The legal community mourned the passing yesterday of one of its pioneers and trailblazers.

As the first female black barrister, Dame Lois Browne Evans broke ground for all women in Bermuda, when she was called to the Bermuda Bar in 1953.

And the Bermuda Bar Association yesterday expressed its sadness at the news of a woman whom it said should be an inspiration for all Bermudians.

A statement from the Association said: “She was an outstanding and respected member of the Bermuda Bar. In 1953 it was no mean feat for a young black woman to become a barrister when the profession was the bastion of white men.

“She embarked on her chosen career path with courage and fortitude and in doing so paved the way for many women to follow in her footsteps.

“Dame Lois will be sorely missed by her fellow members of the Bar and will be remembered as an inspiration to us all. Our thoughts are with her family and close friends at this difficult time.”

Born in 1927 on Parsons Road, Dame Lois went on to complete her Bachelor of Law degree at King’s College, London, in 1952 and was called to the British Bar in June, 1953 at the age of 26.

In December of the same year, she was called to the Bermuda Bar where Chief Justice Trounsell Gilbert formally admitted her.

It was in January of the following year that Dame Lois opened her own chambers, the Lois Browne Chambers, in Church Street.

James Astwood was the Chief Justice between 1977 and 1993 and remembered Dame Lois fondly.

He said: “Dame Lois was a very likeable person. I found her to be a very capable and forceful lawyer. She represented her clients very well.”

Last night the current Chief Justice Richard Ground said: “Her history is in many ways the history of Bermuda. Her contribution to justice in Bermuda is immeasurable. The legal community has lost one of its leading lights. She had pioneered for women at the Bar when it was difficult both for her sex and race to do so. She blazed a trail where many have followed.

“I would say half of the women in the Bar now are female. Where she led, many followed.”

And after years spent building her case load, Dame Lois expanded her Chambers by taking on a number of associates.

One of the first was Frederick Wade, who would later become her first and only partner in the firm. And in 1983 her practice was renamed Browne and Wade.

Adding to more firsts, Dame Lois was appointed Attorney General in 1998 after the PLP won the general election for the first time.

Not long after her appointment to AG, she was made a Dame. She was the second female in Bermuda to receive the honour — the first was her geography teacher, Marjorie Bean.