Attorney-at-law Amrita Persaud realised a childhood dream on Tuesday when she was admitted to the Guyana Bar after a three-year wait to enter law school.
She was admitted before Justice Priscilla Chandra-Hanif. Attorney-at-law Jaya Singh-Backreedy presented the petition on her behalf.

Persaud said one of her biggest challenges came before she even entered law school. She applied during the COVID-19 pandemic and spent approximately three years trying to gain admission.

“Being admitted to the Bar was a lifelong dream of mine since I was a little girl, and I've had many bumps in the road to get here. So I'm very grateful that this day has finally arrived, and I'm now able to practice my career goal,” she said.

The lengthy wait tested her determination. After she was accepted, she continued to work towards becoming an attorney.
She said the experience taught her that reaching a goal is not always a straightforward process.

“There may be times where I even told myself, maybe law isn't for me. Maybe I should try another career. But I held steadfast and I'm here now,” Persaud said.
Now that she has entered the profession, Persaud said she understands the responsibility that comes with representing people who may depend on her during difficult periods in their lives.

She intends to practise with integrity and ensure that her clients are treated fairly.

“Clients will come to me and they will entrust me with their lives possibly sometimes. And I have to ensure that they're treated fairly and that justice is upheld,” she said.

Persaud has a particular interest in family law. It developed before she entered law school, when she worked as a paralegal at a Guyanese law firm that predominantly handled family-law matters.

That experience exposed her to cases involving divorce, custody and adoption.

“I see how vulnerable the children are. So that is one of the areas I would like to practice in,” she said.

Persaud hopes to use her legal training to support families and uphold justice as she begins her career.

Having experienced setbacks herself, she encouraged other young people who may be struggling to reach their own goals not to abandon them.

“Don't give up. There will be many bumps in the road. And for me, what I learned, I learned it was all about the journey. And truly not just about the destination,” she said.