Tuesday 7 February 2012
UK first as sisters receive Call to the Bar together
Janet and Faith-Rose Ansah
Two Nottingham Law School graduates have become the first ever sisters to be Called to the Bar of England and Wales on the same day.
Now both qualified barristers, Malawian-born Janet and Faith-Rose Ansah have followed in the footsteps of their mother, Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal Judge and former Attorney General, Jane Ansah.
The sisters moved to England in 1998 together with their parents so their mother could study for a PhD in Human Rights Law. After a change in career from nursing, Janet studied the Graduate Diploma in Law at Nottingham Law School, part of Nottingham Trent University, and then moved on to the full-time Bar Professional Training Course, while Faith-Rose undertook the LLB full-time at Nottingham Law School.
Along with the highlights of passing their exams and becoming members of the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, the sisters also count going to church with the Queen during a residential weekend at Cumberland Lodge as one of their highlights.
Janet said: "Law is a vast subject that affects us all in our everyday life. It is very dynamic and is always evolving and being reformed, this was one of my inspirations for studying law. I also enjoy working with people, and being a lawyer will give me the opportunity to act as their advocate. The challenge of the profession was very appealing to me and I was motivated by the constant hard work and dedication we witnessed from both our parents, which is required in the legal profession."
Faith-Rose added: "We chose to study Law in the UK due to the excellent standards and quality of teaching that are available at UK universities. My inspiration came from my desire to assist people in areas of their lives where they cannot assist themselves. I also had a curiosity in understanding the law and being able to understand it as the personification of the morals and values of a society."
Janet and Faith-Rose are now applying for pupillage as well as pursuing further studies.
Notes to editors:
Press enquiries please contact Helen Breese, Press Officer, on telephone +44 (0)115 848 8751 or via email, or Therese Easom, Press and Internal Communications Manager, on telephone +44 (0)115 848 8774 or via email.
