#35 – It’s not all bad

I had an epiphany last week.

This blog spends a lot of time talking about the Law. Most of it would fall under ‘constructive criticism’ – in the same way telling someone their roast chicken tastes like chewing an old garden hose is ‘constructive criticism’.

So maybe it’s the sunny weather, the start of cricket season, or the fact I finally got a haircut.. but let’s square the ledger a little.

Here’s why I fell in love with the Law:

At its core, it’s about helping people. Every will I wrote provided peace of mind that the kids would be looked after. Every NDIS appeal helped a person with a disability live a better life. Every small business contract helped someone trying to make a living.

Then there was Family Law. It blends the professionalism of the law with the empathy and people-skills required to deal with sensitive matters. I’m still immensely proud of the work I did there.

Firms of all sizes set aside time for pro bono work. Lawyers are at the forefront of international law, Indigenous land rights, law reform and environmentalism. There’s a reason we’ve made lawyers into fictional heroes too, from Atticus Finch to Dennis Denuto.

Most lawyers are in it to help people. I’m doing Duolingo Spanish and the word for lawyer is abogado. It comes from two Latin words – ad and vocare – which together mean ‘call to one’s aid’.

That word evolved into the English word advocate. Advocates were the precursor to the modern-day lawyer, one called to someone’s defence.

In more ways than one, helping others is in our roots.

Next week: What I learned from my chicken soup