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This Week We Feature - Young Professional - Ayana S. Hull-Brathwaite
The successful Virgin Islander, who is an Associate at Maples and Calder BVI, practising mutual funds law, currently advises clients investing through BVI companies.
“I establish mutual funds, which are investment vehicles, allowing investors to pool money together in order to invest in an underlying asset,” she said. “Usually, the reason clients come to set up their investment company in the BVI is to take advantage of the provisions of our BVI Business Companies Act 2004, which allows them to enjoy redemption proceeds from their shares tax free.”
The lawyer explained the motivation behind her perceived high-level success, recalling her childhood and father’s parenting. “My drive really comes from my father. He always pushed my brother and I to our maximum potential, giving me the momentum to strive for the highest achievements. While I could not understand then why my father was never satisfied with my efforts, I now appreciate what he did for me. Instilling such a firm discipline in me at an early age has allowed me to succeed in many areas in my academic and professional life.”
Mrs. Hull-Brathwaite expressed that success is now second nature to her. “Analysing my father’s parenting now, I no longer see the notion of success as an unreachable goal. It’s something that is within me, and whatever I pursue, I do it to the best of my ability. Now, it has become a set standard that I expect myself to achieve what I aim for.”
“I pass on this same mode of parenting to my children so that they too will do their best in any activity they chase,” the lawyer added.
The Maples and Calder employee has a vast academic background with three degrees, which has assisted her greatly in her credentials, permitting her to ascend the employment ladder. “I acquired my first degree from Florida State University, a Bachelors of Science Degree in Marketing, graduating in 1996,” she said. “I achieved an LLB from the University of the West Indies in 2003 and in the process won the Prince of Wales Chevening scholarship to the University of Cambridge to pursue an LLM in Commercial Law.”
University life proved challenging at times for the Young Professional, as she told VINO about the difficulty of juggling both family life and academic progression.
But she was able to overcome the adversities that the clash created.“Florida State University was fine because I was 18 and that was the right age for me to be at university,” she began. “When I came back from Florida at the age of 21, I worked at the BVI Ports Authority as the Administrative Manager and had two children between 1996 and 1999. Then, I went back to Law School in 1999 when my son was only six months so that was very challenging for me.”
“I remember the first time my son saw me when his father brought him to Barbados in October of that year,” she continued. “I had left in August and it was an extremely difficult time, because my son looked at me as if attempting to recollect who I was. At that point, I began to question my academic pursuits. When I came back home in December, I stood over my son’s crib eagerly waiting for him to awaken. When he finally did, he looked up at me and instantly smiled and that showed me he recognised me. From that point, everything was fine and I pursued my degree whilst keeping close to my family.”
The lawyer advised VINO that if Young Professionals are searching for employment in large international firms, academic diversity and more significantly, quality, are a couple of highly important determining factors. “International firms are always interested in the quality of your degrees. I think the academic success I achieved at the University of West Indies and University of Cambridge really distinguished my resume,” she said.
Mrs. Hull-Brathwaite achieved many awards while studying, all of which she said contributed to the vast employment opportunities she has had. “I managed to achieve the Thorne De La Bastide Prize for Constitutional Law: 2000, Reid Prize in the Law of Real Property: 2001, Time Kendall Q.C. Prize in Contract Law: 2001, the UWI Undergraduate Committee Award for Exemplary Performance in Parts I & II: 2001; and the Justice Nicholas Liverpool Prize in the Law of Trusts: 2002. At Cambridge, I also received the Mistress of Girton’s Prize for my examination results in the LLM. ”
Work experience positions furthered the Young Professional’s knowledge for her career, opening more windows of opportunity. “I won the Pegesus Scholarship at Cambridge which allowed me to do a Mini Pupillage at Wilberforce Chambers, a barrister’s chambers in London over the summer. I also obtained work experience in regulatory divisions at the Financial Services Authority in the UK and a Mini Pupillage at 3 Verulam Buildings, the leading barrister’s chambers in the UK at the time.”
From her own experience as a Virgin Islander, the Maples and Calder Associate was able to offer advice on the preferential markets that aspiring Young Professionals might want to aim for. “There is a great deal of employment possibilities for Young Professionals in the Virgin Islands: Tourism, Financial Services and General Law to name a few. From my experience, if people are striving for higher paying jobs that provide career satisfaction at the same time, the Financial Services market is still a strong and promising industry.”
Mrs. Hull-Brathwaite concluded that “My main ambition is to be successful in every aspect of my family, professional and spiritual life whilst upholding my integrity. I am very happy with where I am in my career and I hope to see us climbing out of this recession shortly so that I can enjoy some financial payback for my extended academic life.”
“In the future, I would like to be a partner at Maples and Calder and I hope to explore more of the world. Where ever I go, I wish to practise law at Maples and Calder, because it’s a worldwide firm that has locations all over the globe including London, Hong Kong, the Cayman Islands, Jersey, Dubai and Ireland. I don’t intend to stay away from the BVI forever, but a little change for a short while would be nice and welcomed,” she ended.
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