acknowledging its existence, she neatly -- and triumphantly -- sidestepped that particular issue by creating her own, unique recipe for success.

And in this lawyer's case, there seems to be no end to the list of achievements and `firsts'. A woman of formidable intellect who heads her own law firm, Linda Milligan-Whyte makes no apologies for her future ambitions.

These are so closely tied to the future of Bermuda that, as she coolly discusses them, the two seem to merge.

"Having my own law firm allows me the freedom to diversify the Bermudian economy -- and unless we do that, we will be a static society.'' Realising some time ago that Bermuda's future lay in international business, her concentration on corporate law was all part of a master plan to establish her firm with "an international reputation in terms of international law''.

Already, she says, this is beginning to happen, noting that just last week, her firm was successful in a landmark case (the first of its kind in the Commonwealth), in which the Supreme Court upheld that a protector of a trust has the right to remove a trustee.

On a personal level, her success is also impressive. For starters, the former Berkeley Institute teacher has won the singular honour of being invited to speak at next year's World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland.

There, she will address four or five hundred world government leaders and CEO's on `Innovative Corporate Strategy for the year 2000'. "It will give me the chance,'' she says, "to talk about Bermuda and the strides we have made in spite of our size.'' Before that, however, in August, she wings off to New Orleans where she will speak to an estimated audience of 10,000 of America's top lawyers on `Women in Leadership Positions'.

Soft-spoken she may be, but delegates at Davos sat up and listened when Linda Milligan-Whyte spoke out, challenging a perception in a discussion on women in business. Up went her hand, she recalled to point out that the qualities defined as `female management techniques' were, in reality, those adopted by any underclass -- not just women. It was the ensuing discussion on her assertion that brought the invitation to speak and help design the programme.

Elected in 1990 by the world-wide alumni to the Board of Trustees of Queen's University in Toronto, her reason for accepting this honour was at least as notable as the appointment itself. "I wanted to learn how to run a university. Queen's may decide it would like an international division in Bermuda, but if not, I would like to see Bermuda develop a university here that becomes known as the university for international business,'' she said.

Pointing out that the Bermuda Biological Station for Research had already pointed the way in which to attract international students, Mrs.

Milligan-Whyte reiterates that Bermuda would be "the ideal place'' to draw students from around the world.

This observation brings a further comment on how she see Bermuda developing in the next decade. "I think Bermuda will prosper significantly over the next ten years. The reason for that is directly linked to the many changes going on in North America, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and the Pacific Rim.

When you have major global changes like this, people will be looking more than ever for stability -- and they are also looking for tax neutrality and rational regulations. Bermuda has traditionally offered this! And there's no reason for us to change that -- an example is that when Hong Kong reverts to China in 1997, I think Bermuda will be the beneficiary of even more business out of Hong Kong. Already half of the Hong Kong stock exchange are Bermuda holding companies.'' She also believes that Bermuda has a tremendous future in the telecommunications and computer software business. "I have been observing the development of telecommunications for some time and I believe Bermuda could become the base for a telecommunications centre because of its existing infrastructure and ideal location between North America, Latin America and Europe -- a tripartate telecommunications system that links the world.'' Mrs.

