From 4.30am bus rides to the Bar: Nanise’s journey to becoming a lawyer
Nanise Rokotea overcame financial struggles, long commutes and self-doubt to be admitted to the Bar.
Friday 21 August 2026 | 15:30
Nanise Rokotea along with her proud parents, her mother Paulina Vakasuka (left) along with her father Emori Vulakovaki (right) on August 21, 2026.
Photo: Rariqi Turner
For 26-year-old Nanise Rokotea, becoming a lawyer was a victory over the moments when she almost gave up.
The young woman from Kasavu, Vugalei, Naitasiri, with maternal links to Drue in Kadavu, was among 30 University of the South Pacific (USP) students admitted to the Bar today as solicitors and barristers.
She is now the first lawyer in her family to achieve the milestone. But the journey was far from easy.
Related stories
During her Professional Diploma in Legal Practice (PDLP), Ms Rokotea nearly walked away after struggling to pay her school fees.
“During week six, I almost ended my journey,” she said.
Help came from her brother in the United States, while her parents continued to support her. Her mother’s prayers also kept her going, especially during the difficult days.
The journey to USP was another challenge. For early morning lectures, Ms Rokotea would wake at 4.30am, catch a bus at 5.30am and make several connections before reaching campus.
Despite the long travel, financial pressure and doubts, she refused to stop.
She recalled walking into the office of PDLP Director Sharmada Sharma and saying she wanted to give up.
“He said, ‘No, you couldn’t give up,’” she recalled.
Today, those words have become part of a journey that has changed her family’s story.
“I’m the first lawyer,” she said proudly. For other law students facing their own struggles, her message is simple: “Never give up and never lose hope.”
