE MINUTES WONDERING IF I WAS DREAMING OR WHETHER IT WAS REAL (AS CLICHÉ AS THAT SOUNDS, THAT NAP WAS TOO GOOD ) THEN I SAW A COUPLE OF EMAILS FROM THE GUILD PRESIDENT AND THE UNIVERSITY’S COMMUNICATIONS BRANCH PRETTY MUCH CONFIRMING THAT IT WAS REAL THAT’S WHEN THE VARIOUS EMOTIONS STARTED HITTING ME

FIRSTLY, IF YOU KNOW ME WELL, YOU’D KNOW THAT I ABSOLUTELY DETEST (EMPHASIS MINE) PUBLIC SPEAKING THE IRONY, RIGHT? A FUTURE ATTORNEY-AT-LAW WHO HATES SPEAKING? UNHEARD OF I STARTED TO GET REALLY ANXIOUS ABOUT THE THOUGHT OF ADDRESSING MY PEERS BUT THEN I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS THOSE SAME PEERS WHO BELIEVED IN ME AND WHO SELECTED ME AS THEIR VALEDICTORIAN MY ANXIETY IMMEDIATELY TURNED INTO GRATITUDE FEELS LIKE A FEVER DREAM

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE ENTIRETY OF YOUR UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE? DESCRIBE YOUR JOURNEY THROUGH UNIVERSITY INDUCING THE COVID19 PANDEMIC AND ONLINE SCHOOL

IF I HAD TO DESCRIBE MY ENTIRE EXPERIENCE IN JUST A FEW WORDS, I’D SAY “INTENSE BUT WORTH IT”

MY FIRST YEAR WAS A WHIRLWIND OF EXCITEMENT I TRIED MY BEST TO WORK HARD AND PLAY EVEN HARDER WHICH MEANT A LOT OF SACRIFICES WHETHER IT WAS PULLING ALL-NIGHTERS IN ORDER TO GO TO A PARTY, LIVING IN THE LAW LIBRARY FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS STRAIGHT, SURVIVING THE EXAM SEASON OFF OF THE RAMEN IN THE DIFFERENT EXAM PACKAGES OR LUGGING MY TEXTBOOKS AND GETTING SAND IN MY LAPTOP AFTER CLASSES JUST TO CATCH THE SUNSET SO YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE DIFFERENCE FROM MY CHAOTIC, SOCIAL FIRST YEAR TO A VERY SOCIALLYDISTANCED SECOND YEAR

I LEFT TWO DAYS AFTER THE UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCED THAT CLASSES WERE BEING SUSPENDED IT ALL HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY FROM BOOKING MY FLIGHT HOME, TO PACKING MY BAGS, TO SPENDING THE LAST COUPLE OF HOURS WITH MY FRIENDS AND THEN FINALLY FLYING BACK HOME FOR WHAT WE ALL THOUGHT WOULD BE TWO WEEKS THE PANDEMIC WAS A PRETTY DIFFICULT TIME AND I OFTEN CAUGHT MYSELF WONDERING WHETHER IT WAS WORTH IT TO EVEN PUSH THROUGH THE LLB

ADJUSTING TO THE ONLINE ENVIRONMENT WAS ALSO NOT EASY I REMEMBER DOWNLOADING ZOOM FOR THE FIRST TIME AND HOPING THAT IT WOULDN’T GIVE MY LAPTOP A VIRUS ALSO, TAKING CLASSES AND EXAMS WITH FOUR OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS AT HOME WAS NO EASY FEAT NOW AND THEN I’D SIT IN THE DRAWING ROOM WITH MY GRANNY TO TAKE AFTERNOON CLASSES AND WHENEVER HER PHONE WOULD RING DURING MY CLASSES, SHE’D ALWAYS ANSWER AND SAY, “I’LL CALL YOU BACK, I’M IN CLASS RIGHT NOW STUDYING TO BE A LAWYER”

I RETURNED TO BARBADOS IN THE SECOND SEMESTER OF MY SECOND YEAR, ABOUT SIX MONTHS BEFORE TRINIDAD RE-OPENED ITS BORDERS AT THAT TIME, I WASN’T SURE WHEN THE BORDERS WOULD BE RE-OPENED BUT I LEFT DETERMINED TO MAKE THE MOST OF WHAT REMAINED OF MY UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE THOUGH WE WERE STILL ONLINE, I LEARNT MORE ABOUT MYSELF AND REGAINED MY INDEPENDENCE THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH GROWTH FROM THE BEGINNING OF MY LLB JOURNEY TO THE END AND I DON’T THINK MARTINA IN 2019 WOULD RECOGNISE MARTINA IN 2023

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS AFTER GRADUATION FROM THE UNIVERSITY?

