Why Law?

By Marlee, 1D

“Why law”? Being fresh out of college, that frequently asked question was difficult to  answer at first. Working for a law firm sparked an interest and I entered law school to explore that interest. Although I was often warned about the path ahead, I was and am determined to become a lawyer. However, the answer to “why law” was still a work in progress, until last November.

Last semester, my criminal law class was introduced to the story of Mr. Register. Mr. Register was wrongly convicted for murder and spent 34 years in prison before Project for the Innocent and Professor Levenson helped a free man clear his name. Project for the Innocent is a Loyola law school program that helps exonerate the wrongfully convicted, like Mr. Register. Loyola Students have the opportunity to work on projects where they investigate cases and help prove the innocence of the wrongfully convicted.

My class had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Register and hearing his story. When Mr. Register first entered my classroom I was worried about his reaction to us and his experience. But Mr. Register was filled with nothing but positivity. He was tearing [as was the rest of the class] while he told us how he was beyond thankful to Loyola and our class for the donations we gave him. I watched Mr. Register reunite with his family and tell us how he still has faith in the criminal justice system and the lawyers and law students, like those involved in his case, who work so hard to help people. At this moment I was able to answer the nagging question that kept popping up in the back of my mind.

I chose law because I want to help people. Whether I choose criminal law or a different area, lawyers have the unique ability to represent the law and help people every day. Whether representing individuals who are wrongly convicted, someone personally injured in a car accident, or maybe someone discriminated against, people come to lawyers for help. Lawyer have so much power and responsibility because they are representing the rights of individuals and representing the laws that make up the foundation of our country. Being a law student is a hard task, but its because lawyers have a great responsibility and it should not be taken lightly. Programs at Loyola like Project for the Innocent help Loyola law students get involved in real cases and help them figure out their answer to “why law”.