What a Year I Had....
Below is an email that I received from Transition Year student Ayesha Ali. I was so impressed by what I read,very proud , and I suppose, if I am to be honest, rather envious of the journey Ayesha has travelled during her Transition Year ,that I felt the need to share it with you. Below is her experience of Term 2, as shared with me in her email……
Hi Miss,
I hope all is well. I am going to highlight the certain events I have been to and courses I have done. (This email will take some time for you to read). Towards the end of January I did an educational challenge. I participated in a mock law class held by 2 attorneys from Los Angeles who are married(Greyson & Taly Goody). I was scrolling through social media and saw a post by Taly Goody who I have been following for a long while. They have been practising law for over 7 years and Taly Goody has been running her own law firm for a few years. The post said that they were hosting their first mock law class to give an insight to students worldwide on how law school would be like. This was held on zoom and we had to email Taly Goody accentuating our interest in this.
Ever since I was a child I have had passion and a really big interest in the legal industry hoping to pursue a career in this so I immediately sent an email. After a few days I got a response and was asked would I like to be an observer who would have their camera off and watch the cases being read and the discussions or be a participant who would get the cases emailed and get asked questions in the class who would have to have their cameras on.
I asked to be a participant and I got a response right away. All the participants were emailed 2 personal injury cases to read which involved things like negligence, compensation, damages etc. In advance Taly told us what sort of questions we would be asked after reading the cases which were around 40 pages.
The type of questions included were: procedural history? How did the case get to where it is now? Was there a trial? Outcome? Which Court wrote the decision? Issue? Rule? Conclusion? Plaintiff/Defendant? Parties arguments etc. We had almost a few weeks to prepare.
On 31st January the class was held. The class was an astonishing experience with such bright and respectful people. At the start of the class we were given an insight on tort law and other areas. Then Greyson and Taly shared their court experiences and some stories. After we reviewed the cases we had to read we then got asked questions and in the end there was a Q/A session. The class was just beyond what I expected and they are planning to maybe do a criminal case in a few months. This was an unforgettable experience and also met such a tender hearted community.
During February I did a Justice course, one of the most famous courses taught at Harvard College on edX. This course had an introduction to moral and political philosophy. During this course I learnt about the fundamentals of political philosophy, an understanding of social justice, criminal justice and the roles they play in the modern justice system. In my opinion the justice system can be very racist and unfair sometimes. A lot of injustice and unfair trials can happen as there is over 401 years of injustice in the world. Justice, a noble call that is most commendable (and the world needs more of them); nevertheless, law is not just for lawyers or in the courtroom as it affects all aspects of society; from the protection of life and liberty to corporate or international relations.
There was also a deeper sense of the philosophy that underlies modern issues such as affirmative action, same- sex marriage and equality. I found this course extremely beneficial and loved every aspect of it.
During March I did the Look into Law TY Programme which led into April too. This course was by far definitely my favourite. At the start of the module it was highly recommended that we take notes. I have a separate A4 notebook where I have notes based on law. These modules consisted of videos from professional barristers, solicitors, judges, quizzes and stories from barristers. I took notes on new things in each module. I would love to share some new things I have learned during my time doing the modules in this programme. If I were to share all the notes I took in this programme this email would become a 10 page essay! In the first module we were introduced to Maura McNally (Senior Counsel) who is only the 2nd female chair of the Bar of Ireland ever and the last one being 41 years ago.
Maura McNally accentuated how we need change and more diversity in the Bar of Ireland, No matter what race, gender, or creed your personal rights are there to be protected no matter what. We also got introduced to Mr Justice Frank Clarke (Chief Justice). Mr Clarke is in charge of the running of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is the highest court and understanding roles is important. Other roles Mr Clarke has includes sitting on the Presidential Commission, standing in for President of Ireland if he is away, chairs the Judicial Appointments Advisory board and chairs the board of the courts service.
