thursday's child

I met a non lawyer today who regularly appears before the DARAB, an administrative board, as counsel for the farmer beneficiaries. He came to the office to have several pleadings notarized and I immediately observed the defective verification attached to the pleadings on appeal. Instead of the valid IDs of the parties, meaning government issued, he indicated IDs issued by their own private farmer's association. I brought the matter to his attention, that his pleadings would eventually be denied on mere technicality as improper verification, and therefore all his efforts at representing the parties would be futile and dismissed outright, which is a sad thing. I must have embarrassed him by pointing out the issue  in front of his 'clients', but I tried my hardest to explain it to him in a way that didn't humiliate him or put to question his credibility to handle the cases. I'm glad he listened. I made him come back and change the verification page, gather the valid...

Today a client walks in and charges a colleague of mine with discrimination, saying that the latter refused to extend legal help due to the former's disability. He was not shy expressing his disgust with the office, and all my attempts at drilling some sense into him were futile. Records bear out that he was denied assistance by our office thrice: twice for conflict of interest, and once for lack of merit. As I spoke to this person he was clearly not in the mood to listen. My assistant would later tell me that he was the kind of person who is indisposed to people saying No to him. I simply gave up. Every time I open my mouth, he interrupts. This guy would not listen or attempt to listen to any explanation at all. So I made him gather himself and leave the office, politely, of course. I also told him that if he would like to file a complaint against us, public defenders, he may do so. The law is on our side. Stubborn at best. Ohm. Ohm. Ohm. Great thing about the incident: ...