A Brief
History
of the Law
I
Legal
Triumphs
Qing Wu advances that
the law permeates into
almost every aspect of our
lives in a societal and globalised context.
26 | DICTA 2013
n recent years, law school has faced much law cannot be a method to prevent crime, it
criticism, as has the legal profession. Law does act as a deterrence to keep the majority
students are stereotyped as anti-social geeks, of people from committing unlawful acts for
while lawyers are seen as bloodsuckers of cli- fear of punishment. In lawless societies, it is
ents’ money. This is not true! Yes, I would agree likely that ‘empathy’ will act as a replacement
that not every person who becomes a lawyer for law. This does not amount to true justice
comes into the profession with the right inten- as it is based on the subjective opinion of what
tions. But the media has misguided society into others perceive as ‘suffering’. People who are
focusing predominantly on the failures of law.
skilled actors at getting sympathy can manipuIn practice, there are many lawyers who late their way into selfish desires. Empathy may
are motivated to represent their clients, pro- be an ingredient within the makings of law, but
tecting their legal rights. Law does not only it cannot replace the law.
fight for certain individuals, but it also has imSo, how does Engli ͠