WHAT YOUR PLANS AFTER GRADUATION FROM THE UNIVERSITY?

I AM CURRENTLY IN MY FIRST YEAR OF LAW SCHOOL AT THE HUGH WOODING LAW SCHOOL, IN TRINIDAD LATER I I AM CURRENTLY IN MY FIRST YEAR OF LAW SCHOOL AT THE HUGH WOODING LAW SCHOOL, IN TRINIDAD LATER I WOULD LOVE TO PURSUE MY LLM IN INVESTMENT AND TRADE LAW I LOVE ACADEMIA AND WHILST I AM ENJOYING MY WOULD LOVE TO PURSUE MY IN INVESTMENT AND TRADE LAW I LOVE ACADEMIA AND WHILST I AM ENJOYING MY TIME AT LAW SCHOOL, I MISS WRITING ESSAYS, I MISS READING JOURNAL ARTICLES AND PUBLICATIONS. TIME LAW SCHOOL, I MISS WRITING ESSAYS, I MISS READING JOURNAL ARTICLES AND PUBLICATIONS AFTER THE AFTER LLM, I’M NOT QUITE SURE YET LLM, I’M NOT QUITE SURE YET

WHAT EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES WERE YOU INVOLVED IN AT THE UNIVERSITY?

WHAT EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES WERE YOU INVOLVED IN AT THE UNIVERSITY?

I’VE ALWAYS BEEN A FIRM BELIEVER OF THE SAYING, “ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY”. I

I’VE ALWAYS BEEN A FIRM BELIEVER OF THE SAYING, “ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY” I CERTAINLY LIVED BY THAT PRINCIPLE IN MY FIRST YEAR OF PHYSICAL SCHOOL! I ATTENDED ALL OF THE ISLAND CERTAINLY LIVED BY THAT PRINCIPLE IN MY FIRST YEAR OF PHYSICAL I ATTENDED ALL OF THE ISLAND ASSOCIATION CULTURE NIGHTS, PANEL DISCUSSIONS, CHURCH SERVICES, FOOD DAYS AND OF COURSE THE FETES ASSOCIATION CULTURE NIGHTS, PANEL DISCUSSIONS, CHURCH SERVICES, FOOD AND OF COURSE THE FETES (BIG UP VINSA ONE TIME) UP ONE TIME) I ALSO LIVED ON THE ILLUSTRIOUS, CASTLE ON THE HILL (EMPHASIS MINE), THE SIR I ALSO LIVED ON THE ILLUSTRIOUS, CASTLE ON THE HILL (EMPHASIS MINE), THE SIR FRANK WORRELL HALL AND FOR ANYONE WHO LIVED ON HALL, YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS FRANK HALL FOR ANYONE WHO LIVED ON HALL, UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS ALWAYS AN ACTIVITY, EVENT OR COMPETITION AS A PROUD RESIDENT OF THE BLOCK 8 DIVAS, I PARTICIPATED IN ALWAYS AN ACTIVITY, OR COMPETITION AS A RESIDENT OF THE 8 DIVAS, I PARTICIPATED IN ALL OF THE EVENTS AND EVEN WENT UP FOR THE HALLS PAGEANT! I ALSO ATTENDED DIFFERENT LAW FACULTY ALL OF THE EVENTS AND EVEN WENT UP FOR THE HALLS PAGEANT! I ALSO ATTENDED DIFFERENT LAW FACULTY EVENTS I REMEMBER FOR OUR FIRST LAW WEEK, MY FRIENDS AND I WERE SO EXTRA IN COORDINATING OUR DAILY EVENTS I REMEMBER FOR OUR FIRST LAW WEEK, MY FRIENDS AND I WERE SO EXTRA IN COORDINATING OUR DAILY OUTFITS – FROM PYJAMA DAY STRAIGHT DOWN TO SPORTS DAY I ALSO OFTEN THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE OUTFITS – FROM PYJAMA DAY STRAIGHT DOWN TO SPORTS DAY I ALSO OFTEN THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE PILED 30+ LAW STUDENTS INTO A ZR FOR SPORTS DAY PILED 30+ LAW STUDENTS INTO A ZR FOR SPORTS DAY

APART FROM THE VARIOUS UNIVERSITY ACTIVITIES, I SERVED AS THE SECRETARY FOR BOTH TTSA (BIG UP MY TTSA FROM THE VARIOUS UNIVERSITY ACTIVITIES, I AS THE SECRETARY FOR BOTH TTSA (BIG UP MY FAM) AND THE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE IN MY SECOND YEAR FOR MY FINAL YEAR, I SERVED AS THE FAM) AND THE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS IN MY SECOND YEAR FOR MY FINAL YEAR, I SERVED AS THE CHAIRWOMAN OF THE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ON THE GUILD OF STUDENTS CHAIRWOMAN OF THE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ON THE GUILD OF STUDENTS

GRADUATING CLASS OF 2022

VALEDICTORIAN-MARTINAMAGALHAESINTERVIEW

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY HAS BEEN YOUR MOST DIFFICULT SITUATION/CHALLENGE TO OVERCOME DURING THE PROCESS OF YOUR DEGREE?

