Non Traditional Law Student » Say What?

Thoughts About A Newspaper Article.

Non Traditional Law Student — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 01:06:26 +0000

This week I read an article in our local newspaper about an 18 year old girl who was asked about her future plans. She responded that she had thought about being a lawyer but then decided to become a doctor because she “wanted to help people”. This article rather upset me. Lawyers often times get a bad rap. While it is certain that there are lawyers who are undoubtedly unethical and “play” the law very loosely, there are also lawyers who adhere to the ethical calling of their profession. I choose to believe that this embodies the majority of lawyers in practice today.

Law is a nobel profession, and lawyers should strive to promote that nobility. The law is meant to protect people, and lawyers do use the law to help people, namely their clients. Lawyers are ethically mandated to put the needs of the client above their own. Of course lawyers are entitled to earn a living and charge reasonable fees for their services. But those services are worth paying for, I believe, because people need them.

People benefit from lawyer’s services every day. Whether a person relies on a lawyer to draft a will or assert a constitutional right, that person is benefited, and those services help that person. The fact is that lawyer’s services help people everyday. We live in a free country because of the vision of lawyers. It is often said that people do not like lawyers…until they need one.

Every job or profession is mixed with people who “taint” that job or profession; the law is no different. But lawyers do serve a valuable and necessary purpose in society and in the lives of the people they serve. Take pride in your journey to become part of this nobel profession. Above all, strive to be a lawyer that will serve the public as well as the perception of the profession. God bless and have a great day.

Law Students Beware.

Non Traditional Law Student — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 02:35:20 +0000

Dave’s father has three sons. There names are Snap, Crackle, and ??? If you answered Pop then shame on you The correct answer is, of course, Dave!

When we are involved in your studies it is important to always be thinking critically and using our common sense as well. You would be surprised (or perhaps not) at how many people just instinctively say Pop. When we are not analyzing our cases and the law with a critical mind we tend to make critical mistakes. Keep focused and you will accomplish great things. God bless and have a great day.

Guns And Commas

Non Traditional Law Student — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 01:49:54 +0000

If you have ever wondered about the care that should be taken when drafting legal documents then check out this article by the New York Times. The Supreme Court of the United States will soon be deciding whether or not private citizens are afforded the right to keep and bear arms in accord with the Second Amendment to the Constitution. Believe it or not the argument is based on the placement of a comma and what that placement should be interpreted to mean.

Whether or not you believe private gun ownership is right or wrong, the issue is sure to be argued vigorously by both sides. The main point of this post is not, however, about guns; it is about the importance of taking your legal writing seriously. You will eventually have a course on legal writing in law school. I recommend taking as many writing courses as you can. After all, writing is the lawyer’s most effective means of communication. Your case may very well turn on the manner in which you phrase an issue or counter an argument. God Bless and have a great day.