A special sitting of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in Anguilla has marked the admission of former education minister Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers as a barrister and solicitor.
The ceremony took place before Justice Raulston Glasgow at the Anguilla High Court in The Valley where she was formally called to the Bar during proceedings.
In remarks to the court, Kentish-Rogers outlined her intention to draw on her combined experience in law and public service to focus on the practical impact of legislation and access to justice.
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She also expressed support for expanding the use of mediation as a means of dispute resolution across the Caribbean.
Kentish-Rogers reflected on her early education at Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School, where she was active in debating and literary activities.
She credited teachers including Pastor Dwayne Adams, Collin Johnson and Marcel Fahie for encouraging her interest in public speaking and legal argument.
She also paid tribute to the late Don Mitchell CBE KC, describing him as an important influence during her sixth form studies and someone who demonstrated a lifelong commitment to legal learning.
A family of lawyers
Kentish-Rogers completed her early legal training at the University of Law in the United Kingdom.
She also undertook legal experience in London, including observing high court proceedings and working on complex immigration and deportation matters during an internship at Dawson Cornwell Chambers.
She was first called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2018.
In the intervening years, she worked across government and public service, including time in the executive and legislative branches, which she said shaped her understanding of how law operates in practice.
Kentish-Rogers comes from a family with a long-standing presence in the legal profession across the Leeward Islands, with several relatives having practised law over successive generations.
Among them is the late Dame Bernice Lake KC, a constitutional lawyer who played a role in shaping Anguilla’s foundational legal framework.
Her call to the Bar was moved by family members Joyce Kentish-Egan KC and Kerith T Kentish, with support from senior colleague Yvette Wallace.
It carried particular personal significance, having been arranged to accommodate senior counsel Kentish-Egan who was scheduled to travel due to health-related reasons.
In remarks to the court, Kentish-Rogers described the occasion as a deeply meaningful moment for her family, referring to it as the final act of a remarkable “bartender”.
She concluded her remarks by saying: “I am ready to serve and deeply grateful for this honour.”
The ceremony formally marks her admission to practise as a barrister and solicitor within the jurisdiction of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in Anguilla.
