What Kind of Lawyer Do I Want to Be?

During their last reflective group session, the externs discussed about what kind of lawyer they wanted to be and what kind of lawyer they did not want to be. Their time during the legal aid externship had shown them many fantastic examples of lawyers and the impact a lawyer can have but also many flaws in the justice system.

Below are some pictures visually displaying the externs' thoughts. The externs will all be given copies of these photos to remind them as they continue their legal career path about what kind of lawyer they would like to become.

What Kind of Lawyer Do I Not Want To Be?

What Kind of Lawyer Do I Want To Be?

Externship Graduation Dinner

To celebrate the end of the externship programme, a graduation dinner was held at Oasis Restaurant for the externs and their friends and family as well as the supervisors from their host organisations.

Lawyer Michael Kanu (who currently works at the Anti-Corruption Commission) gave a key note speech inspiring the externs in their future legal career and to be the kind of lawyers that made a difference. Lawyer Haffie Hafner (who used to work for the Pilot National Legal Aid scheme) especially encouraged the female students.

All students were awarded with certificates and the names of three students were announced who would be awarded the summer externship placements in the provinces. These were: Alimammy Koroma (1st prize), Esther Kabia and Anrite Thomas (joint 2nd prize). These students performed the best during the externship and have secured a stipend and placement with a legal organisation in the provinces. The assessment was based on their performance at their host placement, their contribution as the group sessions, their journal and blog posts and their professionalism.

We hope the special evening is one the externs will remember and was some time for them to enjoy themselves after their hard work during the externship.

Extern Plays a Key Role in new Legal TV Drama Series

Alimamy Koroma, an extern based with AdvocAid, has played a key role in developing innovative ways to educate the public about their legal rights.

AdvocAid are pioneering using television to not only entertain but also educate the public. They have started Police Case, a legal drama series which follows the story of Adama, a woman who is arrested after a fight with her husband. The series follows her journey through the criminal justice system and educates the public about their rights upon arrest, bail, rights at court and also highlights topics such as domestic violence and corruption.

Alimamy played a key role in providing technical legal input during the script reviews alongside AdvocAid's Legal Officer, Simitie Lavaly. He has also helped with outreach efforts and participated in a radio programme on Radio Mount Aureol to encourage fellow students to tune in and learn more about their rights.

All 6 extern students participated during the launch of Police Case at the British Council on 23 July 2012, when the series was launched by the Inspector General of Police, and also were part of the stakeholder discussion which followed with representatives from the judiciary, media, police and other civil society groups.

Alimamy commented "I enjoyed every minute of Police Case. I think it was entertaining, educative and real; real in the sense that it reflected the reality of the justice machinery in our country. I will recommend it to everyone!"

Alimamy has continued to play an important role in the project. He has interviewed clients who have contacted AdvocAid for legal assistance after hearing about the programme and also completed an initial draft of answers to common questions about rights in the criminal justice system following the 40 calls and 96 text messages received after episode 2 of Police Case aired. The responses will be posted on Police Case's facebook page.

Fourah Bay Student Riots

We are sad to note that Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, was closed due to student protests. Student exams have been postponed until further notice.

This has severely impacted the students who are part of the Legal Aid Externship Clinic. The students have all expressed how grateful they are to be part of the Clinic, where they are able to get training, mentorship and practical experience, especially given some of the challenges at Fourah Bay.

Posted by Sabrina Mahtani (Executive Director, AdvocAid)

How the Externship is Changing my Ideas about the Law

By Wilbri John, Extern, LAWYERS

Before coming in contact with AdvocAid, I had decided that I will work more as a Solicitor and less as a Barrister.  I thought I was better-off in an office environment than in the court room.  Seeing women in conflict with the law; most of them without any legal representation, juvenile imprisoned with adult and the unfair and unjust treatment meted on people especially less privilege, I have decided that when I become a lawyer, I will put a lot of effort in advocating for such people.

When interviewing victims or listening to cases discussed by fellow paralegals I have come to realize that the theoretical and the practical part of the law have many differences in Sierra Leone.  I’ve been to a court sitting to see that the accused did not have a lawyer.  He did cross examination himself.  He was an illiterate and needed an interpreter to interpret everything to him; the questions asked by the lawyer of the plaintiff and by the magistrates.  According to the law, the accused must be provided with a lawyer if he cannot afford one but that is hardly done unless certain human rights lawyers come across such cases and decide to represent them.

My Thoughts on Victims' Experience of the Justice System

By Anrite, Extern, Defence for Children

I helped in a research project with a Canadian student of law on victims and during the short period that I assisted, I was able to observe, evaluate and reach possible conclusions on a number of issues with regards to victims, their family and the outcome of these cases.

