A special sitting of the High Court of Justice was held on Thursday to officially mark the elevation of Renée Tamara St Rose to King’s Counsel, the youngest Saint Lucian to receive the prestigious title and only the second woman to achieve the distinction.
Her appointment took effect on April 2.
St Rose, 46, acknowledged the honour, one of the highest in the legal profession, as both a recognition of her past contributions and a call to higher service.
“It is clear that today marks a new beginning – a reward for what I have done in the past, but an indication of the expectation and responsibility for the future,” she said. “A future I look forward to and undertake to work and strive to provide the outstanding services expected of King’s Counsel.”
Called to the Bar in Saint Lucia in 2002, St Rose has spent the most notable stint of her legal career at Peter Foster & Associates, now known as FOSTERS, where she is a partner. FOSTERS is the only Saint Lucian firm with two King’s Counsel: the first being Peter I. Foster.
At Thursday’s ceremony at the Financial Administrative Centre, members of the legal fraternity praised St Rose’s commitment to excellence, her deep knowledge of the law, and her willingness to support unrepresented clients. Peers highlighted her strong advocacy in the High Court and her work across corporate and commercial law, litigation, insolvency and restructuring, conveyancing, and public law.
Beyond her legal practice, St Rose has served in a wide range of public and professional roles. She is a former president of the Saint Lucia Bar Association, a member of the OECS, International, and Commonwealth Bar Associations, and has served on the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court’s Rules Committee, the Public Service Commission, and the Legal Aid Authority, which she once chaired. She also sits on the Bar’s Disciplinary Committee and the Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy.
In a message to young lawyers, St Rose encouraged early-career dedication. “I know much is said about work-life balance,” she said, “but I truly believe that if you first give this profession your absolute best, you will find that balance and still hold fast to your ambition.
“Hold yourselves to the highest standard and never doubt that you can stand here too one day. This is all within your reach, as it was mine.”
