At a sitting of the High Court in Anguilla on Wednesday 30th June, 2021, Anguillian Barrister Kennedy Walter Hodge, who was called to the Bar of England and Wales in November 2019, was called to the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Anguilla Circuit, by Justice Shawn Innocent. The Call for his acceptance to the Bar was moved by the Honourable Attorney General, Mr. Dwight Horsford, who was his Pupilmaster during his pupilage at the Attorney General’s Chambers.
In moving the Call, Mr. Horsford stated that the experience and journey detailed in the affidavits supporting Mr. Hodge’s application to join this very ancient and noble profession indicate “a peculiar perseverance and persistence, which reveal a certain aspect of character that is commendable and one which could, if maintained and applied steadfastly and pursued further, augur well for the profession as well as the applicant himself. These affidavits show, for a man undaunted by his dream and reaching that dream, that time is no impediment at all to the accomplishment of one’s dream. And as much as today’s proceedings of this application account for the pursuit of that dream and the fulfilment of qualifications for admission, the applicant should know, and I believe, understands that this is not an end but a beginning”.
Mr. Horsford stated that what belies the formality associated with admission to the bar in our jurisdiction is “not a desire for ceremony and sense of importance, but it is connected to a very ancient imperative – that this ceremony, this process, is intended to remind the applicant … that there are very profound and serious obligations which he must undertake … that the advocate must be a person of integrity, trustworthy, steadfast in the pursuit of justice and interests of clients, courteous to the court, because this is a tradition founded on the mutuality of politeness and courtesy between the bar and the bench, above all, honesty, so that the advocate does not mislead the court with invented case law and manufactured principles, but that the advocate knows that when a case is against him, he must be honest and forthright in court and explore other avenues of resolution which exist.”
The Court was then addressed by two members of the Inner Bar, Mr. Thomas Astaphan QC, who is Anguilla’s senior legal practitioner, and Mr. Kerith Kentish. Mr. Astaphan stated “Mr. Hodge’s journey was long, entertained many mountain tops and valley bottoms, bends in the road, forks in the road, good and bad, high and low, but, not only remarkably but admirably, regardless of the status of the journey and the stage of the journey, he was always pleasant and optimistic. Nothing could keep him back, nothing could keep him down. And that quality, if used properly at the Bar, could assist him to perform his fundamental and primary duty, which is to the Bench, for indeed, his primary obligation is to the Bench, to the Court, not to his clients, because it is not a game nor a competition when lawyers oppose each other at the Bar. It is a search and quest for justice, and in that journey to justice, at all times, the barrister must uphold not only the traditions but the essence of the profession, that is to say, honesty, forthrightness and faithfulness to the courts and to the law. Within that context sits peacefully and comfortably, the barrister’s obligation to the client, and at no time must a barrister step outside of that context in search of a “victory” for their client, and I wish my learned friend would ponder that so that as he embarks upon his latest career, and he is a man of many careers, he does so jacketed with the principles which are supposed to guide him in the practice of law.”
Mr. Kentish, speaking on his own behalf, as well as that of his family and his colleague Joyce Kentish QC, stated that he wished to note on record: “I have the greatest confidence that Mr. Hodge will, and in fact, I know he will, be one of our sharpest minds at the Court”, backing his claim by reference to Mr. Hodge’s ability to conduct very quick research in a very quick, skilled, principled way that the Court would certainly find helpful and very useful, and also through occasional discussions with Mr. Hodge on legal principles and strategies which he was
confident Mr. Hodge would apply. He however cautioned Mr. Hodge that “the law is, as we say, a jealous mistress, a profession that can at time consume us beyond what we anticipate.” He therefore said, referencing Mr. Hodge’s family present, “they are the persons who have supported you – when you went off just after Hurricane Irma – when no one had really been thinking about pursuing studies financially or physically or whatever. You have the support of your family. They are all here this morning to congratulate you and see you through the end of your journey, so in all that you do, make time for the ones who love you.”