I was able to conclude that ninety percent (90%) of these victims are generally uninformed about the due process of the law and most do not even understand why the law or the trial should operate in a particular fashion.  For instance, most do not know why the case is being committed to the High Court or why it takes a long time for cases to come up in the High Court.  In the midst of these uncertainties, there have emerged four different classes of victims who respond to the system in various and conflicting ways.

There are those who have the endurance to withstand the rigid and complex process of the law and are actively involved despite the long period of almost two and half years, which is usually the approximate time frame that these cases take before final judgement is delivered.  Though not always, they are mostly the average income earners who are able to do a constant follow-up with the police officers or court registrar that has been assigned to a case.  After two years and five months, a single mother was able to hear the judgement of her daughter’s abusers.  She was only able to do so by thorough follow-up.

There are those who may want to take an active part in the process but are not properly informed and do not have the resources to do the necessary follow-up.   Although few in this class are not informed when their case is called upon in the High Court because they might have changed address or their address could not be located as was in the case of a victim whose parents thought that the case has never been called upon when in fact the case has been called for almost two months in the High Court.  They only know when I was able to trace them and informed them of the development of which they were totally oblivious of.

The quite majority of victims fall to the class in which they become frustrated because of the very long - time over a year, that the cases have to wait before it is being called upon in the High Court.  Most of them are ignorant of the reason for this unnecessary delay and as such lose faith and interest in the trials.  They forget about the trial and brand the justice system as unjust and ineffective.  There had been quite a number of victims whose parents I have called and they told me that the system have failed them, they do not want to have anything to do with the court again and they are tired of waiting.  The worst part is that some of them during this period are almost always reluctant to continue with any form of trial or even be reminded of the case.

The least group are those who settle for less.  They accept monetary consideration from the family of the accused and strike a compromise in which they will not participate in any form of trial.  This is in line with some form of African culture and a particular victim’s father told me that they are very poor, they cannot afford constant transportation to go to court or even afford a lawyer and it would only be a long futile journey to engage in any form of trial and the family and child’s name will be negatively branded.

My Most Memorable Client Interview

By Esther Kabia, Extern, LAWYERS

From what I learnt, the interview room at LAWYERS had seen its fair share of tears, but this was my first during an interview.

The young lady came into the office on the 13^th December 2011.  I could see she was badly hurt, so I asked if she had gone for a medical report and treatment.  She boldly answered yes although she claimed she had left the necessary documents at home (I learnt later that she had never been).

She was evasive and refused to face me.  She was reluctant at first, and referred to me as Isata when I had introduced myself as Esther.  I was at a loss.  I had an opportunity to practice all I had learnt about client interview, yet my client wasn’t cooperating and it didn’t seem to be working.  It seemed that the young lady had not wanted to come forward on the issue.  Perhaps she had done so to appease the lady who had referred her to the office, someone whom I understood she held in high regard.

I was determined to make it work, and of work it did.  After almost 15minutes of meaningless chatter, she gave in.  I encouraged, persuaded and cajoled her.  She had been adamant, yet in an instant, something snapped and she burst into tears.  I gave her a hog and this was when she warmed up to me and started talking.  Phew!  My interview was on.

It turned out she had an abusive partner.  For any trivial reason he would beat her up and then to add to her injury, he would take their two year old daughter either to his mother or to a particular “lady lover” of his.  She had been cohabiting with him since 2007 and this had always been the case.  He provided n support for her she stated, yet he always took part of her meager salary as a waitress at a local restaurant.  This had fueled the argument which led to her severe beating this particular time.  She said “I don’t want a case, I don’t want to go to court, I don’t even want to return to his house.  All I want is my daughter.”

I gave the necessary legal advice and consolation.  I had a word with the Administrative Officer and set an appointment for my client.  My client left with a promise to show up for the appointment (a promise she never kept) and my phone number.

My client had left no contact number and when I visited her place of work I learnt she no longer worked there.  I spoke with the Administrative Officer and she assured me this was no unusual occurrence.  Some clients she said will not show up after the first visit, would never call and that would be the end of the case.

I am writing this post because I got call from this young lady.  She sounded different.  She informed me she had returned to her village to reside with her mother and raise her daughter.  She had been apprehensive of the legal clinic, however, it turned out she had used it and part of what she gained during out interview against her partner.  A partial illiterate himself, words like domestic violence, maintenance, court, trial, human rights abuse had led him to take his leave of her she stated.  She stated that he sent an undecided amount of money monthly for his child’s upkeep.  She sounded happy and promised to come see me at the office next she was in town.