I have always been fascinated with the legal profession. My father was an attorney and as a young girl, I remember poor relatives coming to the house to seek legal assistance because some family member was either in jail or was a victim of an unfair labor practice. I learned by listening to the stories told by my father that law is a powerful tool with which a case can be built to bring about justice and protect against injustice. Growing up in a country where corruption was prevalent and Lady Justice was not always blind, I knew at an early age that I wanted to follow my father's footsteps and become a lawyer. Led by my passion for the law and the desire to help the less privileged in their quest for justice, I became and attorney and worked in the Judiciary for 18 years. In 2007, I left my country and migrated to the United States.
Although there are a few states which permit attorneys from foreign countries to take the Bar exam, Florida is not one of them. Consequently, I decided to pursue a degree in Legal Assisting. Over the duration of my stay in the United States, and as I progressed through the Legal Assisting program, I became more aware that in this country, law is no respecter of persons. Everyone is equal in the eyes of the law. That awareness deepened my appreciation of the significance of upholding the law, for unless the law is upheld, there can be no justice.
Laws are enacted not only to ensure the orderly conduct of daily life but more importantly, safeguard our rights as individuals. When administered fairly, laws provide us the assurance and security of living in a safe and stable society. The legal profession, as an instrument of justice, serves a noble purpose of helping parties from all walks of life to ensure that their rights are protected irrespective of their status. These are the most important things I have learned about the law and the legal profession.
While I no longer hold the status of an attorney here in the United States, the Legal Assisting program has helped me realize that it is not necessary for me to be an attorney in order to make a significant positive impact on people in need of legal help. Legal Assistants play an equally important role in the justice system in the sense that the service we provide enables attorneys to expedite their cases and help keep the system moving forward.
I have always subscribed to the ideal espoused by the late Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay that "he who has less in life should have more in law." I am happy that as a Legal Assistant I am given the opportunity to help people of different levels of society, including being of service to the less privileged. After all, the essence of democracy is making law and justice accessible to everyone.