Success Lifestyle Magazine Issue 1 - July 2018 | Page 17

Melody + Brains= Sheree

The Story of the Singing Lawyer

Some people are blessed with the right mixture of incredible talent and intelligence. Sheree Burnett is one of these people. When I initially met her , I was captivated by her beauty and charm. Her radiant personality, determination and drive have resulted in her becoming a co-director of the law firm Christian-Burnett Solicitors and Attorneys.

However, this 32-year-old powerhouse doesn’t stop there; she makes time to pursue her true love despite her demanding schedule. I caught up with her recently to learn more about her purpose and passion.

WHY CHRISTIAN-BURNETT SOLICITORS AND ATTORNEYS?

Law was something I “fell” into. I decided that I wanted to study something completely different from what I had learnt from first to fifth form. My mother was working in the legal system at the time. She suggested that law would be the right fit for me. So, I pursued A Level law and followed that path towards my career.

I did the Legal Practice Course (LPC), which is a pre-requisite to qualifying as a Solicitor in the UK, in 2012. The law firm Judge and Priestley Solicitors provided me with an amazing opportunity soon after. After working at the firm as a paralegal in the civil litigation department for over a year, the firm offered me a training contract. This allowed me to begin training immediately which isn’t usually the case for someone who has just completed the LPC. Many of the skills I use now in my firm are skills I acquired while working at Judge and Priestly Solicitors. I qualified as a Solicitor in England in Wales in 2015.

After serving 4 years at Judge and Priestly Solicitors, I returned to Jamaica to complete a 6-month programme at the Norman Manley Law School in 2016 to extend my ability to practice in the Jamaican jurisdiction. My dual qualification sparked the interest of a dear friend of mine, Brendon Christian. He founded Christian. The Law Firm. Ltd in 2012 and was running it as a one-man-show. He wanted me to join the firm as a co-director. However, I didn’t believe I was ready at the time.

Time passed, and the opportunity presented itself again earlier this year. Brendon needed help to take his firm to the next level. I obliged. The firm is now a boutique virtual commercial firm. This means that most of our business is done online. We help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) become thriving businesses by supporting the legal framework for their ideas and any legal challenges encountered.

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