Couple completes law school together
Published:Friday | January 30, 2026 | 11:13 AMOlivia Brown/Gleaner Writer
They objected to doing it alone, and after years of briefs, late nights and legal arguments, the court of perseverance rendered a unanimous verdict: law school finished, the Jamaican Bar passed, together.
For 25-year-old Jana-Lee Henry and her fiancé Damario Patterson, 24, completing law school side by side was not a carefully choreographed plan, but a journey shaped by resilience, faith and mutual resolve.
Their paths first crossed in November 2020 in a professional setting far removed from lecture halls. Henry was a member of an interview panel for an executive position at a now-defunct organisation, while Patterson was one of the candidates. Henry, reviewing his résumé, recognised that Patterson was pursuing a degree in law. At the time, he was unaware that she was on the same path. That revelation came months later, after the two began communicating more frequently.
Law school, they shared, tests not only intellectual prowess, but personal conviction. Although confident they would finish, they expected to do so at different times, as Henry was a year ahead. That trajectory shifted when she was required to repeat her first year after failing her bar examinations, placing them in the same cohort and, eventually, the same seminar group during their final year.
The setback was devastating. “The single toughest moment I faced was finding out that I had failed my first-year bar exams. It was crushing, and honestly, there were moments when I almost threw in the towel. I questioned myself, my ability, and whether I was truly cut out for this journey,” Henry told The Gleaner. What sustained her, she said, was faith. “What kept me going was God’s promise to me, that He would bring me to the end of what He started. I held onto that promise so tightly, even when things looked dim.”
Patterson’s challenges were different. His struggle, he explained, was largely financial, as he worked to secure funding from various donors to continue his studies. Despite facing distinct pressures, both found strength in leaning on each other during moments when giving up seemed inevitable.
“We learnt to lean on each other in those seasons when we both felt like giving up. It was through those vulnerable, hard, painful times that we grew stronger, first as friends, and then eventually as romantic partners,” Henry told The Gleaner.
INVALUABLE SUPPORT
Henry described Patterson’s support during their final year as invaluable. “We did our final year together and were classmates, so he really helped me through that season. He was a constant reminder of God’s grace in my life,” she shared. “In moments when I felt overwhelmed or discouraged, he would always pray for me, speak life over me, and encourage me to keep going.”
Now attorneys, both reflect on the achievement with humility and gratitude. “This moment is actually very meaningful for both of us. It is a testament of God’s goodness to us and His faithfulness to fulfil His promises,” Henry said, adding that while the future remains uncertain, they trust divine guidance to lead them forward. Patterson, meanwhile, said the reality of graduation is only beginning to settle. “It is just starting to feel real to me. I tried not to get too caught up in everything before, because there is a long process between passing your exams, graduating, and then getting called to the Bar, so I am just now allowing myself to appreciate this milestone,” Patterson said.
Their journeys into law began long before law school. Henry attended Holy Childhood High School before completing sixth form at St George’s College, and matriculating into tertiary studies. Patterson attended St Jago High School before branching off to tertiary studies.
For Henry, becoming an attorney was always the goal. “Since I was about six years old it was a vision I carried with me, and it never changed,” she said. That lifelong ambition was tested, but ultimately refined, through adversity. Asked about the legacy she hopes to build, Henry said, “I hope to build a legacy rooted in integrity, excellence and faith… one where I am known for honouring God, serving people with compassion, and using the law to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others.”
Patterson’s passion for law also emerged early. “I’ve loved the law from as early as primary school,” he said, describing a fascination with argumentation, tact and research. The journey, he noted, required immense sacrifice, but walking it alongside Henry deepened his understanding of partnership. “Partnership is great, not just because it provides you with support, but it also compels you to be vulnerable,” he said.
Looking ahead, both remain grounded. “We have this running joke… of how our children will be able to say with pride, ‘My parents are lawyers’,” Patterson said, while acknowledging that their immediate focus is learning the profession. As a couple, he added; titles matter little. “When I look at her, I don’t see Jana-Lee Henry, attorney-at-law; I see, ‘J’, my love and best friend.”