I have now officially survived my first term as a law student and I have managed to come out the other end with all my principles still intact! Not only that but i have really enjoyed myself! I seem to have insatiable appetite for knowlege which is being fed with every new case i analyse.
I have even been able to use some of knowlege to advise a friend of mine, Cat, who had her human rights violated in Mexico when she was thrown in a detention centre with 30 drug dealers in a mixed cell, given no contact with the outside world for two days and given no information on her case. She was not allowed a translator and when she refused to sign a paper saying that she was given all her rights (because she wasn't) they tore up her release form and deported her from the country. It is incidents like this that remind me why i am doing this.
On a slightly brighter note, I have my first assessment to be completed over the xmas period, in which i am the counsel for the appellant in the court of appeal and am attempting to overturn the judgement of the previous court. Its all fictitious, obviously, but i am loving the opportunity to aruge a case, and what is more, i know i can prove the innocence of my client. It's an amazing feeling. I have worked to hard over the last few days and about half an hour ago i had a break through.
The assessment involves me arguing 3 grounds on which my client is appealing. Although i had managed to nail the first two and-a-half, the last point seemed just beyond my reach. That is until i discovered that the piece of legislation under which my client is being prosecuted is incompatible with the human rights act and any attempt to prosecute him on the grounds stated would be in breech of his right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. muhahahahaaaa!!
I know that this probably doesn't make much sense but i have been working so hard on this over the last few days in an attempt to get it out of the way before new years and i am just feeling so pleased with myself that wanted to share my achievement with the world!
I hope to see you all in a few weeks (i'l be coming to Amsterdam on the 28th) in the mean time i send long distance hugs and lashings of good energy to all! :D
Comments
Fighting back tears
Oh Vale! I am fighting back tears reading your kind words, you have no idea what they mean to me, especially coming from you. I must clarify these aren't tears of sadness but joy, that someone has such wonderful things to say about me. I will hold your words close to my heart.
Thank you for your never ending faith in everything that is good in the world! One day we will kick ass! (even more than you already do!)
Everytime i think of you and our time together i smile, knowing that there are so many good times yet to come.
Lots of love, long distance hugs and lashings of good energy coming your way! x
human rights and human feelings
My dear Alison,
it is so nice to read about you and your ideals being still there, intact, even growing day by day.
I truly miss your bare-foot walk and your smile
and I still remember hugging you when someone tried to make us feel naive...
I wish I could have had your joy and passion and hope for future years ago, rather than just now,
but every step you are taking makes me proud to have share with you a beautiful summer of saunas, bike rides and dumpster diving adventures.
I know you will become a brilliant lawyer maybe in human rights, maybe for social justice...
I look forward the day in which we will work together.
keep on smiling, feed your passions
have a great 2010.