NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (December 13, 2013) –Nevis’ most senior lawyer Mr. Theodore Hobson QC was honoured at a special sitting of the High Court in Nevis on December 13, 2013, in honour of his 50th anniversary since his admission to the Bar of St. Christopher and Nevis on November 12, 1963. Among those present were Premier of Nevis Hon. Vance Amory and other members of Cabinet.

 

 

In an interview after the sitting which was held before Acting Resident Judge for Nevis and Montserrat His Lordship Hon. Justice Albert Redhead and Acting Resident Judge for St. Kitts His Lordship Hon. Justice Darshan Ramdhani, Mr Hobson told members of the media that the milestone was one of gratification for him.

 

 

“It is very gratifying to have reached this landmark; fifty years is a long time but the great thing is, this is a profession that I love, I enjoy every day that I am in this profession and I try to encourage young lawyers to approach the profession with the same amount of zeal and pride that I do.

 

 

“It is gratifying to see so many young lawyers coming out today to support me; gratifying to see three of the Queens Counsels from St. Kitts came over and what is really more gratifying is to see the Resident Judge of St. Kitts also came over from St. Kitts to share this moment with us,” he said.

 

 

Reflecting on his 50 years as a lawyer, Mr. Hobson saidit was a long time to be in a profession but that it was a rewarding journey.

 

 

“Fifty years is a long time in this profession because it does have wear and tear and so forth because you are always concerned about other people’s problems which just takes a toll on you sometimes but it has been a wonderful journey; it’s been an enjoyable journey; it has been a rewarding journey in many respects. So of course this day is very important to me and as I said, when I was admitted to the bar here, the schools were given half day, they wouldn’t be given half day today but it has all been a wonderful journey,” he said.

 

 

However, Mr. Hobson served notice that although he had attained that milestone in the profession, he was not about to retire.

 

 

“It is not going to be another 50 years but I am not going to be kept down. I’m going to speak out and I am going to continue because I love being in the Courts and I love being in the public and making my contribution,” he said.

 

 

In an invited comment on what his advice to young persons or aspiring lawyers would be, he said the most important was to be true to whatever profession they choose.

 

 

“I think they have to be true to the profession. I think they have to love their profession. As I say, this business of Law is not something you drift into. You have to be called to do it; you have to be in love with it. Unless you are in love with it, it’s just a money making thing and you are not going to get the satisfaction that you really should get out of your profession.

 

 

“People who have this profession or any profession, every day they should love doing it; they should love to go to work and try to pull themselves [and not think]‘I don’t want to go work this morning’;‘I don’t feel like going.’ If you love your profession you want to be involved and so my advice, not only to young lawyers, but to young people, is to get into something you really enjoy doing and it is so easy and of course it is profitable to if you enjoy doing what you are doing,” he said.

 

 

Among the many persons who supported him, Mr. Hobson singled out his wife Daphne who he said had been his pillarof support. He thanked her publicly.

 

 

“I can’t thank my wife enough for her constant support over the last 41½ years. She has been a pillar of strength behind me; she has been my support. I want to thank my family, of course and all of those people who have supported me over the last 50 years. Some of them have gone to the great beyond and alot of them have travelled abroad.

 

 

“In fact, quite often when they return here they look me up and call out to me; I meet them in the streets. Sometimes I don’t even recognise them and they talk to me about what I had done forthem; even people I have prosecuted and have gone to prison and so forth, they still call out to me because they know that what I have done was fair. I am always involved in uplifting people not in bringing them down,” he said as he urged the island’s youth to adopt that approach of upliftment.

 

 

“So, my advice to young people is to take that attitude, keep your head on, focus on helping people; focus on educating people and when you do that, people are going to look to you for leadership and that is what our training is all about; offering advice, offering leadership.”