by Reginald Andrew
These two young and affable attorneys from the law firm of Kendell M Gill Chambers mean business when it comes to plying their trade and they are in it for the long haul. Kendell Gill and Vanessa William have a yearning to achieve that level of distinction that would distinguish their business as a professional outfit of the highest standard.
These young lawyers teamed up in an endeavour to be amongst the front runners in the legal field. Kendell and his cousin Vanessa visualized the prospects of utilising their combined skills to deliver creative solutions to their clients.
Following his graduation from SMC Kendell attended the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC) and then the University of the West Indies (UWI) at Mona, Jamaica on his way to acquiring higher education. He initially worked as an assistant accountant and then did a stint as a teacher at St. Mary’s College (SMC), his alma matter.
With a burning desire to fine tune his skills, Kendell pursued a law degree in the UK with expertise in the specialised fields of business and banking law. Meanwhile, Vanessa had her eyes set on making a meaningful contribution in the law field with a heavy emphasis on corporate law as well.
Vanessa attended the St. Joseph’s Convent (SJC) and subsequently the SALCC A ‘Level division before moving on to the UWI Cave Hill Campus, Barbados and the St. Augustin Campus in Trinidad & Tobago to persue her legal education and training.
Kendell dabbles in sport, originally volleyball but now takes a swing at golf. Vanessa, on the other hand, loves literature and the lighter side of social life, and also has a keen interest in music and art.
Vanessa and Kendell chose to stick with the original name Kendell M Gill Chambers which Kendell set up but Kendell likes to refer to the business as a team. They both sat down with Dazzle Magazine to speak about their goals and aspirations and how they plan to impact the local business arena.
Dazzle: Tell us a little about your start-off in the legal profession, what motivated you to enter that field?
Kendell: First, I need to begin by stating that I gained a BSc Degree in accounting from UWI, Jamaica and following that I worked for a few years as an accountant. Interestingly, before I set out to do law I wanted to go into not just banking but in particular the legal aspect of it. However, what really motivated me was a love for business, having been an accountant, and a realisation that every aspect of business deals with law. I figured that if I really want to understand business and advise people, it would be best for me to have a detailed knowledge of the rules behind every aspect of business.
I spent five years in the UK studying for a law degree, a post graduate diploma in banking law and then did my bar exams. . I was called to the bar in England and Wales in July, 2008 and in St. Lucia in September, 2008. Coming back to St. Lucia I did not opt to go into banking but got involved in “regular law” and international financial services (offshore business). This is my sixth year working fully in the legal field.
Dazzle: What are some of the challenges you face as a lawyer and a businessman in advising clients and negotiating deals?
Kendell: I actually enjoy working in that field and what may seem as challenging to some is not so for me. I enjoy working as a lawyer and developing our business.
Dazzle: In serving your clients what are some of the priority areas you look to impact upon?
Kendell: On becoming a lawyer I learnt that efficiency is essential, not necessarily in terms of working fast, but in satisfying the clients and making sure that you solve their problems. When people question me about my work I tell them I am a problem-solver. I find solutions and that is what clients want, solutions to their problems. That is how I approach the issue. I tend not to refer to their concerns as problems but issues to be dealt with. I am solution driven.
Dazzle: What sort of clientele do you serve and how wide ranging are they?
Kendell: We are a full-service law firm. We deal with the civil side of the law and that includes everything outside of the criminal ambit of the legal profession. We facilitate diverse transactions and by transactions I mean matters dealing with contracts and commercial law. We deal a lot with the commercial and corporate side of things, purchasing and selling of land, labour laws and such matters but we also accommodate family law issues.
Dazzle: Taking into account your social obligations, do they coincide with your business outlook and approach?
Kendell: I think that every interaction with another person is a social interaction and business can be no exception- business must be considered a social interaction. We are not simply looking to get more clients and recognise that we do have an obligation to our society. We hope to visit some schools to interact with the students and talk about our profession. We are also arranging talks with different community groups and churches to make presentations on aspect of the law and our profession. Sometimes you do get clients from these events but that is not the primary focus. People need to know how law affects them.
Dazzle: Can you give us an idea of how you got involved in the legal profession?
Vanessa: Before graduating from A-Level I found myself facing the dilemma that many other young people face – that of trying to decide what t I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I did not settle on law automatically, there was no light bulb that went off in my head or guiding light leading me to a legal career. The decision I eventually made was to choose a profession that would allow me a certain amount of freedom and the ability to work on my own, if I so choose, and the law is one such profession
I have had to grapple with certain disillusionments and I actually stepped away from the profession late last year before deciding to come on board with Kendell in March this year. I liked the vision that he shared with me and decided that it was time to make that sort of move for myself. I felt it was the right time and I know Kendell very well, as we are relatives and are in a lot of ways, of like mind..
Dazzle: What is it like for a young female professional working in the legal field, is it more challenging to maintain good work ethics, bearing in mind that some female luminaries have blazed the trail?
Vanessa: It candefinitely be morechallengingcombining femininity and youth in a profession such as this. People can have a tendency to underestimate a young female in a field such as law, which sometimes conjures up the image of stoic patriarchs in white wigs, their noses in dusty books. But the challenge does not deter me from the desire to maintain a good work ethic- challenges can be invigorating if we let them be and I think that professionally, women are becoming a force in the legal field taking the example of those Women who have preceded us and who are doing well..
Dazzle: What are your views on critics who say that the legal profession is saturated with too many young lawyers?
Vanessa: I feel there is room for all of us. I truly do, because it is not about what you do but how you do it. For me, it is about distinguishing yourself.
Kendell: I do not think that the issue is just about too many young lawyers. My issue with it is that there are too many lawyers working independently. I think if there was more collaboration and consolidation it would not seem like there are so many lawyers in St. Lucia.
Dazzle: So you think there is more scope for gainful employment in that field?
Kendell: To start off, it can be challenging because in every profession you have to make your name, to be recognized. But, if you do good work people notice, and this translates to more work. However, there should be a medium whereby young lawyers stepping out of law school could get some training from the more senior lawyers. This is something that I missed. There should be a period of mentorship. For example, in the UK where I studied law young barristers must attend seminars and training sessions to fine tune their skills.
Vanessa: I agree law school teaches you theory, but in terms of the practical side which is very important, not so much. It takes time to learn the practical side of the profession. You must go through the processes and certain procedures that are associated with transactions in order to really understand them.
Dazzle: What are some of the misconceptions about the profession you would like to address?
Kendell: People tend to think that a lawyer is someone who simply argues cases but a good lawyer is one who knows how to find the law and apply it to different situations. He or she also has to be a good researcher.
Dazzle: What are your future aspirations and how do you hope to distinguish your work in that field?
Vanessa: I think that the future is bright. I hope to attain the independence that led me to the field in the first place. I want to be good at what I do because that’s the only justification to do it. There are a lot of opportunities in the field of law, you just have to prepare yourself to take advantage of them when they arise and as a young lawyer I am not deterred at all.
Kendell: We wish to grow our business in the south of the island and have committed to this goal by setting up an office in Vieux Fort. We feel it is necessary to establish a presence there. We think that we have the skills and lots to offer, in terms of our professionalism and efficiency. It is our intention to bring more lawyers on board and offer our services island-wide.
We hope distinguish ourselves by being solution driven, to take a holistic view when serving our clients and to meet these clients’ needs precisely and completely.
