Michaela B.E Swallow: Breaking Legal Barriers

WHEN WOMEN IN LAW LEAD

Perspectives. Positionalities. Politics

When Women in Law Lead is a blog series using storytelling and legal narratives to showcase how African women in law and leadership are transforming legal institutions and contributing to justice, the rule of law, and women’s empowerment. In a round of engaging questions, we delve deeper into the perspectives, positionalities and politics of women’s leadership in law.

In a world where justice and the rule of law are unbalanced, the inspiring story of H. E. Amb. Michaela B. E Swallow, the immediate past President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association, rekindles hope and trust in the African legal system. Her passion for ensuring justice and order for women and girls fuels her to defy the odds and advocate for change within the judicial system. Her grit, diligence and commitment to the welfare of others remind us of the enormous potential women wield and their transformative contributions to ensuring equity and justice in an unfair world. In a profession historically dominated by men, engaging the experiences and life lessons of a woman legal trailblazer who has triggered key legal reforms is refreshing. Here are some inspirational highlights from our conversation with her:

IAWL: Briefly, please tell us who Michaela Eddinia Swallow is and what inspires her.

MICHAELA: I am a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Sierra Leone, a wife and a mother of three. I am currently the Deputy Permanent Representative Legal Affairs of Sierra Leone to the United Nations.   I am the immediate past President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association, immediate past Chairman of the West African Bar Association. I also served as Judicial Service Commissioner  to the Judiciary of Sierra Leone and Governing Council member at the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and International Bar Association. These roles required significant personal sacrifices, but my dedication to justice has always been unwavering. My inspiration comes from a passion to fight injustice and ensure access to justice for all. I aspire to live in a just and equitable society where gender or social status is not a hurdle to fulfilling one’s potential and a society where justice is not delayed or denied. Over the years,  this aspiration has guided my professional pathway. 

IAWL:  How long have you served as President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association, what motivated you to run for office? 

MICHAELA: My journey as a leader has been one of personal and professional growth. Serving two terms as President and immediately preceding that, one term as Vice President, I experienced firsthand the challenges and concerns of lawyers and the Bar Association. This experience, coupled with my aspiration to address those challenges and concerns, has guided my life’s journey  and led to significant achievements.

IAWL: How would you rate the success of the Sierra Leone Bar Association before and after you took over the reins of leadership?

MICHAELA: Leadership is not a solitary endeavour. Under my leadership, the Association initiated measures to promote the welfare of its members; robustly advocated and participated in legal reform processes; engaged in pro bono legal and charity work; supported capacity building of lawyers through training programmes; and improved the relationship between the Bar and the Bench. At the international level, I also improved the global standing of the Association through collaboration and networking with international associations of legal practitioners.

IAWL: What would you classify as your topmost contribution as a leader to the Sierra Leone Bar Association and the country?

MICHAELA: I can classify my topmost contributions as a leader focusing on three areas: legislative reforms, efforts on peace consolidation, and pro bono activities

• Regarding legislative reforms, I recognized that many of our laws were either outdated or not progressive in modern times. Therefore, I advocated for significant legal reforms under my leadership and collaborated with various organisations to build consensus around the reforms. As a result of the successful advocacy and collaboration, Parliament repealed the 55-year-old seditious and criminal libel law, abolished the death penalty, amended the sexual offences Act to protect women and girls and enacted several pieces of legislation such as the new Criminal Procedure Act, the Gender Equality and Empowerment Act, Cyber Security and Crime Act and National Land Commission Act.

• On Peace Consolidation efforts, before the June 2023 presidential and parliamentary elections, we organized a national peace declaration, the York Declaration. The purpose of the declaration was to commit political parties and other national stakeholders to supporting peaceful elections. Beyond the peace declaration, we also began nationwide sensitization on electoral laws and served as election observers.

• As a leader, I passionately care about access to justice. Therefore, I designed a DEMS Project under my leadership that rehabilitated the Kingtom Remand Home for Juveniles. The project also provided free legal services to Juveniles who could not afford legal representation and can proudly report a significant 90% acquittal and discharge in the cases undertaken. The project also provided social counseling, skills training, and skills training materials for inmates to reduce their chances of returning to a life of crime once released.