Milligan-Whyte adds that because of increasingly stringent regulations, providers will be looking for a place without too many of those regulations: "And that also fits in very nicely with the `information business'. This has become a major asset of companies and they want their information kept in a confidential system -- information on company employees, for instance, could be kept in a database in Bermuda. We could become an information centre that is known and respected internationally.'' Asked how these various schemes for the future would fit in with Independence, she replied: "My personal view is that Independence is not a big issue for Bermudians at this time. They're more concerned with things like the Bases situation. This is going to have an enormous impact when three Bases withdraw. This is why it is so vital that we take more significant strides to foster new business for Bermuda to replace the funds and jobs that will be lost.'' The other issue that she believes of paramount importance is that of education. "We have to stop merely paying lip-service to reform. The education system need to be re-vamped because Bermuda's business is developing very fast, but Bermuda's education is not keeping up. These are the issues the average Bermudian is concerned about and although it might be nice to say we are a nation, we need to solve some of our basic problems first.'' She says she sees a certain anomaly in Bermuda's preoccupation with Independence at this time. "We are living in a world that is increasingly interdependent. We need to be looking for further links with other countries -- not planning to isolate ourselves! It seems strange to me, to be thinking about nationalism when other countries are combining in blocks, such as Europe and now NAFTA. Do we look to our traditional partners, Europe, or to our perhaps more logical partners, North America? Does Bermuda have a role to play in NAFTA?'' In this connection, Mrs. Milligan-Whyte also sees increasing opportunities for the Island to play an important role in the field of arbitration. "We have the infrastructure, the legislation in place. We also have hotel facilities, a very mature insurance and reinsurance market which has brought a lot of expertise to Island business. We have world-class arbitrators who already live and work in Bermuda. And also, very important, we have our British legal system. I think this is going to be one of the significant growth areas in the next few years.'' Harking back to the issue of education, she reflects: "If I were in a decision-making position in education, I would be very careful about making changes overnight. I would prefer to see a model school set up that has a different philosophy from the prevailing one. Any sort of reforms would be introduced to that model school, giving it a five-year period, study the results and then, apply what worked across the board.'' Warming to her theme, she goes on: "If you build a huge school with beautiful buildings, this does not automatically solve the problem. In Canada and other countries, it's been proven that quality comes from quality teaching by qualified teachers, motivated parents, and a flexible system that serves our students. It's not about big buildings and lots of money -- they are not the things that make education work!'' After serving as a member of the Senate from 1988 to 1990, many predicted a leading political role for the Bermudian lawyer. Although she is presently maintaining a relatively low profile in that direction, she insists that all of her energy "must'' be focused on her legal work in the international business sector. But, she admits with a smile, "once I have achieved some of my corporate goals I wouldn't mind serving in some capacity in Government.

This is because I think it is important, over the next ten years, to have a government that understands what is happening in the world, to have a clear vision of where Bermuda fits in, and to have the means to carry out those reforms we need in education.'' Mrs. Milligan-Whyte is well on her way to realising her professional dreams.

Acknowledging it had been "hard'' to compete against "two monolithic practices'' (Conyers, Dill & Pearman and Appleby, Spurling & Kempe), she put her five years experience at the latter firm to good use. Today, she enjoys good relationships with both. It was in 1988 that she took the plunge and opened up her own firm, in the Continental Building. About six months ago, she moved her staff of 11 lawyers and 22 support staff into the Bermuda Commercial Bank Building - this, significantly, after she had handled the acquisition of that bank for oil magnate Mr. John Deuss.

Well aware that it would take a Herculeam effort to establish her reputation outside Bermuda, Mrs. Milligan-Whyte concentrated on writing articles for international publications. Her stint as assistant to the Chairman of the Ontario Securities Commission (in 1982) led to major articles in prestigious law journals on the framework of the securities industry in other countries, such as the UK, West Germany, and Australia.

She founded First Bermuda Securities Ltd., with a view to bringing more foreign dollars into the Island. Although she sold her interest in that venture, she is now "in negotiation'' with a major financial institution in London. She has, after all, an eye on the $52 billion circulating from Bermuda-based companies but, she says, with the vast majority of it still being managed outside Bermuda.

Asked to comment, in this Heritage Month which, this year, highlights Women, on how she feels about their current status, Mrs. Milligan-White answers: "We have made vast strides in the business community with more female supervisors and managers than men. In any organisation, you either accept the status quo, or you do as I did -- go out on your own. Men have been doing that for years.

Women must have that option, and exercise it! I would rather do that than complain about a glass ceiling. I've never thought in terms of being a female.

Sure, there have been obstacles, but I'm always excited by the thought of breaking down barriers, any kind of barriers. When I decided to go into corporate law, I was female AND black, but I never thought about it in that way. I just got on with what I had to do. I still have a long way to go.'' Is there any respite for this driven careerist? "Oh yes, I love to play golf at the weekends!'' Married, and with a son, Jerome, at law school in England, Mrs. Milligan-Whyte pays tribute to her own parents. "They have been a great inspiration to me because their generation did what they were supposed to do -- to provide a stable home life and focus on educating their children. It was very difficult for them at times, but they did it. And I believe it is incumbent on my generation to contribute something to Bermuda, and not live on what has already been achieved.'' SHINING LIGHT -- Linda Milligan-Whyte.