PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

Simone Francois-Whittier is a dedicated and conscientious Attorney-at-law and Certified Mediator.

She holds Bachelors Degrees (Hons.) in both Government and Law, a Post Graduate Diploma in International Relations, a Legal Practitioners Certificate (with Distinction) and a Masters of Philosophy Degree in Government.

She also holds certificates in Alternative Dispute Resolution from the Stitt Feld Handy group of Canada.

She has been privileged to work  in various capacities across all three arms of the State as well as in the private sector and academia.  She began her career in the trade marketing department of a multinational company.  After obtaining her first degree she served as a Graduate Researcher in the Office of the Parliament, in addition to tutoring and lecturing at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. She settled into a career in the field of International Relations and Diplomacy as a Foreign Service Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after completing her Post Graduate studies.

She has over a dozen years experience in the field of diplomacy, having served in a number of capacities in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ranging from that of a desk officer in the CARICOM Affairs, Administration and European Affairs Divisions, to that of Head of Chancery and Deputy Head of Mission, to that of the Director of the Consular Affairs, European Affairs and the Treaties, International Agreements and Legal Division respectively.  She has also served as the Civil Court Administrator in the Judiciary of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

Her legal areas of interest and specialisation include, inter alia, Private Client law, Civil Litigation, Business Law, Property Law, Intellectual Property Law and Industrial Relations/ Employment Law.

Her non-legal areas of specialisation and research include Government/Political Science, Public Policy development, Public Sector Management, Organisational Behaviour, Corporate Governance, Small Business development and coaching, Gender studies, Negotiations, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Protocol. She also conducts training in these areas for organisations and individuals.

Simone enjoys volunteering in a number of Non-profit organisations. She is the current President-Elect of the Association of Female Executives of Trinidad and Tobago (AFETT), she will assume the role of President for the 2024-26 term in June 2024. She is a member of the Scouts Association of Trinidad and Tobago and she is a very active member of the Caribbean Corporate Governance Institute (CCGI).

In addition, Simone is currently a Doctoral candidate in Interdisciplinary Gender Studies at the University of the West Indies’ Institute for Gender and Development Studies, St. Augustine her research focuses on Workplace Violence and Women.

There is no doubt that the skills she developed over the years, such as  diplomacy, critical thinking, effective communication, training and self-expression have served as the perfect foundation for her career as an Attorney and Consultant.