National Jurist - March 2009 - (Page 32) ALEX LEWIS Rutgers School of Law Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights in Africa Working for the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) during the 2008 election crisis was as much an education in lawlessness as it was preparation for human rights lawyering. Just living there was an unforgettable experience. ZLHR’s office was officially closed for virtually my entire time there, in response to police raids on other civil society groups in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital. Human rights lawyers in Zimbabwe are a dwindling community, and every time another lawyer succumbs to death threats, police harassment and hopelessness by leaving the country, human rights law becomes harder to practice. Those who openly advocate for change in Zimbabwe are well known, and subjected to severe pressure. Every attempt is made to weaken their voices. The Zimbabwe Peace Project reported some 16,400 incidents of political violence during the election crisis, including the killings of 500 MDC activists. Tens of thousands have been displaced from their homes, spreading the disastrous consequences of the violence throughout the country and the region. Throughout the crisis, I worked on ZLHR’s Transitional Justice Project, researching the decline of the police and judiciary, and writing recommendations for reform. It was difficult but fascinating work, entailing research into Zimbabwe’s constitutional, legislative, and institutional histories, all of which are colored by colonial history. It is easy to become discouraged, working on historical research and constitutional abstractions while the storm rages outside. But, while I do not delude myself that my recommendations will be implemented—nor would I want them to be, given my lack of expertise—it’s hugely satisfying to know that my research will be the basis for further discussion among people whose voices matter for Zimbabwe’s future. ANGELA CARLON Washburn University School of Law Husch Blackwell Sanders in Kansas City Graduate Studies at New York Law School Advanced Tax and Real Estate Training for Lawyers in the Heart of New York City LL.M. in Taxation Concentrations in: Corporate Taxation Estate Planning General Taxation International Taxation Planning for Entrepreneurs and Closely Held Businesses State and Local Taxation and Finance Tax Litigation For more information, call 212.431.2334 or visit LL.M. in Real Estate Concentrations in: Transactional Practice Public Policy and Regulation For more information, call 212.431.2391 or visit www.nyls.edu/TaxLLM. www.nyls.edu/RealEstateLLM. Both LL.M. programs are open to graduates of U.S. and foreign law schools and are accepting applications for summer 2009 and 2009–10. I made it. I am a summer associate at a Top 100 law firm. It has been everything I had hoped for and more. There were many great events to attend, but not too many, and even a trip with all of the other summer associates. I may have found a diamond in the rough. Everyone has made me feel so comfortable. Out of hope for an offer at the end of the summer, or just my general love for corporate work, I felt I did a great job for most of the summer. I had been waiting to work on a bond project for a few weeks. I’m a nerd, so it sounded interesting. The assigning attorney gave me a copy of the document from the earlier transaction setting out all deadlines our client may need to comply with. On the following Monday morning I waved hello to the assigning attorney in passing. He was looking for me. I had missed a few very basic details. The assigning attorney was nice about it, but this made him think I hadn’t understood the transaction. I really had thrown myself into the deal and felt like I understood it. But, mistakes on the fundamental small details of a project make the whole work seem less reliable. If you have made a mistake, the next step is accepting responsibility for it, and moving on. Even though it was painful to see, it helped me understand how he wanted the document to look. You may have heard this 1,000 times, but I’m here to tell you again. “Proofread your documents!” And if you have been immersed in a project all day, wait 24 hours and read it again. An attorney told me once that I should work for the firm that I would want to be a part of if I made a mistake. Throughout this ordeal it became clear that this firm will be behind me even if I make a mistake. 32 THE NATIONAL JURIST March 2009 http://www.nyls.edu/TaxLLM http://www.nyls.edu/TaxLLM http://www.nyls.edu/RealEstateLLM
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