Four new lawyers were admitted to the Samoan Bar yesterday, bringing to the profession the wealth of knowledge they have gained from long careers in other sectors.
The new lawyers are Leali’ifano Dr. Iopu Tanielu, 66, Fonoivasa Lolesio Fitai, 68, Vaega Lei Sam, 58, and Sasae Fualautoalasi Walter, 47.
Yesterday, they took their oaths in the Supreme Court before Chief Justice, His Honour Patu Tiava’asu’e Falefatu Sapolu during a ceremony attended by family and friends.
All lawyers undertook their studies online with the University of the South Pacific (U.S.P).
Leali’ifano, a medical doctor and surgeon, said he was excited about his achievement.
He said he knew one day he would undertake legal studies, but with his commitments to his other profession, taking time out to do so was not an option.
“I couldn’t leave behind my commitments to family and work,” he said. “And I had bills to pay and so I couldn’t go overseas to do law.
“So when the opportunity came up, I had to grab it because this was the only opportunity for me to do law. Getting my law degree is the culmination (of this).”
The course proved such a success that the U.S.P. class was invited to take a professional law class in New Zealand where at the end, they were admitted to that country’s Bar.
“The importance of this class - this is the first grandaunts that have done their degree in U.S.P. Vanuatu and then get the professional law (accreditation) from New Zealand,” he said.
“This is the pioneer class- and the first in Samoa.”
He said the time spent in New Zealand prepared them for their career in Court and other things.
“We are called the professional class and usually that part of the course is undertaken in Fiji but when this opportunity opened in New Zealand, we took it,” he said.
The new lawyer claims that obtaining his law degree and being admitted into the Bar is a great achievement.
His next step now is to apply what he has learnt to help people.
“It deals a lot with my work and I do get involved with a lot to do with law as a surgeon and practitioner,” he said.
In addition to his medical career, he said having an understanding of the law has helped in other areas of his life.
“It helps a lot with family and organising matai matters and looking after land and title,” he said.
As a former Forensic Pathologist, he was required to report to the Court and his law studies will certainly be helpful if ever he will have to return to this line of work.
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“This is my chance to help other people not only through medicine but through law and it is a very good combination.”
Leali’ifano is a proud father of seven children and 14 grandchildren.
He hails from Auala Savai’i but resides at Si’usega and Vaiala.
Fonoivasa Lolesio Fitai, no stranger in the Courtrooms at Mulinuu, was also admitted to the Samoan Bar yesterday. Fonoivasa is currently a judge and Deputy President of the Land and Titles Court.
His decision to obtain his law degree was a culmination of his many years in law enforcement and administration. He expressed thankfulness and gratefulness to God for successfully coming this far.
His career in law enforcement and law administration has spanned over 47 years.
Early in his career he was employed with the Ministry of Police, was a registrar of the Land and Titles Court, and Secretary and Chief Executive for the Public Service Commission.
When he retired from that work he started with the Land and Titles Court as a Judge in 1998. He has eight children and 22 grandchildren.
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