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To celebrate International Women’s Day on 8^th March, 2022, I had the pleasure of interviewing a leading female member of the legal profession in the Caribbean.

Jo-Anne Xavier-Cuffy, LL.B(Hons) L.E.C; . LLM(UWI), is the Financial Crimes and Justice Associate with the Financial Crimes Team funded by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and implemented by the National Center for State Courts.

Since being called to the Bar in the Commonwealth of Dominica in 2012, Mrs. Xavier-Cuffy has held the position of Senior State Attorney in the Chambers of the Attorney General in Dominica, presented on civil matters before the Court including the Court of Appeal, and presented training sessions on civil recovery matters. She also mentored young attorneys.

Mrs. Xavier-Cuffy is also a global finalist for the award in “Outstanding Cooperation with Regional Partners” from the International Law Enforcement Academies (ILEA). The awards are scheduled for 25-27^th April 2022.

We spoke remotely to discuss the growing presence of women in the Caribbean legal profession, the importance of female legal leaders, and what her aspirations are for the next generation of female lawyers. Here are her responses to my most pressing questions. 

Why is it important to have female leaders in the legal profession? 

Women bring their passion to the legal profession, along with a caring attitude, attention to detail and a personal touch. The different approach of female lawyers can often be helpful in dealing with clients – particularly in the case of clients who have faced domestic violence and abuse.

Female Caribbean attorneys have made great strides over the years, especially since Eugenia Charles, who was the first female lawyer in Dominica, and Dominica’s first and only female Prime Minister to date. We now have many more female parliamentary leaders and representatives which is a positive signal to young women.

I’m hopeful that female leaders can create another era of mentorship for both young female and male attorneys.

How do you feel about the growing numbers of young female lawyers in the Caribbean?

It is brilliant to see. There’s always room for more. I would like to see more women on the bench. In general, I would like to see more women in senior legal roles whether it’s as Solicitor General or Attorney General. It can only be good for gender equality.

Also, it’s by nurturing and teaching everyone on an equal footing that we should bring more women into senior roles in the first place. Everyone should raise each other up.

What do you see the future of women in the legal profession?

I would like to see more women moving into criminal law which, in my opinion, has been traditionally dominated by men. Women are just as capable as men of dealing with criminal law cases, and I think their increased inclusion will benefit both clients and the development of the criminal legal system as a whole.

It was my interest in criminal law that initially led me to study law however I got into the Chambers of the Attorney General found myself doing civil law and my current work in financial crime law enforcement. I love what I do.

How can law firms help their female lawyers to get ahead?

A lot of mentoring needs to take place to put women on a solid footing. I had a full career in teaching before I entered the legal profession, but I was fortunate enough to benefit from a mentor at the University of West Indies who helped guide me and provide career advice.

I would love to see more mentoring available to female attorneys. Additionally, firms should take it upon themselves to teach leadership skills to all young attorneys.

Do you have any final words on International Women's Day?

I think it’s great to see female attorneys highlighted in the legal profession like this by ����Ӱ�� and would like to see more of it in my jurisdiction. There should be more recognition and celebration of women who have served in this profession for a long time.

Other than that, I would like to reiterate the importance of teaching leadership skills to female attorneys and providing mentorship to assist with their career progression.