Kiwanis woman of excellence: Jacqueline Samuels-Brown
THE Kiwanis Club of New Kingston hosted its annual awards luncheon on June 1, dubbed Celebrating Excellence. The awards honoured five women who have made an invaluable contribution both locally and internationally.
The honourees were professor Verene Shepherd, for excellence in education and Jamaican culture; journalist Barbara Gloudon, for excellence in media and the positive promotion of Jamaican culture; Jazz diva Myrna Hague-Bradshaw, for excellence in entertainment and Jamaica culture; attorney Jacqueline Samuels-Brown, for excellence in the field of law; and dermatologist Dr Patricia Yap, for excellence in medicine and philanthropy.
We started printing the citations read to the women two weeks ago, and continue this week as we help to honour the women for their achievements.
Here’s Jacqueline Samuels-Brown.
Jacqueline Samuels-Brown, QC, affectionately known as Jackie Sam Brown, is not a church going Christian, but the essence of her legal practice is grounded in the most wonderful and fair Christian principles. These she learned early in the day, first in St Mary and later in Kingston, from her Pentecostal parents, the Reverend Albert Samuels and Leonie Samuels. She readily attributes her strong sense of fairness to the quiet example of their modest lives, and the sacrifice they made in bringing up their 10 strong, fiercely independent and intelligent children, Jacqueline being seventh in the line-up. These children are all now very proficient in their chosen fields.
Jacqueline, an accomplished professional, approaches every case with a totally open, non-judgmental ear, and an acuity that allows her to see around the corners. Her life embodies the adage that one is innocent until proven guilty. Once in your corner she is there forever. No matter the screaming newspaper headlines, she dismisses popular opinion, and is not daunted by a challenge. Jacqueline is the consummate professional, passionately representing her clients, and an uncompromising defender of the constitutional rights of her fellow citizens.
Regardless of the issue — murder, rape, white collar crimes, breach of one’s constitutional rights, or victims of brutality — all are treated equally and with respect, whether or not they have the money to pay. Justice is her benchmark. All have benefited, not only from her legal expertise, but from her amazing and caring friendship over time.
Jacqueline has been a strident advocate for the past 31 years. She has just demitted office as president of the Jamaican Bar Association. Under her stewardship, a monthly newsletter entitled Raise the Bar was introduced, providing a medium where relevant legal issues were shared with in the profession and members were updated on a regular basis. Jacqueline does not bend to the usual clichés, but is always seeking a new vision and definition of purpose, making her a stalwart for justice.
Jacqueline is committed to education and in particular to ensuring the delivery of the highest standards of practical training to potential lawyers. In addition to being a tutor in criminal practice at the Norman Manley Law School, after two years, Jacqueline has just been elected the chairman of the Council of Legal Education which oversees all the law schools in the Caribbean. Under her watch, the expansion of opportunities for study has increased with the introduction of the two shift system allowing potential students to study while they work. The pursuit of a career in law has thus been made more financially feasible.
Jacqueline will openly admit that her inspiration in the profession, and her early training ground, was under the guidance of the legendary counsel, Ian Ramsay, QC. She has followed in his footsteps in her commitment to the law, constantly representing the underdog, obtaining the distinguished accolade of Queens Counsel in May 2010.
This citation would not be complete without the mention of her heart, the wonderful joy in her life, her one and only old son, Patrick, currently a university student.
Jacqueline Samuels-Brown loves the law. She has never abandoned a client and continuously seeks to learn from each experience and each case. She has had several impressive wins on appeal. She has endless requests from her colleagues to bring new energies to their cases and enjoys the challenge and diversity of her legal practice and freely admits that the law is jealous mistress. She is cognisant of the continued support of her team, both at work and at home, making it possible for her to live her passion.
Jacqueline enjoys her own company, and has created an idyllic oasis in the hills of St Andrew where she retreats from the everyday demands of a life in the law. Her home reflects another side of Jacqueline, and is filled with her other passions — antiques and art. She is an avid gardener and bird enthusiast, and escapes to her wonderful garden overflowing with splendid flowers, and lots and lots of birds whenever time permits. Jacqueline hopes to spend time travelling and learning about new cultures in the future, but for right now, she is consumed with her commitment to the law and working tirelessly towards the satisfaction of her clients.
Jacqueline brings to the legal profession a guiding light, a commitment of diligence, a keen intellect, amazing grace, wisdom and perception with a firm pledge to her clients to always do her best, striving to do better, not only as an attorney but as a human being.
The Kiwanis Club of New Kingston salutes you Jacqueline Samuels Brown QC, former head girl of Meadowbrook High School, and chairman of the Council of Legal Education. You are truly a woman of excellence.
