There have been a lot of professional "firsts" for Deborah Thomas-Felix, who continues to make her mark on the legal and managerial landscapes globally.
The former president of the Industrial Court was the first woman to be appointed to that position, which she held between 2011-2023. She did not comment on the non-renewal of her contract as the president of the Industrial Court.
Between 1990-2020, she broke the proverbial glass ceiling in the magistracy, Securities and Exchange Commission and at the United Nations Appeal Tribunal among other key appointments. (
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And that is just a fraction of what Thomas-Felix has accomplished as a legal professional.
She has co-authored Domestic and Gender-Based Violence and has written two books on labour law – Labour Law in the Commonwealth Caribbean: The Practice of Good Industrial Relations in the 21st Century and Labour Law and Good Industrial Relations: Progressive Discipline and Maternity Protection in the Workplace. She is currently writing her third labour law book – another contribution in her service to creating equity and justice in the workplace.
“In the course of my career, I never set out to intentionally achieve x or y, or to become this or that,” she told WMN in a Zoom interview.
“In a very real way, my career unfolded perhaps as a function of me being always prepared to embrace new opportunities. And as one chapter comes to an end, I view it as my contribution to this entity is completed and I'm ready to embrace the next chapter and the new opportunity. For there is always work to be done.”
She is certain, though, that politics will never be one of the opportunities she embraces. And its not that she hasn’t been asked to.
“It is not my cup of tea. In fact, I’m not even sure I understand it, although I did courses in history and political science while I was studying law.”
Thomas-Felix said the trajectory of her career has always embodied the power of inclusion, and she's glad she's had the opportunity to contribute to making it easier for the younger generations, especially women.
[caption id="attachment_1069246" align="alignnone" width="497"] Deborah Thomas-Felix says every additional crack she makes in the glass ceiling means more light filters through for the younger generations of women. -[/caption]
“Why? Because every additional crack in the glass ceiling means more light filters through. Of course, it hasn't been easy, for being the first in anything comes with its challenges…But it meant one more crack in the ceiling.”
She said when she became a magistrate, while gender was an inescapable issue, youth was another fundamental challenge.
“Most of the magistrates at that time were males in their 50s; there were only four women, including me.”
Her ability to rise to the occasion as a young woman demonstrates that young women can make valuable contributions to Trinidad and Tobago in whatever careers they choose once they remain focussed and true to themselves.
For many years Thomas-Felix's has been mentoring girls from h
