Love in session - Law couple called to the Bar

When the world was in lockdown and uncertainty was the new normal, two young university students were quietly building a story of faith, love, and resilience.

Damario Patterson, fresh from St Jago High School, stepped onto The University of the West Indies, Mona campus, in 2020, unsure of how he would finance his law degree or navigate a world turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The world was in chaos and I was still trying to figure out how I would be financing the degree programme," Patterson recalled.

Meanwhile, Kingston native Jana-Lee Henry was already into her law degree, balancing dreams, creativity, and the pressure of pandemic-era study.

"I was really focused on just getting through and completing my degree despite all the COVID-19 challenges," she said

A creative at heart - as a singer and theatre lover - her path to law started early.

"From the age of six, I knew I wanted to become an attorney," she said.

Their paths soon crossed, and what started as friendship soon became a lifeline. Patterson and Henry became study partners, prayer partners, and each other's source of strength. When Henry stumbled--failing her first-year Bar exams--she found encouragement in her faith and in Patterson's unwavering support.

"It was really hard, and I questioned whether I belonged in law school at all. I came so close to giving up," she said. Faith and a reminder of why she started kept her grounded.

"Looking back at the photo of my six-year-old self on career day motivated me so much," she said.

Patterson was facing his own battles - financial strain, emotional weight and lofty expectations.

"Even when sometimes there was nothing that could be done financially, my support system kept me sane and emotionally regulated," he said. "I owe it all to my support system, chief of which is Jesus Christ. Then there is my family, friends and colleagues, and of course J[ana-Lee]."

He added: "J knows that I can get in my head and try to solve things by myself because I don't want to stress her, and though I meant well, she helped me to realise that that is a selfish and harmful mindset. So often, being able to share what I am experiencing with her, helped. And she would encourage me, pray with and for me, and help me in any way she could."

In their final year, when Henry struggled with accounts, Patterson stepped in.

"I know she's not a fan of maths or accounts so when we had an accounts class, I helped her to study and prepare for it. Thankfully, she passed with an A," he said. By then, thoughts of marriage were no longer distant, but Patterson once imagined proposing around the time of their Bar call. Advice shifted his perspective.

"The desire for 'perfect timing' is an excuse, which can be costly at times," he said. So he proposed last November.

"I wanted to marry her and I knew that we were stronger fully together as husband and wife with Jesus at the centre," he said. For Henry, the proposal captured everything they had endured.

"I saw faithfulness, partnership and God's hand in our story. It was a testament to how God brings the right person at the right time."

The ultimate climax came when they both stood side by side at the Bar call--a surreal moment marked by gratitude, joy, and divine timing. "Seeing God's faithfulness in our journeys and how He brought us together was overwhelming," Henry said.

Patterson's parents were never married and he sees his and Henry's journey as proof that legacy can be rewritten. And for young women watching their story unfold, Henry offers this advice.

"Wait on the Lord. Patience doesn't mean doing nothing; it means trusting God's timing, pursuing your purpose with diligence, and never compromising the standard God has set for you."

Henry offers a message to young women everywhere: "Wait on the Lord. Patience doesn't mean doing nothing; it means trusting God's timing, pursuing your purpose with diligence, and never compromising the standard God has set for you."

Patterson and Henry were recently called to the Bar, confirming their eligibility to practise law in Jamaica.