Legal Education—Outside the Classroom

Nothing should stop me from getting my legal education.

Despite being on residency this semester, I have decided to keep myself busy by finding a job, since idle minds are the devil's workshop.

And my job right now: Legal researcher and Administrative Assistant for a non-government organization.

Conversation between me and my auntie:

TITA: Sa'n ka nagwo-work ngayon?
ME: Sa NGO po.
TITA: Saang NGO?
ME: Sa NUPL.
TITA: NUPL? National Union of...?
ME: National Union of Peoples' Lawyers.
TITA: 'Di ba mga radikal 'yan?
ME: Um...'di naman po masyado.

People may criticize my choice to work for NUPL, and they may scoff at the pay I'm getting (let's put it this way: my sister's allowance is bigger than my paycheck). But I don't really care. I like it here. I get to do legal research for human rights cases. And that is the path I wish to take, once I get the title of "Attorney" prefixed to my name.

Also, the best advantage of this line of work is that you get jaded early. During the first two years of law school, you may think that the legal profession is all pristine and sacred, and that Lady Justice is totally blind behind the blindfold. But that's not true.

The legal profession is a very dirty ballgame. Well of course it is. It is probably the dirtiest profession in the history of the human race. It has more than a millenium of corruption and foul play behind it, and it will most likely remain unchanged. Possibly forever. But that's all right, really. The more rotten the profession, the more the good people stand out.

And that's what NUPL has. Good people who care nothing about money. Which is why I am so proud of it.