Matt's College Blog
In the Courtroom
Nov. 23, 2006
One of the greatest opportunities at my particular law school is not found in the classroom at all. While there are countless extracurricular clubs and activities available to law students at any school, one here stands out in particular: a student-run legal aid organization.
Through a special agreement with the bar society -- the legal profession's self-government -- we're allowed to represent clients with a wide range of legal problems. For certain kinds of problems, including minor criminal charges, we're even allowed to appear in court, and speak before the judge!
I got to do just that for the very first time this week, representing a client on a very minor criminal matter. While I'm lucky in that I don't generally get stage fright (I'm one of those rare types who actually likes public speaking), I was still all nerves as I stood before the judge for the first time!
I've been told that in your first court appearance, you'll know within seconds if you want to make a career out of it. Now I know I do! Well, maybe not just yet, but I do know I loved my first taste, and I'll definitely be thinking about the possibility of a career in the court room.
There are a couple of other huge benefits to this legal aid program, as well. In addition to being fun, it's great experience. I'm learning a lot about the practical side of law, which is a good way to balance the theory of the law school classroom.
And finally, and perhaps most significantly, it's a great way to help people. Our organization only helps those who really can't afford a lawyer of their own. In fact, they are the people who really fall through the cracks: our clients, for one reason or another, usually don't qualify for government legal aid either. While our system isn't perfect, I'm thrilled to be a small part of making it better, providing service to people who would otherwise face their legal problems alone.
Many people come to law school to "save the world" - I'm glad I've had the opportunity to do a bit of good right from the start!