On Friday February 14, 2025, at 1:00 p.m.

Ashton Richardson took the oath as Attorney at Law before the Joint Court of Justice of Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten and the BES Islands in a heartfelt hearing, chaired by the Vice President of the Joint Court of Justice, Judge Gertjan Wouters. During the ceremony Ashton was surrounded by the Honorable Prime Minister Luc Mercelina, the Honorable Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling, Judge J. Nosworthy from the International Tribunal of the former Yogoslavia, his mentor, Attorney Brenda Brooks, his family, close childhood friends, colleagues from Brooks & Associates and other local professionals.

Ashton’s story is a bit of an inspiration to us all. Born and raised on Sint Maarten, he is a true son of the soil. Ashton was raised by his mother, Mariana Viera, and grandmother(s) who worked tirelessly to ensure that he had the opportunities to acquire a quality education. Ashton is deeply rooted in his community, having attended Dutch public schools on the island. After completing his secondary education, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in law at The Hague University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands. Ashton then acquired the distinct opportunity to work as an intern for five judges, and an elite team of international attorneys, at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s Trial Chambers (S.T.L.). One judge, of Caribbean descent, for whom he worked for, played a pivotal role in reinforcing his tenacity to pursue his lifelong dream to serve as a judge for an international tribunal, by mentoring him during his tenure at the S.T.L.
With his reinvigorated ambition he pursued and earned a Master’s degree in Global Criminal Law and Organized Crime, with an honors in leadership, from the University of Groningen. After achieving his master’s degree, he followed his mentor’s advice and returned to Sint Maarten to gain domestic legal experience.

Upon returning to Sint Maarten, he joined Brooks & Associates as a junior legal professional. However, he encountered an unexpected challenge when the Joint Court of Justice declined to swear him in as an attorney due to the non-recognition of the courses acquired during the bachelor studies. Determined to overcome this obstacle, Ashton enrolled at the University of Curaçao, attending online classes for four years while working full-time.

Despite this setback, Ashton continued to work and serve his community, finding a specialty in administrative law and human rights, in particular, immigration law. As a child Ashton would at times accompany his mother, who worked in corporate administration for numerous companies on Sint Maarten, to work, where among her many tasks, was assisting undocumented persons to file for their residency permit and/or acquire the relevant labor permit. Now, over 15 years later, Ashton, in addition to providing other legal services, also assists undocumented persons to acquire their residency permit in and out of court, achieving a 97% success rate.

His contributions to the Sint Maarten community include securing and assisting in precedent setting court judgments in immigration and human rights cases, contributing to the jurisprudence and opinio juris in the Dutch legal field. Ashton also contributes to Sint Maarten socially by collaborating with the department of Community Development, Family & Humanitarian Affairs (CDFHA), and other similar organisations and educational institutions, by providing immigration information sessions, consultation days for those who have limited access to legal recourse/resources and provide career guidance to teens and young adults.

As Ashton Richardson stands today as an Attorney at law, his journey is a testament to the power of perseverance, dedication, and unwavering commitment to his community and his dreams. From humble beginnings on Sint Maarten to overcoming countless obstacles, Ashton’s story so far is a story of tenacity and is a powerful reminder that no challenge is insurmountable when fuelled by passion and purpose. As Ashton begins this new chapter in his career, he remains committed to offering the one thing he can always guarantee to those around him—his best.