MOST DEFINITELY IMPOSTER’S SYNDROME I WON’T LIE, I STILL BATTLE WITH IT TODAY – BUT IT DOESN’T WIN AS MUCH AS IT USED TO

AFTER EVERY SINGLE EXAM, I’D ALWAYS LEAVE THE EXAM ROOM WITH THIS AWFUL, SINKING FEELING IN MY STOMACH, THINKING I FAILED EVERY ASSIGNMENT I HANDED UP, I ALWAYS WONDERED WHETHER IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH I CRINGED AT EVERY SINGLE CONTRIBUTION I MADE IN CLASS. OVERTIME, I GAVE MYSELF MORE GRACE AND ADOPTED GRATITUDE IN APPROACHING SCHOOLWORK AND WORKING TOWARDS MY DEGREE INSTEAD OF ASKING WHETHER I WAS GOOD ENOUGH, I SWITCHED THE NARRATIVE TO “I’M GRATEFUL TO LEARN AND I’M GRATEFUL FOR THESE EXPERIENCES”

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE LLB AS YOUR UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE?

I WON’T LIE TO YOU, THE LLB WAS NEVER MY FIRST CHOICE IN FACT, MY MUM WAS QUITE SHOCKED THAT I CHOSE LAW YOU KNOW HOW THERE ARE SOME PARENTS WHO PUSH THEIR CHILDREN INTO STEREOTYPICAL CAREER PATHS? MY MOM WAS THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE! SHE’D ALWAYS TELL MY SISTER AND I TO STAY AWAY FROM TWO JOBS: (1) CRIMINAL LAW AND (2) POLITICS (OOPS SORRY, MUM!)

REALLY, I PLANNED ON PURSUING A CAREER IN INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION I WANTED TO WORK MY WAY UP TO THE UN AS A TRANSLATOR AND INTERPRETER HOWEVER, MY MENTORS ADVISED THAT I PURSUE LAW AS IT WOULD OPEN UP MY DOOR TO A NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES (THEY DID NOT LIE!) I ABSOLUTELY DON’T REGRET MY DECISION

WHAT, WOULD YOU SAY IS THE KEY TO BEING SUCCESSFUL IN SCHOOL?

GOD

I OWE ALL OF MY SUCCESSES TO GOD HONESTLY, THERE WERE SOME NIGHTS WHERE THE ONLY THING THAT I THINK PUSHED ME THROUGH WAS DIVINE INTERVENTION PRAYER AND WORSHIP ALWAYS GROUNDED ME AND GAVE ME THE EXTRA MOTIVATION WITHOUT HIM, I WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN THE PERSON THAT I AM TODAY

HARD WORK

NOW, I CANNOT TELL YOU THE AMOUNT OF TEARS, SWEAT AND BLOOD (NOT REALLY, I’M JUST BEING DRAMATIC) THAT I PUT INTO SCHOOL WORK AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF YOU DON’T DO THE WORK, IT’S NOT GOING TO GET DONE THE HARDEST PART IS REALLY PUTTING YOUR MIND TO THE WORK AND GETTING IT DONE SOME STUDY TIPS THAT WORKED FOR ME AND CONTINUE TO WORK FOR ME INCLUDE: DAILY SCHEDULING, THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE, ATTEMPTING PAST PAPERS DURING THE SEMESTER AND NOT RIGHT BEFORE EXAMS AND SOCIAL MEDIA BREAKS

BALANCE

EVERY PERSON’S PATH TO SUCCESS AND DEFINITION OF SUCCESS IS DIFFERENT AND I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST LESSONS I LEARNT AT THE LLB FOR SOME PEOPLE, SUCCESS IS WAKING UP AND MAKING IT THROUGH THE DAY FOR SOMEONE ELSE, IT’S READING THE ENTIRETY OF HINDS V R IN ONE SITTING I LEARNT THAT SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED TO GIVE YOURSELF GRACE AND LEARN WHEN YOUR BODY IS TIRED AS MUCH AS WE’D LIKE TO BELIEVE IT, WE AREN’T SUPERHUMANS TAKE THE BREAK, YOU DESERVE IT! GO TO THE BEACH! YOU LIVE ON AN ISLAND! GO TO THAT FETE DO THAT FACE MASK READ THAT BOOK IT’S IMPORTANT TO BE KIND TO YOURSELF AND OTHERS

