Tennesia Malcolm, Gleaner Writer

Kedian Francis leaving the Bob Woolmer Inquest at the Jamaica Conference Centre on Wednesday, October 31. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

At only 24 years old, Kedian Francis earned the distinction of litigating in one of this year's hot-button cases - the Bob Woolmer inquest.

Having been called to the Bar only last year, Francis was selected as part of a two-member team from local law firm DunnCox to represent client, the International Cricket Council in the six-week inquest which ended last Wednesday with an open verdict.

But this feat by the young counsel, though remarkable, is situated as only a milepost on the path she has chosen. She says she was not overwhelmed when told she would be part of the DunnCox team for a case which garnered immense international attention.

Guidance

"I was happy, and confident that I could do the job," she said. A confidence boosted by the fact that she was surrounded by members of "the best law firm in the country" who would offer guidance. Guidance is something she has never been short on, with two aunts who motivated her to do well, and a teacher, Zoe Dumas, who taught her the principle of 'paying it forward'.

Her journey began in the inner-city community of Maverley, St. Andrew, where she credits her aunts, Ann-Marie Thompson-Grant and Yvonne Carnegie, for imparting life lessons. "My parents (her aunts) taught me that I had to work hard for what I wanted, bearing in mind that I was not from a wealthy background," Francis told The Gleaner.

This philosophy motivated her to stand out academically at Merl Grove High School where Ms. Dumas, her mentor and later friend, encouraged her to pursue law from as early as third form.

"She said, 'You should do law. I see you getting in straight from high school.' Students from Merl Grove don't normally get into law straight," she said.

Though she has learned to "love the law", Francis' first love was journalism. She loves to write short stories and poetry and, as a teenager, she was published quite a few times.

Though her schedule restricts her writing, she says she has a few pieces she hopes will one day make it to print.

"Hopefully, I can write for The Gleaner's Literary Arts if they'll have me - some day down the road, not now."

Her writing is limited to being one of the contributors to DunnCox's weekly column in the Financial Gleaner, dealing with matters relating to the law.

Francis has not forgotten the message of benevolence taught her by Zoe Dumas.

"She told me that if anyone has ever given you anything in life, then you should give back," Francis said. This principle influences her work with the Rotary Club of Liguanea Plains, and their involvement with the New Providence All-Age School in the Standpipe community in St. Andrew.

Giving back

Though she has not given back as much as she would like to her own community of Maverley, she hopes to remedy that situation soon. For now, Francis remains content with her work at her alma mater where she has taught CAPE law since 2005.

The optimistic approach she takes to her work is similar to her view of life, insisting on having no tales of woe.

"Being from Maverley, I know you want to hear that the roads were rocky and the hills were steep, but I never went to bed hungry," she said. "I think I've gone to school without lunch money, but there were always teachers who helped me out."

Although she had the best passes at Merl Grove in CXC exams during her time, and went on to gain three As and a B in A'Levels, placing third in the region, Kedian Francis doesn't see herself as some special prodigy from the inner city.

"There were other persons there who became lawyers, doctors, engineers," she said. "I wouldn't say that what I did was exceptional."

tennesia.malcolm@gleanerjm.com