Fallacies towards Lawyers/Law students

When I let people know I’m a law student they think it is amusing to tell me ‘Ha, all lawyers are liars.” No, it’s not funny. Not at all.

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The job of a lawyer is to defend his client, so yes, he is placed in situations where he is required to bend the truth, as in spin the fact in a way that benefits him. He does not lie, per se. Because that is unlawful and no lawyer is stupid enough to risk being disbarred by providing false evidence to the court. Let me explain this further- say you are brought before the court of law for assaulting a man. And this is not the first time your temper(infamous one of that) has got you into trouble. 
When the prosecutor (the one against you) calls you a habitual offender because you have done this before, I (your lawyer) will defend you by saying you have bi polar hence not of sound mind. Both the lawyers do not dispute the fact that you have done this before (assaulting, I mean), we do not lie about that. We only twist the fact to our benefit. Get it?

No, lawyers/law students are not liars. We do not propagate lying. In fact, in the term of my

internships, I’ve encountered that a dishonest lawyer doesn’t receive much respect. He is spoken of as someone you cannot trust. Every profession has those odd ones who do not understand professional ethics, it is not concentrated in the field of law alone.

If people think all lawyers are going to hell for the sin of manipulation, let me remind those nice folks that lawyers twist the truth for them. To defend them. This is one of the hundred reasons I would say law is a noble profession. 

I’ve heard this said multiple times before. As a novice in law school, I took the quote to mean literally. For me the words ‘a great lawyer knows the judge” meant I had to know him personally (like take him out to lunch or buy him expensive gifts) so that when he gives out a judgment, it is favoring me.

It was in second year of school, did I really start to see the true light behind this sentence. No, it does not mean what you think it means.

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What the quote is actually trying to say that apart from having excellent knowledge in law, the advocate must understand the judge he is arguing before. This revolves around studying the judge’s psychology. Each man or woman have their personal way of understand, learning and perspective. When you know what the language they understand is, your arguments will be framed to drive home your message.

One of the essentials of communication is “knowing the audience” and this quote is saying just that. Know how your judge thinks. For instance, if you informal in your arguments and the judge you are before is strict about such decorum, you will want to modify your style of speech to a more formal one to get the judge’s approval.That is what this means.

Next time you want to think of lawyers as liars, you will be grossly wrong. And a great lawyer does not “bribe” the judge. That’s two fallacies broken down.

Power to us law students. 

10 things that smell or taste of India that you can carry in your pocket

On August 15^th India celebrated its 69^th Independence day. Amidst the patriotic slogans, the flag flying high, the national anthem becoming the song of the day, I wondered if I were to leave India, what would be that one thing I would carry along to remind me of my country. Something small that can fit my pocket, whose smell or taste I associate with my homeland. So, I went around asking and the suggestions compiled formed this list.

Cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf

Spices! Spices of India is what had Christopher Columbus searching for this peninsula, which led India to start trading with other nations. It is our gold and our treasure, the music in our food.

Saffron

This is a spice too but one that deserves its own bullet point.  The world’s most expensive spice, saffron is revered in India. 

Vicks, Amrutanjan,Zandubomb

 

So, Vicks’ existence isn’t confined India, but it is also indisputably an integral part of nearly every household. For running nose to headaches, Vicks has worked its miracles. No traveler leaves his home without a tub of this in his pocket.  The same goes for Vick’s contenders Amrutanjan and Zandubomb.

Coconut oil

Hair shower isn’t complete without having massaged it with coconut oil the day before. Apart from cooking, coconut oil has multiple uses in the Indian household. It is the substitute for lip balms on parched lips, lotion for skin, burns etc. Coconut oil is our olive oil.

Henna

Is a bride complete without hands decorated by henna?

Also called Mehndi, made from crushed leaves of the henna plant it is a color leaving substance used for temporary body art. For a mehndi lover, one does not simply wait for festivals.

Paan

Paan-betel leaves prepared with areca nut and some other stuff and used as a stimulant.

Because of its strange taste (at least for me) and adverse effects, paan isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it is a popular cultural activity (the paan chewing).

Jasmine

The smell of jasmine buds haunts Indians. Festooning women’s hair or garlanding god idols, jasmine in Hindu households go a long way. 

Sandalwood

India is famous for its sandalwood trees, and its fragrance has been channeled into pastes, creams, lotions, face powder, soaps, garlands made with the bark’s shavings, sandal wood dolls, perfumes, incense sticks, and sandalwood oil.  I think that pretty much shows how much in love we are with this tree.

Turmeric

People all over the world use turmeric in cooking, but an Indian household worships the existence of turmeric. As an antiseptic, it is used for wounds, skin etc., as a spice+ health benefit it finds its way into all (like, 97%) of our food. As an Hindu item, it is used for worshiping the gods. Turmeric embraces India with its distinct smell, taste and color.

Vermilion.

A red colored substance, it is used excessively by some Indians as sindoor.

Panipuri

Almost impossible to carry it in a pocket but nothing reminds one of India as pani puri does. A no-cook snack loved by almost everyone, this would easily be the favorite thing to have on a rainy day. Or just any hour, really.

Our roots travel with us, in its smell or taste. What is the one thing that reminds you of your homeland?

Note:images do not belong to me

Dream catcher craze

My best friend has just started a new blog! I’m really excited for her. She is just beginning to discover the kind of posts she wants to make, but I know it if off to a great start. I wanted to share it here,  a blogger motivates a fellow blogger right? 

   An Open Book  

Here is the link^ I would be thankful if you guys dropped in!

 

So, I’ve been up to some DYI. This was a dreamcatcher I made for my cousin as a thank you gift/peace offering. He was the one who got me the judicial clerk internship and I kinda tortured him to make that real.  The little stone you see at the center is actually a seashell; it was gift from a friend who brought it from the Adaman islands for me! I wanted the dreamcatcher to be connected to nature. 

The way I went about it is the black shows the universe, the blue the galaxies and sky, the pearls planets and such celestial bodies. The seashell, just because!

What do you think?