A pupil at ASW Law was Called to the Bar yesterday.

It was a degree in global development studies that first sparked her interest in law, Samantha Saunders told the The Royal Gazette.

Ms Saunders completed her undergraduate at Western University in London, Ontario before taking another degree in law in the UK.

“The courses that I took had a large emphasis on advocating for marginalised people and understanding legislation. Even though it wasn’t itself a law course, it involved a lot of law, and so that’s really what motivated me to study law,” she told The Royal Gazette.

After completing her second degree at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, England, Ms Saunders took her Legal Practice Course (LPC) at BPP law school before finishing her training contract at ASW.

“It’s been great,” she said of her experience in the firm’s corporate department. “I’ve had a lot of diverse work.”

“Being that Bermuda’s main industry is international business, it’s really interesting to be a part of that and to contribute in any way. I’ve always wanted to be a part of the bigger picture, if I was practising law in the UK, for instance, maybe I would have wanted to do something like human rights where I could really see how my work was contributing to society, but in Bermuda corporate and international business is the main industry. It was the natural path.”

Ms Saunders has recently been invited to join the board of the Women’s Resource Centre.

Rod Attride-Stirling, chairman of ASW, said with a smile: “We commend her for this and encourage it because we know it won’t interfere at all with her billable hours.

He added: “The fact that a young Bermudian like her is identified as being of value to an organisation like that is a great one and we’re very proud of her.”

So impressive were her credentials and squeaky clean her reputation that Mr Attride-Stirling said he failed to find anything “scandalous” in researching her character, only noting in jest that she was a “yogini” and “contortionist”.

He said: “The reality is this, we’re all secretly jealous of her flexibility. That is the worst that can be said about Ms Saunders.”

Standing before the court, Ms Saunders said she felt “humbled and privileged” to become the newest member of the Bermuda Bar describing it as “an intellectually challenging, personally fulfilling and dynamic profession”.

She said: “There were times along the journey when I was fraught with doubt about my ability or as to whether law was the right choice, but the knowledge that I would be entering an industry with so much versatility gave me the strength to persevere.

“As I stand here before my family, I am reminded of how fortunate I am to have been raised in a family full of educators and social activists, who’ve spent their lives in service to others. With that background, I am incredibly motivated to serve the legal fraternity and the Bermuda public in general with integrity and to the best of my ability.”

Ms Saunders thanked her family, and particularly her parents “for having a completely irrational high level of faith in [her]”

She also thanked her scholarship providers — ABIC and Marshall Diel and Myers ­— and her team at ASW “for creating such a meaningful learning culture”.

She said: “Becoming a member of this respected tradition is an honour I will cherish for the rest of my life.

“As I launch into a new and challenging career, I am humbled by the support of those here today.

“I look forward to proving myself as a committed and competent member of the Bermuda Bar.”

Puisne Judge Stephen Hellman accepted the bid, saying: “Today is only the beginning.”

Mr Justice commended ASW as “a firm that takes seriously in reflecting the wider community of which it is a part.”

Continuing with the theme of the afternoon, he said: “your interest in your yoga, I think, is a good example of something which is both mental and physically stimulating and will not only enrich your life, but enrich your practice.

“Have a good future.”