And one woman attorney has gotten a specialized degree within her field. Agassi Finnegan has completed a master of laws in Healthcare Ethics and Law with a distinction in mental health.

While we note that Dr Marvin Manzanero has a degree in bioethics, Finnegan is the first attorney in Belize with this specialized degree. Yesterday at her father's book launch we asked her what she's going to do with it:

Agassi Finnegan, Attorney
"So essentially, it is a master's degree, which enables me to be able to weigh in on medical related issues as it concerns whether it touches ethics or actual breaches to the law in terms of negligence."

"It also allows me to weigh in areas of mental health and how the law, in what persons who may be suffering some from some incapacity of the mind."

Reporter:
"This is an area of specialization that no one else has, I believe. Why did you specifically pursue it?"

Agassi Finnegan, Attorney
"From the minute I started working at the Attorney General's ministry. I developed a special liking or a love for the area of torts which deals with the relationships between people and your duties that you have with the citizens that coexist in this world with us."

"And negligence was a particularly interesting area for me, and having had to deal with some of the medical negligence matters that came into the ministry. I really grew a love for it, and I said I had to learn more about it and to be able to have the requisite expertise to be able to guide not only medical personnel, but also private individuals who may be aggrieved or have suffered some injury at the hands of a medical or a healthcare professional."

Reporter:
"Do you think it will assist in helping people who access your services to get, a greater, or to get closer to justice?"

Agassi Finnegan, Attorney
"I do believe so. That is not to say that that sort of access was not available before, but now that I possess this sort of expertise, I think I'd be in a better position to give that sort of assistance and to see a closer path to, or a better path to that semblance of justice, whatever that may be, for that particular individual."

"Because from my studies, I've gotten to appreciate that people do not sue solely because they want recompense or money. Sometimes they just want an answer. They want an explanation for what was done to them, why it was done, and why the mistake would have occurred, which led to either the injury or the death of their loved one."

Finnegan graduates on December the 12th. She also has a masters in Internet Law and Policy.