More than 50 people crowded into Commercial Court 1 to witness Mark Burrows being Called to the Bar.

His pupil master, Sarah-Jane Hurrion called it “a momentous milestone in his career”.

Promising to keep it brief, she began the story long ago — in 1930.

Mr Burrows’ ancestry, she noted, can be traced back to early settlers.

“Fast-forward 360 years,” she said, before revisiting his academic career through Saltus and a bachelor’s degree in economics, Ms Hurrion addressed a three-year period in his CV that they both described as “non-legal work experience”.

She told the court that his resume from 2007 to 2010 listed “jobs in various service industries” including the Somerset Country Squire and work in construction, most notably, she recalled, as a grave digger.

His pupil master chose to describe these experiences as “a period of reflection in Mr Burrows’ life”.

Until, she said: “He saw the light.”

“Mark and I were a perfect fit,” she said.

“He’d never heard of my firm and I’d never heard of him.”

Mr Burrows had completed his LPC with a distinction at City University in London. Upon his return, then Hurrion & Partners was, as she described, “a small, boutique hedge fund litigation firm”. His pupillage was the firm’s first.

Ms Hurrion told Puisne Judge Stephen Hellman: “I’ve never regretted the decision, bar once.”

She described a trial in which there were four visiting QCs from London and her pupil’s phone went off.

“He was reprimanded,” she told Mr Justice Hellman.

“And more importantly he has promised never to listen to gangster rap again,” she added.

She spoke with admiration of “the ease with which he is able to analyse fact patterns” and his commitment to pro bono work.

“We expect great things from Mr Burrows,” she told the court. When he started a year ago he was immediately met with challenges presented by Hurricane Gonzalo. At this point they were forced to move operations to Ms Hurrion’s kitchen table.

And when the firm of two lawyers further expanded to 21 employees, Mark, she said, “took all these changes in his stride”.

She said that even though “he missed his calling as a stand-up comic, “how pleased I am that he’s accepted a position as an associate.

“I will continue to mentor him, “ she said.

Mr Justice replied: “Anybody who manages to use a phone to embarrass their own QC, should find a place at the Bermuda Bar,”.

Re-entering the courtroom in customary wig and gown Mr Burrows described his beginnings as “a situation of legal ignorance”.

“I eventually decided it was perhaps one of the best decisions I had ever made in my life,” he added.

“It feels a lifetime ago because of where I am now and where I was then.”

“Sarah-Jane was not only a hands-on pupil master, but a very caring one. It was more like being part of a family than an employee.”

Overall, he said, he’d learnt two very important lessons:

“One — 4pm means 4pm.

“And two — it is impossible to pull the battery out of an iPhone to make it stop ringing.”

Above all, he singled out his mother and father, Michael and Sarah Burrows, “for without them, we would not be standing here today”.

He later told The Royal Gazette that he wasn’t really one for ceremonies. This, he said, was for his mother.

Ms Hurrion said: “We’re so proud of him. We expect great things.”