Born: 1932 or 1933, United Kingdom: Anguilla
Died: 10 September 2011
Country most active: Antigua and Barbuda
Also known as: NA
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
Dame Bernice Lake QC was a distinguished Anguillan jurist and legal scholar. In 1985, she became the first Eastern Caribbean woman appointed Queen’s Counsel. She was also the first graduate of the University of the West Indies to receive this honor.
Born in Anguilla, Dame Lake later lived in Antigua. After a diplomatic career, she studied law in London. In 1967, she joined the bar in St. Kitts, specializing in human rights and constitutional law.
Dame Bernice Lake played a pivotal role in crafting the Constitution of Anguilla in 1975 and contributed to framing the Constitution of Antigua and Barbuda in 1981.
She supported the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), established in 2001.
In 2004, Antigua and Barbuda honored her with knighthood and the title Dame for her contributions to the legal systems and advocacy. She also received an honorary doctorate in law from the University of the West Indies in 2007.