A few years ago, I applied to law school with the following entrance essay. While I have since learned that there must be a balance of vital and non-vital information, and that lawyers must advocate zealously and in good faith for their clients, I still believe that the underlying message remains the same. That as members (or soon-to-be members) of the legal profession, it is our duty, our obligation, and our greatest honor to seek out the truth and to preserve it in the face of adversity. "From an early age, I despised injustice. I
believed then and believe now in the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
the truth. I once believed that, just as in fairy tales, the wicked were
always caught and punished accordingly. I thought that the good always
triumphed over the evil. I believed the good to act as truly
heroic men should, namely with a sense of honor and respect for their fellow
man even as they dealt out their judgment. As I have grown up, I realize
more and more how little the world understands of true justice, i.e. the
quality of being fair and reasonable, tempered with mercy and compassion.
Too often mankind deals out the harsh and swift fist of punishment and
retribution without recollecting the innate worthiness of each human
being. This harsh attitude, however, is a product of the era because as
crime increases and our patience wears thin, the methods and judgments become
more merciless. I believe that a crime should be punished; however, that
punishment should be accompanied by a firm but compassionate understanding of
the condemned person’s dignity.
In the practice of law, I would strive towards
uncovering the truth and presenting it without qualms. I have heard for
some that the client comes first, even before the truth. This seems
selfish and arrogant on the part of the lawyer and their clients. They
take the determination of the full truth into their own hands, modifying the
code of honorable justice to fit their own personal uses. While some people
may attempt to cover up the less savory facts of their client’s involvement, I
believe that the whole truth should be stated. If man is to truly judge
one another, all of the facts must be presented without remiss. Both the
good and the bad should be taken into account. In some cases, there is a
clear verdict concerning the criminal and the victim. Other cases require
a great deal of research and presentation from both sides. In all of
this, however, a worthy lawyer should balance the good and bad of his client,
presenting a truthful story to the judge and jury. Hiding vital or
non-vital information from the court is the same as lying. In order to
arrive at the truly just decision, a judge and jury must have all the
information. Thus, a lawyer who intends to uphold the banner of justice
must make the pursuit of the whole truth his life’s work.
As a lawyer, your work is to defend your
client and gain the best settlement possible. If you have a lost cause
where your client is clearly the just recipient of punishment, you should
strive for a fitting punishment. A punishment that is neither excessive
nor too lenient is the just reward for evil acts. By presenting the truth
with a favorable emphasis on the better parts, a lawyer may achieve a
settlement nearer true justice. No sane person enjoys inflicting pain
upon another human being; however, in this fallen world, pain and punishment
are unfortunate necessaries for creating a safer world for us all. In the
practice of law, I believe one must follow a type of tough love for one’s
clients. This is a relationship where you act in the client’s true best
interest, even if it includes unpleasant retribution. In order to truly
do your best, you must place the truth above the personal qualms or fictitious
claims of a client.
This, then, is my understanding of how a good
lawyer should act. In my pursuit of law, then, I would endeavor to seek
and understand the truth. My desire is to better the world around me
through example and hard work. In law, I would give a voice to the
voiceless, a just support to the defenseless, and a compassionate punishment to
those deserving of retribution. Throughout my studies in law school, I
would seek a deeper and fuller understanding of the law itself and of the
truth.
In this pursuit of the truth, I have already
spent four years of dedicated study. My education in the liberal arts
included a thorough instruction in philosophy through which I can see the
absolute truths and work towards the practical application in a specific situation.
Having thus molded my mind towards the absolutes, I can more easily and readily
pursue an education which furthers the practice of the truth. This, then,
is my reasoning behind the pursuit of law. I desire to provide true justice
to the world around me and aid my fellow man in their search for the
truth. Through the practice of law, I should be able to uphold the truth
in the face of doubt and bring clarity into the darkness of deceit and
confusion. Ultimately, as a lawyer, I should endeavor in every aspect of
my life to carry the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."