Both solicitors and barristers have a right of audience in court. Standards that barristers in the Bar of Ireland must uphold include independence, integrity and expertise. There is a CAB bank rule which ensures that every member of the public can access justice with the assistance of a barrister. A barrister to have integrity means they have to be honest, must adhere to moral + ethical principles and values. Also learned about the overview of the courts. Introduced to the District Court in the first module. Civil claims can be brought to a value of 15,000 euros. This court has civil and criminal jurisdiction. The process of becoming a barrister: law degree, kings inn entrance exam, barristers course, call to the bar and devilling which is an apprenticeship. It is mandatory to devil for 1 year.
In module 2 we focused on criminal law and civil law. The irish legal system is broadly divided into two branches: the civil side and the criminal side, each with its own specialised courts. Civil courts hear cases involving disputes between individuals, organisations or the state. The criminal courts deal with prosecutions brought by the state against people accused petty theft to murder. Another one of the court was introduced. The Circuit Court. Ms Patricia Ryan who is the President of this court. Murder Trials are only dealt within the High Court ( Central Criminal Court). Circuit court does hear manslaughter trials though. 75,000 euros is the maximum amount of money this court can award in defamation cases, 60,000 euros is the limit for personal injury cases and 3 million is the limit of assets for family law cases.
Fun fact: The court randomly selects people for jury duty using the list of people entitled to vote in elections. A key feature of the Irish justice system is that it is administered in public. Judges find it less stressful to apply the law and make a decision.
In module 3 we learned about the High Court. 40 judges sit on the High court. There are 8 judges dealing with criminal matters and 32 judges dealing with civil matters. The High Court that deals with criminal cases is called the Central Criminal Court which deal with the most serious cases such as rape, genocide etc. Criminal cases are tried by a judge and 12 person jury.
The Court of Appeal which deals with appeals against convictions and appeals against sentences. The High Court is the highest court where a claim can be commenced. There is a very limited right to appeal from the Supreme Court from decisions of the High Court.
In module 4 we learned about mediation. Mediation is a flexible process conducted confidentially in which a third party assists the parties to a dispute in working towards a negotiated settlement. The parties have ultimate control of the decision. In short terms it is a form of dispute or conflict resolution and can be done online too. Mediation is becoming popular in Ireland. It is voluntary but advised especially during family, probate, employment or medical cases.
In module 5 the last module of the programme we learned about the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is the highest court in Ireland. The constitution lists that the only reason a case may go to the Supreme Court is general public importance. There are 9 judges in total. A hearing normally lasts a day in the Supreme Court. Ireland is the only country with a fully common law legal system left in the EU.
I learnt about advocacy skills. ABC standing for accuracy, brevity and clarity. 'Fail to prepare, prepare to fail'. Another thing I learned was examining witnesses and examples of good and bad cross examinations and examination in chief. Lastly I learned about judgement. Judgement is a decision of the court in legal proceedings. A judge can either deliver their judgement immediately after a case is finished or he/she can choose to "reserve" their decision. Judgements usually set out reasons for a judge's decision in a case. Written judgements are not delivered in the lower courts. In criminal trials the verdict is delivered by the jury.
This was only half the notes I had written down! I hope you enjoyed reading about this Miss. My favourite aspect of this programme would have been 'Faces of the Bar' which were barristers telling their stories on how they got to where they are today and their advice to us. I also loved the quizzes which helped me reflect on what I had learned. I will finish off with one more fact which is about why barristers wear black gowns and the reason: theory is that the triangular cloth is a derivative of the mourning hood introduced following the death of Charles II, in keeping with traditional mourning dress of the time. A really interesting theory! Along with these events and courses I attended career exhibitions on law and college open days where they had Q/A sessions and informative discussions. I made the email extra long because ,as you said Miss ,we don't know how long a piece of string is!!
What an inspirational email to have received. Well done on what has been an interesting, and busy term for you.Here’s to a great future Ayesha, for you in the world of Law .
