some of you may wonder...
why my blog is called jaded law. there are many, many reasons. here is but one of the reasons why i am jaded. i was one of those day dreamers who thought i could make a difference. when i was younger, i would see something that i felt was wrong and think: isn't there anyone who can do anything to help make it better?? things that were unfair or unjust really bothered me. so i thought, hey, if i become a lawyer, i can be that person who helps. i can help fix those unjust and unfair occurences. that lasted for about 3 days of law school. i am still completely helpless. i cannot help. i cannot fix those things that plague my friends and families. i cannot make their lives any better. it's worse now because they turn to me for help. and i am forced to say: i can't do anything to help; it's not illegal. again and again, i am forced to discuss the inability of the legal system to do a damn thing to help anyone. the legal profession is not some noble calling. it's not a profession where you can make a difference. it's merely another way to pay the bills. nothing more.
posted by Jaded @ 3:23 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
It depends on what kind of law you go into. You might get more out of criminal law than civil litigations.
Yes, our legal system is messed up, but that's why we try harder than ever to get this giant, sluggish two century-old institution working.
You might want to look into advocacy, mediation, or public policy if you want to do something that seems more rewarding than just paying the bills. I minored in public policy during college, and I loved coming up with strategies to help communities - and if I'm lucky - the society-at-large.
You're probably burnt out from law school. Give yourself time to re-orient and look for alternative legal careers before giving up on this field.
I have actually seen good lawyers make a difference. Really. Witnessed it. And not just once. Even when the law couldn't help the people who wanted help. Because there's something to be said for listening, and for being able to explain something that's complex and overwhelming, and for offering alternatives. Or in helping people to see that they're shadow boxing. Does that make sense?
Today at the office I'm interning at, I saw a woman jumping up and down, crying, and hugging everyone she could reach because her life had literally been changed by the work the office did. She is an extremely poor mother of three, and an undocumented immigrant from Mexico. She and her children have also been severely abused by her husband, a citizen. She put up with the abuse for way too long, because he threatened to have her deported. But through the Violence Against Women Act, our attorneys got her legal status. The card they handed her today means she can work legally to support her kids and leave her abuser without fear of deportation.
Our office is small, and there are many more in need of help, but you're dead wrong to say that these lawyers did not make a difference for this woman and her kids.
I know that there are also plenty of other injustices that come through the office where we can't help because the law is on the side of the oppressors. That sucks. But there is plenty of good work that can be done through the law.
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