For Jordan Cutts, a four-year spell working at a bank opened his eyes to the realities of the recession.

It inspired him to embark on a legal career so he could help people understand the ramifications of the financial decisions they made.

On Friday, five years after he left the bank, Mr Cutts was Called to the Bermuda Bar in front of his proud friends and family.

“When I started working at the bank the recession was just about to hit,” he said. “Over the next few years as the economic situation got worse, I saw people who were left dumbstruck because they did not fully understand the legal ramifications of the decisions they had made.

“It made me want to pursue a career where I could help provide that assistance. On top of that I had always had an interest in the law because my dad was involved in criminal law investigations.”

In 2013, the former Saltus Grammar School student left Bermuda for the University of Kent in Canterbury, England to study a Bachelor of Law degree.

After taking a year off to raise more funds for his studies through landscaping and maintenance work he returned to England again to take his Legal Practical Course at Manchester Metropolitan University. “There were certainly times when I wondered whether it would all be worth it,” he said. “There were some tough times and not just from a financial standpoint.

“There was a lot of self reflection along the way and I had to draw inspiration from members of my own family.”

In June 2015, Mr Cutts began a pupillage with Christopher E. Swan & Co. in Hamilton and learnt the legal ropes across a range of different fields under Mr Swan’s guidance.

The 31-year-old will continue to work under Mr Swan in the near future and hopes to move into civil and commercial litigation.

“Being Called to the Bar has made all that hard work worthwhile; I was awestruck to be honest,” Mr Cutts said.

“I really appreciate the opportunities that Mr Swan has provided for me and look forward to continue learning from him.”