ok ▁sil k "). ▁Her ▁first ▁contribution ▁in ▁the ▁Senate ▁was ▁on ▁The ▁App ropri ation ▁Bill , ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁on ▁October ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁Senior ▁Coun sel ▁in ▁Private ▁Pract ice ▁she ▁acted ▁as ▁Def ence ▁coun sel ▁appearing ▁in ▁criminal ▁app ell ate ▁and ▁trial ▁cases , ▁Special ▁Pro sec utor ▁for ▁the ▁State ▁in ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁matters , ▁public ▁law ▁matters , ▁consult an cies ▁in ▁criminal ▁matters , ▁neg ot iation . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁she ▁opened ▁her ▁own ▁private ▁ch amb ers ▁" El ▁Dor ado ▁Ch amb ers " ▁located ▁in ▁Port ▁of ▁Spain , ▁Tr in idad , ▁compr ising ▁ 3 ▁other ▁law y ers ▁and ▁students . ▁ ▁She ▁wrote ▁a ▁week ly ▁column ▁for ▁the ▁Saturday ▁Express , ▁having ▁previously ▁written ▁for ▁" The ▁Guardian ", ▁both ▁local ▁newspaper ▁in ▁Tr in idad ▁and ▁Tob ago . ▁ ▁Awards ▁and ▁hon ors ▁ ▁Works ▁▁ ▁Her ▁first ▁book ▁the ' Common wealth ▁Car ib bean ▁on ▁C riminal ▁Pro cedure ' ▁is ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁its ▁kind ▁to ▁be ▁published . ▁Its ▁cred ibility ▁is ▁supported ▁not ▁only ▁by ▁her ▁theoretical ▁knowledge , ▁but ▁also ▁her ▁practical ▁knowledge ▁earned ▁over ▁twenty ▁years ▁of ▁experience ▁in ▁the ▁field : ▁as ▁a ▁pro sec utor ▁for ▁over ▁a ▁dozen ▁years , ▁as ▁a ▁magistr ate , ▁as ▁a ▁cr imin ologist , ▁a ▁criminal ▁justice ▁consult ant