Nicole Smith?s dream of being a public prosecutor in the country of her birth was realised yesterday when she was called to the Bar.

Ms Smith has been working in the Department of Public Prosecutions for about six months and has been a familiar face in the lower courts for about two months.

She also aided Prosecutor and former Director of Public Prosecutions Kulandra Ratneser during a fraud trial in the Supreme Court recently.

Mr. Ratneser yesterday sang Ms Smith?s praises and told the packed court room that he had already decided to make her a member of his team for an upcoming fraud trial ? either later this year or early next year.

Prosecutor and soon-to-be-Magistrate Juan Wolffe also spoke highly of Ms Smith?s abilities and the obvious passion she had as a public defender.

He said he looked forward to being able to refer to her in court as ?my learned friend?.

An emotional Ms Smith, 35, told the packed court room that she had always wanted to make Bermuda a safer place for those who work and live here. Born in Bermuda and educated at Warwick Academy and Saltus, Ms Smith studied at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax where she obtained a Bachelor of Public Relations degree in 1994.

But, she said, she felt ?incomplete?.

?I had never entertained this chosen profession, but when I decided to pursue a career in law, I realised that it only enhanced the skill I had already obtained,? she said.

She attended a two-year programme at Kent Law School and Inns of Court School of Law. Distinguished alumni include Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair and Mahatma Gandhi.

?I figured I was in good company,? she said.

Ms Smith said she felt she was fulfilling her mission to make Bermuda a better place for those who live and work here and wanted to inspire others. She said her father always told her to never deny herself the best.

?He passed away six weeks into my Bar course, but told me just last summer, before I went to Bar school, that he knew I?d be lawyer,? she said.