Since I was a little kid, I wanted to become a lawyer in the future. I had this weird obsession over law in general and I used to debate all the time with people and watch live debates all the time. My dad, however, told me that in order to become a lawyer, one must possess specific qualities especially public speaking skills. He did not really believe that I could handle speaking in front of the public eye without backing out. So we finally made a deal. He told me that he will give me the opportunity to experience the life of a lawyer alone without anyone’s support and abroad. If I was capable of handling that experience, he will support me every step of the way.
During summer of 2015, I joined a mock trial program at UCLA. I had to travel to the US all by myself as part of our deal and try to be as responsible as I ever could. I did not want to ruin such an opportunity and I wanted to make my parents feel proud of me. This was my only chance to prove to both of them that I can actually speak in public and that a lawyer is who I really want to become. This program basically allows students to experience the life of a lawyer by solving cases and debating at real court places with real judges. Therefore, I wanted to make the best out of it for the sake of my parents and to assure myself that a law degree is what I really want to pursue.
The mock trial was a bit of a challenge at first because it all seemed so inquisitive to me. The program lasted for about a week or so, my teammates and I had two real cases to work on. We worked on them for almost 10 hours each day and we basically lived with each other. We became closer and closer as each second passed by, and helped each other with every step of the way. My professor took me to the Los Angeles Superior court where I had the honor of watching three real cases. Being an attorney for two witnesses during the mock trial, I stood in front of the judge with confidence and determination to win the case. The judge of fifty years’ experience and my professor commended my cross examination and encouraged me to pursue law as my future profession. Thus my parents saw me perform on skype, and felt so proud. The mock trial program thus far is considered to be one of my favorite public speaking experiences.
September 15, 2016 at 6:09 pm
Dina, thank you so much for this great story. I would love to speak with you about how we can put this class to work to support your interest in a career in law.