After swearing an oath to uphold the rules of the court and profession, Mr. Hodge was robed by Senior Crown Counsel in the Attorney General’s Chambers, Mrs. Nakishma Rogers-Hull.
and Clement Ruan
In his response, Mr. Hodge thanked the Court for regarding with favour his application to be called to the Anguilla Bar. He then thanked a number of persons for the roles they played in helping him arrive at this point. He began with his mother, Olive Hodge (82), the widow of his father the late Walter Hodge, mother of 6 of which he is the eldest, heroine of the Anguilla Revolution, and last surviving member of her parents’ children. “That she has lived to see this milestone in her eldest child’s life gives me great joy. All those nights that she stayed up with me in my early years as I fought debilitating asthma; all the cursing she expended energy on demanding that I get into my books; all the girlfriends she ensured I wouldn’t get because I had to study instead of play; and the unwavering support and encouragement she has always given me in life, they have all paid off, Mummy.” He expressed regret that his late father was not there to see this day, whereas if he had pursued his lifelong dream earlier, he could have been.
He then thanked the following: his childhood friend Dr. Patrick Vanterpool for pushing him to finally go off and pursue his legal studies in 2017, as well as Clement Ruan, his brother Tyrone Hodge, and Harold Ruan, all of whom also pushed him to go off to pursue his legal studies; his sister Diane Smith and her daughter Shari for bringing to his attention that there were university courses available in England which could enable him to do a Master of Laws in less than a year and then the Bar Training Course in the following year, so that he would not have to be away from home in Anguilla for more than 2 years – they showed him the path; Cecil Niles, John Benjamin QC and Rhona Roydon for providing references at short notice; Thomas Astaphan QC for answering his question on the acceptability of English legal qualifications in Anguilla; his wife Olivia and children Tiffany, Darren, Kenvia and Kenwal for being understanding and supportive of him being away from home for two years; his church in Liverpool, UK; Veronica “Nica” Davis and daughter Ashanda of Blowing Point who lived in Liverpool and is now in Anguilla for their overflowing generosity and outstanding company, who after a Sunday morning walk to their church where they lifted him up, fed him at their home with mountainous plates of typical Anguilla lunch and great Anguillian company, and gave him a bag when leaving filled with enough food to last him the next four days so that he practically did not have to buy food during his Master’s programme in Liverpool; fellow Bar School student Chela Odvil of the BVI who would not let him slack off in his studies and pushed him relentlessly until he achieved his exam success; his cousin Agnita “Neety” Parris in Slough, UK for her unending support; his brother Tim and his wife Josette, and sister Ethne Richardson, for financial assistance during his studies; his brother Gareth, the pastor of his church, and his wife Joan, for their spiritual support; and his brother Benny who always called to see how he was doing. Mr Hodge had special thanks for, and saluted the staff of, the Attorney General’s Chambers, saying “all I can say to them is thanks. But it somehow seems inadequate – the warm welcome they extended to me, the kind and respectful manner in which they treated me throughout my pupillage there, their willingness to teach me, I will always remember and honour”.
Finally, Mr. Hodge thanked his Pupilmaster the Honourable Attorney General Dwight Horsford, stating, “it is no small privilege to have as one’s Pupilmaster the Honourable Attorney General of the Territory. And especially one so esteemed throughout the region as Dwight Horsford. AG, I am humbled that you accepted me as your pupil, proud beyond measure that you were my Pupilmaster and felt sufficient confidence in me to move my Call before this Honourable Court. I thank you, and particularly for the innumerable hours you have spent teaching me the law.”
In conclusion, Mr Hodge said, “I have thanked all these persons, milord, not simply to say thanks, but to bring home to all listening that one cannot achieve one’s goals on one’s own. At every step, somebody plays a role in helping you advance past that point. And to tell all my family, friends and colleagues: if you don’t keep your goals in the forefront of your mind at all times, and focus on steps that will take you toward those goals, you will one day find yourself singing Elvis Presley’s song – Gee ain’t it funny how time slips away.” He pledged to not countenance the wasting of the Court’s time, to steer well clear of unethical behaviour, to assist the Court to maintain the just rule of law so vital to the well-being of a functional society, and never to forget the overriding objective of the court, nor the foundational fact, that as a barrister, his duty is to the Court.
Mr. Hodge’s academic achievements and prior legal training include: Call to the Bar of England & Wales, Gray’s Inn, London, UK, November 2019; Civil-Commercial Mediation Training Course, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK June 2019; Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice at the Bar (Bar Professional Training Course), Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK 2018 – 2019; Master of Laws (Qualifying Law), John Moores University, Liverpool, UK; Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Telecommunications Systems Design & Management, Anglia Polytechnic University, Essex, UK (now Anglia Ruskin University) 1990 – 1992.
