Esi Schimming-Chase joins Supreme Court as first woman

Esi Schimming-Chase was sworn in yesterday as the first woman to serve as a permanent judge on Namibia’s Supreme Court, marking a historic milestone for the country’s judiciary.

Schimming-Chase took the oath of office in the presence of chief justice Peter Shivute, deputy chief Justice Petrus Damaseb, high court judges and members of the Judicial Service Commission.

Shivute praised his colleague as a person of integrity and professional excellence.

"The years following independence were marked by a low proportion of women on the bench," Shivute said.

“Through conscious efforts, representation in the judiciary has improved significantly since then. This is particularly evident in the lower courts and the High Court,” the chief justice added.

Now, women now make up the majority of judges in the High Court.

“The judiciary must reflect the full spectrum of the people it serves. Progress in that regard is both necessary and achievable," Shivute stressed.

During her swearing-in, Schimming-Chase pledged to uphold the Namibian Constitution and to administer justice without fear, favour or prejudice.

Vast experience

Schimming-Chase is a graduate of Coventry University in the United Kingdom. She qualified as a barrister in England in 1994 and was called to the Bar in Saint Lucia, West Indies, in 1998.

She was admitted as a legal practitioner in Namibia in 2002 and has been practising as a member of the Namibian Society of Advocates since 2003. In July 2017, she was appointed senior counsel.

She has particular experience in general commercial, constitutional and administrative law, as well as in arbitration and dispute resolution.

In recent years, she has served as a judge of the High Court and as an acting judge of appeal of the Supreme Court.

A mother’s guiding hand

In a profile published by the Institute for African Women in Law (IAWL), the Supreme Court judge described herself as a "warrior for justice".

She added: "That is my legacy, but it did not start out that way. My journey into the legal profession was masterminded by my late mother, a stalwart freedom fighter during and after the apartheid regime that was in effect in Namibia until 1990."

Her mother's role was instrumental in her career in Namibia.

"From the time I obtained my LLB Hons. in 1994 in the UK, my mother preached vociferously about my returning home to give back to my country. Although initially hesitant, I took to litigation like a fish to water."

Working as a minority legal practitioner for many years, she advised: “I encourage women in law to be open-minded about receiving guidance and mentorship from all sources, even seemingly unlikely ones. Also, remember that many women before us managed in far more difficult circumstances. Our successes come from standing on their shoulders and learning from them. I embrace this as an important part of African culture.”