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IAWL: What have been/were your other contributions as a leader of this organization?

MICHAELA: I contributed to several other areas, including continuous education for legal practitioners through quarterly training facilitated by certified international institutions. These trainings covered a range of subjects, from local legislation and international treaties to advocacy and arbitration. Training Indigenous Advocacy Trainers and establishing the Advocacy Training Committee, which comprises both Judges and Lawyers, to conduct continuous legal education for legal practitioners locally.

• Strengthening social networking through annual dinner programmes, Bi-annual Award ceremonies, soirees for lawyers and judges and reigniting the long-lost tradition of social evenings with the Bench.

• Establishing partnerships between the Bar in Sierra Leone and International Bar Associations.

• I also built the reputation of the Bar Association and engaged in serious national issues that promote human rights and good governance.

IAWL:  From your experience as a woman leader, what difference does having a woman at the topmost position in the Sierra Leone Bar Association [and other legal organizations] make?

MICHAELA: Women have attention to detail; it is a sixth sense that we possess. This is a good advantage because a great leader must be meticulous in dealing with national affairs. Additionally, a woman leader also brings empathy to leadership because, as a mother or caregiver, a woman is always caring for people around her. Equally, our societies are mostly male chauvinistic, which exerts enormous pressure on women to deliver and to be on par with men. Incidentally, this pressure has driven many women to deliver and be more result-oriented. Therefore, with a combination of attributes such as meticulousness, empathy and results-driven, women as leaders at the top make a powerful difference for any organization. I can proudly say the Sierra Leone Bar Association enjoyed that for four years under my leadership.

IAWL: From your experience, what are the main contributors to the success of a woman leader in the legal domain in Sierra Leone?

MICHAELA: Sierra Leone has a long history of women leading the Bar, with the first in 1967. I am the fifth female president of the Sierra Leone Bar Association, so we have an admirable legacy to build on. The support of our male colleagues is the greatest contributor to our success. Ours is a male-dominated profession, and sadly, more often than not, our female colleagues do not have time to spare because of their commitment to their families and children, whilst others are not half as interested/invested as our male counterparts. So, once you get the support and respect of your male colleagues, who are by far the majority, the rest is history.

IAWL: Based on your experience, what would you say are the major challenges for a woman leader in the Sierra Leonean legal domain?

MICHAELA: There is a popular saying in the Sierra Leone legal domain, “There are no ladies at the Bar,” and our colleagues take that in every sense of the word. You are treated as an equal by your colleagues. The aspersions usually come from people outside the profession who usually think a woman may not deliver. The usual ‘only female in the room’ syndrome at top-level meetings or engagements still remains the topmost challenge, but once they find out that you know your stuff, the respect you deserve is accorded easily.

IAWL:  From these challenges you have encountered as a woman leader, what would be your advice/recommendation(s) to other women ascending to leadership positions in Law?

MICHAELA: Always be prepared. Own your space because no one is going to give you a free pass just because you are a woman. You may need to work twice as hard because you are a woman, so put in the work. But most importantly, be confident, take the front seat, speak up and don’t let anyone stop you from being heard. Colleagues see a legal practitioner, not a female unless you give them a reason to believe that you are not up to the task, as “there are no ladies at the Bar”.

Conclusion:

We are particularly inspired and spurred to action by the resilience and tenacity exhibited by Ms. Michaela Eddinia Swallow through her journey as a legal practitioner and an exceptional leader. Despite popular Sierra Leone saying, as noted by Ms. Swallow, that “there are no ladies at the Bar,” she is a living testament to the fact that not only can there be ladies at the Bar, but they can equally excel and make a difference at the “table of men.” Every woman can successfully journey through the legal profession and leave an indelible mark. It is time to arise, defy the odds and leave a lasting legacy in the legal profession. Together, we can build the gender-equitable legal space we all long to have.