By Kurt Campbell
Newly minted Attorney-at-Law, Jimelle Joseph is crediting failure for her success. Yes, failure!
“I think that failure teaches you so many things that success cannot teach you,” the 25-year-old told the News Room.
She recalled leaving High School in 2012 without any plans at that time to become a lawyer. But she went on to study pre-law at the St Roses High School before going onto to the University of Guyana in 2014.
She enrolled for the three-year law programme at the university, but was unable to complete it; she would need another year to get it done. But it was no easy climb.
“That fourth year was my year to go through a process of refinement and build character.”
With stiff competition among students who were preparing to graduate and secure one of the 25 spots at the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad, Joseph had to deal with a failing grade that kept her back for one year.
Once the hurdles of that fourth year were crossed, Joseph headed to the High Wooding Law School in Trinidad. Joseph recounts that transiting and leaving family was tough and once in Trinidad there were many days she questioned her decision.
But she persevered, making necessary sacrifices. Her message now is that failure is not the end and when encountered one must stop and take in the lesson in an effort to learn and grow.
“Stop setting standards for yourself that are the standards of someone else,” she declared.
“Some days I was like are you sure this is where you are supposed to be or do you want this…it was quite a lot.
“I do not come from a very wealthy family; I grew up very simple in the country so there was no coffer for me to say I would get in let me go in there get some money,” she added.
Joseph credits her success to the upbringing she received in the ancient county of Berbice as a child.
“My grandmother would give us simple tasks and you had some responsibility and you knew what it was like to be rewarded for your efforts.
“It was the discipline, because my grandmother is very rooted in the Church.
“We are Anglicans so you had the church life and home life and you had to be responsible for both; so that experience shaped me,” she added.
The young attorney carries with her the passion for volunteerism, something she was engaged in as a child.
“True volunteerism came about when I moved to town and I started out in Georgetown Stabroek Leo’s Club.”
Joseph also volunteered as a member of the Come Alive Network and the CDC Volunteer Corps.
She was also the Constitutional Committee Chairperson while at the Hugh Wooding Law School. And, Joseph also plays volleyball.
Joseph is not employed and with an open mind to the possibilities ahead of her, she is engaged in the job-hunting process.
“…if an opportunity arises in the private sector, I will take it, or the government I will take it… hopefully, that shot in the dark really sticks somewhere but I’m open to anything.”
Once employed, she intends to conquer the legal profession. On Friday, November 13, 2020, Joseph was admitted to the local bar before Justice Brassington Reynolds.
Her petition was presented by attorney Pratesh Satram from Satram and Satram law firm, where Joseph worked several summers while studying.
