Hard work, dedication and drive are all qualities that have helped Shayla Hassell to embark on her “dream career”

However, more than any of those gifts, it is the love and support of her family that have enabled the Bermuda College graduate to qualify as a lawyer.

At a Call to the Bar ceremony yesterday, Ms Hassell said that her achievement would not have been possible without her support system “that has poured into my success for many years”.

Speaking with “a full heart and humility”, she said: “My village is large, and I am grateful for each and every one of you.

“On this day, I must thank, specifically, Judy Hendrickson, Karen Hendrickson and Antoine Hassell.

“This has been a long and sometimes daunting journey, but the three of you always went the extra mile to support and comfort me through long nights in the library and preparing for countless assessments.

“This is only the beginning, and I pray that you are present for each milestone from this day forward.”

Ms Hassell then became emotional as she paid tribute to her late father, Mark Brian Austin Hendrickson.

A tearful Ms Hassell said: “This is a bittersweet accomplishment as you are not here physically, but I feel your spirit. I hope, as your only child, that I have made you the proudest father today in heaven.

“Not a day goes by that I don’t think of you and miss you immensely.

“Thank you for your life lessons and many words of encouragement during our lifetime together. Thank you for passing on your love of music, cooking and fishing to me.

“Your words that I will always remember are ‘silver and gold will vanish away but a good education will never decay’.

“Your choice to educate me in my earlier years has bought me to this moment, and for that I am thankful. The memories I have of you are in my heart. You have always been a positive force in my life. You mean everything to me.”

Ms Hassell, who served her pupillage at Marshall, Diel and Myers under the mentorship of Katie Tornari, went on to thank the firm for inviting her “to join their warm, professional community and work alongside some of the best legal minds in Bermuda”.

She said: “It has been an honour working with you as I continue to benefit from your leadership, experience and knowledge. Thank you investing in my legal training and fostering my skills. You have helped to shape my knowledge of the law and made the transition into the legal field as seamless as possible.”

Ms Hassell told a packed courtroom audience — guests had flown in from the Caribbean, Ghana and across the United States — that a career in law had always been her ambition.

She said: “For it to come true is amazing.

“But becoming a lawyer, as No 1 on my list, was followed with back-up careers, if the pressure of studying law became too nerve-racking.

“As my studies progressed, I realised that the safety net of other careers would only hinder my determination to become a lawyer.

“Once I removed the safety net, there were no boundaries blocking my ability to work at my full potential to achieve this goal. One of the many things I learnt throughout my journey to the Bar, and to this day, is to trust the process.”

Ms Hassell, who graduated from the University of Buckingham before taking her Bar exams at the BPP University Law School, noted that education had always been paramount in her family.

She said: “Mine included attending boarding school in the Caribbean at a young age, including completing secondary school as a boarder in Jamaica, with an associate’s degree at Bermuda College.

“Deciding to study at my own pace worried some family members as I was not moving at their pace. On my terms, I decided to move towards my goal by commencing my law studies in the UK.

“This proved to my family that I can make major life decisions on my own, and with confidence. The decision to work at my pace has bought me to this very moment and has placed me in this very position.

Describing her career path as “filled with peaks and valleys“, Ms Hassell concluded her submissions before Puisne Judge Larry Mussenden by saying: ”I am mindful of the high calling attached to this profession, which requires its practitioners to uphold and abide by the moral standards inherent to our work.

“From this day forward, I commit to working with perseverance to stand alongside my fine and illustrious colleagues in the service of our clients. My commitment is be respectful and respected throughout the years ahead.”