I am not quite sure why I have not wrote this blog post sooner. It is highly important to know why you want to attend law school. Law school is a big investment and you want to make sure that you are in the right program. When I was an applicant, I was told to write down three reasons why I wanted to go to law school so that the person would wrote my letter of recommendation could speak on those reasons. It was nice to sit down and think about the meaning behind the decision I was making. I still refer back to that list when times get hard and I feel like giving up. I encourage you all to write down three reasons why you are embarking on this journey.
So, what are my three reasons? Why did I decide to go law school?
My journey to law school started 15 years ago when I was 8 years old. This is the first time I told my mom “I am going to be a lawyer.” When I was 12 years old, I told my mom again. Everything that I have done in the last 15 years was to properly prepare me to apply to law school. At a young age, I was interested in the injustices within our society of criminal justice and I often thought about ways I could help my community. Growing up in a lower class family, I noticed in my neighborhood people were treated differently and were often offered fewer privileges by the judicial system than those who were outside my community. It disappoints me when I see insufficient resources available, such as the lack of committed defense attorneys to underprivileged groups of people. My mission in this profession is to help those have access to quality legal advice and representation.
My last year in undergrad is when everything came in a full circle. I participated in an Alternative Spring Break program in which I traveled to San Francisco, California. During the program, I spent a week in the Public Defender’s Office and was able to observe them in the courtroom setting. I was also able to tour both Alcatraz and San Quentin State Prison. This is the program that solidified my passion to be in this field. The public defenders I met were amazing. The Public Defender’s Office represents people who could not afford an attorney and they are appointed to those people. When I was younger, I envisioned that I would be this attorney helping people who could not afford an attorney. I always envisioned myself in a courtroom and I still do. This trip is what showed me that this is where I am supposed to be. This is my career path. I observed people who did not speak English and needed a translator. I could not imagine what that feels like. When we went to the prison I was able to talk to the people there. I asked who could afford an attorney and did they feel like they were represented adequately. Only 1 out of 10 people raised their hand for that question. This is the moment I knew.
I also studied in the Czech Republic, where I gained a better understanding of how their judicial system operates compared to the United States’. In the Czech Republic, there is a greater emphasis on rehabilitation and decreasing rates of recidivism. I believe the information I learned during my international studies can be useful in making a difference to the United States judicial system. As an attorney, my passion would be to advocate for reducing recidivism rates and increasing rehabilitation programs to integrate people successfully back into this society.
I would advise that you should really know why you want to go to law school before you go. If you are unsure, then hold off until you are sure. Make sure that you are 1000% sure of why you want to go to law school.
Every time I think about giving up I think of three things:
- The community I want to serve as an attorney
- My baby sister
- My family
These are 3 reasons why I will never give up on my dream to be an attorney.
What are your three reasons for wanting to go to law school? I challenge you to think about this and write down or type out those three reasons. Whenever law school gets rough, then go to your list. If you ever question if this journey is for you, then go to your list. My list is the reason why I am a rising 2L. Make a list and always refer back to it.
Legally Complicated 