In various professions, age-old stereotypes and clichés often hold great truth and veracity. Without questioning their importance to society at large, the typical psychographic perception of attorneys is that they are arrogant and often self-absorbed. However, spending time with Zara Smith is a refreshing yet emblematic example of someone who breaks that stereotype. Outside of her incredibly engaging smile, keen listening, and refined verbal and linguistic sensibilities, Zara’s most endearing quality is undoubtedly her humility.
“I honestly think I was born to be a lawyer; my first nickname was genuinely ‘counsel for the defense.’ My parents would have me defend my older brothers in our makeshift courtroom, which evolved into me competing in the young leaders’ debate competition where my team placed second, igniting my passion for advocacy. I also gravitated towards subjects like history, literature, and Spanish and eventually got an open scholarship to study in England, even though people said that those subjects were ‘wastes’ and sciences were better. I always loved writing, reading, and speaking, and as they say, when you’re good at those things, ‘DO LAW.’ Most importantly, I also always wanted to make a difference and speak up for people who are disenfranchised. Having an affinity for children, I love that I get to be a child advocate and speak for them in court and interact with them. It’s one of my favorite aspects of the work I currently do.”
Having had a series of triumphant cases in recent times, Zara’s respect as an attorney is definitely growing in Trinidad & Tobago. What’s most compelling is that all this is happening for her while she blossoms into a revered content creator and model as well. Having worked with brands and designers like Sandi’s Angels, Elektra, and Nikitha Cornwall, Zara is carving a unique professional trajectory for herself. Two decades ago, the idea that a woman could be a full-time attorney and a model was egregious to imagine, but because of women like Zara Smith, that construct is not so far-fetched.
When we asked her what some of the transferable lessons from being an attorney to being a model were, she was transparent in expressing that “Confidence is everything! I look good and feel good, but mainly when I’m modeling, I try to become the most confident version of myself every time the camera snaps. I may be faking it because some days I really don’t feel like that, but I do the same thing and give myself the same pep talk when I go into trial. When asking cross-examination questions, I tell myself that I am that confident attorney even if I don’t feel like it at all or I feel unprepared in any way.”
On the inverse, it would almost seem as though a vast percentage of young women in Trinidad & Tobago all feel as though it’s their calling to be a model. Although there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, Zara sets a unique example depicting the necessity and feasibility of having a functional career while simultaneously enjoying the social privileges of modeling in Trinidad & Tobago. “My advice would be to tell any young woman to go for what you want. Don’t listen to the negativity or the people that say ‘But if you’re a lawyer why are you X.’ It’s 2024! We are not defined solely by our careers or the views of others anymore. It took me a long, long time to come to terms with the fact that I can be both things at once, and to this day, I still find it embarrassing if a lawyer has thoughts about what I do outside of work. But at the end of the day, it’s my life and it doesn’t affect my work. I can do both competently and confidently.”