TO WHOM OR WHAT DO YOU OWE YOUR SUCCESS? THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE I OWE MY SUCCESSES TO:

MY LLB IS JUST AS MUCH MY FAMILY’S LLB AS MUCH AS IT IS MINE MY PARENTS HAVE BEEN AND WILL ALWAYS BE MY NUMBER ONE SUPPORTER EVER SINCE FORM ONE, I HAVE SENT MY PARENTS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY ASSIGNMENTS TO PROOFREAD TO THIS DATE, THEY’RE ALWAYS GETTING AN EMAIL FROM ME WITH MY ASSIGNMENT ATTACHED AND A MESSAGE ON WHATSAPP ALERTING THEM TO CHECK THEIR EMAIL INBOX DO THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT I WRITE? MAYBE SOME OF IT BUT THAT DOESN’T CHANGE THE FACT THAT THEY ALWAYS READ IT THEY’RE BOTH MY ANCHORS AND A CONSTANT SOURCE OF MOTIVATION THOUGH THEY DON’T EXPECT A LOT FROM BOTH MY SISTER AND I, THEY ALWAYS ENCOURAGE US TO PUT OUR BEST FOOT FORWARDS AND ENJOY WHAT WE DO

MY FRIENDS, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM, ARE ALSO SOURCES OF MOTIVATION AND INSPIRATION AT MY TIME AT CAVE HILL, I’VE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO MEET, INTERACT WITH AND GET TO KNOW SO MANY BRILLIANT MINDS MY FRIENDS ARE ALSO THE ONES WHOM I STAYED UP WITHIN THE MSSR ROOMS PULLING ALL-NIGHTERS – READING AND TALKING THROUGH CASES, WORKING ON PAST PAPERS AND TAKING TURNS NAPPING ON THE CHAIRS THEY’RE ALSO THE SAME FRIENDS WHO ARE PULLING ME THROUGH LAW SCHOOL RIGHT NOW AND WHO MOTIVATE ME ON MY DARKEST DATES I DON’T KNOW IF THEY’RE READING THIS RIGHT NOW BUT THANK YOU I LOVE YOU ALL DEARLY

LECTURE SERIES CLA

MAGDALENAŁAGIEWSKA

LECTURE SERIES CLA

MAGDALENAŁAGIEWSKA

I HAD THE GREAT PLEASURE TO GIVE LECTURES TO STUDENTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES (CAVE HILL CAMPUS) UNDER THE ERASMUS+ PROGRAM. I SHARED MY KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHINESE LEGAL SYSTEM, INCLUDING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IN CHINA, DISPUTE RESOLUTION MECHANISMS WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION, THE"SMART COURT SYSTEM”, THE USE OF AI IN THE CHINESE JUDICIARY, AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTE: AN INTERNATIONAL LAW PERSPECTIVE AND THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE DEAN OF THE FACULTY OF LAW – PROFESSOR EDDY D. VENTOSE AND THE DEPUTY DEAN FOR GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH – DR ANTONIUS R. HIPPOLYTE FOR A WARM WELCOME AND FOR ORGANIZING MY LECTURES IN SUCH A WONDERFUL ATMOSPHERE

I REALLY ENJOYED FRUITFUL DISCUSSIONS WITH STUDENTS THEY WERE INTERESTED IN CHINA AND ITS ROLE IN THE CARIBBEAN. WE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT POSSIBLE SCENARIOS OF CHINESE INVOLVEMENT IN THIS REGION. I ADMIRED THE OPEN ATTITUDE OF THE STUDENTS AND THEIR WILLINGNESS TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW I APPRECIATE THAT STUDENTS ATTENDED MY LECTURE EVEN ON FRIDAY, NORMALLY A DAY FREE. I ALSO MET STUDENTS BETWEEN LECTURES ON CAMPUS THEY WERE INTERESTED IN CHINA-RELATED TOPICS AND EVEN ASKED ME MORE DETAILED QUESTIONS CONCERNING CHINA AND THE CARIBBEAN

ASIDE FROM THE LECTURES HELD UNDER THE ERASMUS+ PROGRAM, I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE DIRECTORS OF THE CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE AT UWI WE DISCUSSED POSSIBLE PLATFORMS OF COOPERATION BETWEEN OUR INSTITUTES IN THE FUTURE

I DO BELIEVE AND HOPE THAT THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF MY JOURNEY AND COOPERATION WITH THE FACULTY OF LAW AT UWI I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO FRUITFUL COOPERATION AND COUNTING DOWN TO BEING BACK AT UWI TO CONTINUE JOINT PROJECTS

PROF MAGDALENA ŁAGIEWSKA

PROFESSOR ALINA KACZOROWSKA- IRELAND RETIREMENT