Smile on Her Face Vanished When I

¶ … smile on her face vanished when I asked my friend Sue how she was doing. "Horrible," she began. "My uncle is suing me." Astonished at the audacity of a family member doing such a thing, I fished Sue for more details. She told me that her uncle was disputing her mother's will, which he contended held hidden monies that Sue was purposely withholding. Sue, noticeably distraught and uncharacteristically disheveled due to the emotional turmoil caused by the lawsuit, began to cry.

"How will I be able to afford a lawyer? What am I going to do?" Two years earlier my own mother joined a class action lawsuit against a major pharmaceutical corporation. The proceedings lasted several years, during which I actively engaged myself in collecting research about the company. I was interested not only because my mother stood to gain a substantial amount of money but also because the details of the case piqued my interest.

Luckily, the team of attorneys was local, and my mother was uniquely active in the case, providing testimony when necessary. Although it never went to trial, the case did involve a number of depositions. The case was settled out of court, the plaintiffs emerging satisfied and my curiosity raised high. My mother's experience, and that of my friend Sue, significantly inspired my decision to pursue a career in law.

As I witnessed the fascinating labyrinth of statutes that steered the course of the cases these friends and family members encountered, I realized that I would be particularly suited for a career in the legal field. Personal characteristics contribute greatly to my aptitude to be an attorney. Argumentative by nature, I don't shy away from challenging conversations or conflicts. However, I am not unnecessarily abrasive and in fact have a natural sense of empathy and ability to council people in times of need.

For example, more than anything my friend Sue needed a friend in whom to confide; while I would have liked to have been able to offer her legal advice, all I could give was moral support. After passing the bar exams, though, I will gladly be able to offer my friends more than just a shoulder to cry on. Civil law is not the only area of law that interests me, either.

I have casually investigated the plight of death row inmates who after being acquitted struggle to redefine their identities within society. Regardless of how I feel about capital punishment, I would hope that the law begins to reflect the unfortunate reality that many people on death row and in the general prison population have been wrongfully convicted.

If I were to choose a career in criminal law, I don't know if I would be drawn more to prosecution or defense but either way I would be passionately concerned about the rights of every citizen. Law is such a diverse field that I can almost become overwhelmed by the potential career options a legal education would afford me. From public policy analysis to criminal justice, however, law is the only area in which I feel I would personally thrive.