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May 27 2010

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More Lessons from Honduras

posted by Grant

Being in a country like Honduras for a couple weeks will really challenge your perspective.  Obviously, the standard of living in the U.S. is very different than in Honduras.  It isn't unusual for homes there to be a single room without any windows.  They often have dirt floors.  Several entire neighborhoods are without electricity and indoor plumbing.  When a law student sees conditions like these, it is hard not to feel discouraged, frustrated, and insignificant.  The law seeks justice and it is difficult to find justice in that kind of situation.  I began to have serious doubts about the importance of my law degree.  In a country like Honduras, where laws are often under-developed and under-enforced, the law seems to not matter.

That said, over the course of the couple weeks I was in Honduras, my perspective of the law began to shift as I considered some of the differences between the U.S. and Honduras.  I think a huge part of the puzzle of why the U.S. has been so fortunate over its 230-something years is because of our advanced legal system, and especially because of people throughout history and those today who offer a voice for justice for those who can't.  These thoughts were encouraging for me, and reminded me of the good that a law degree really can provide.  

But the question still remains - how can we use our law degrees to help those outside of the U.S.?  Of course there are several nonprofit organizations with this mission in mind, but what do you think are some very real and practical ways the law as we know it can be used to help people internationally?

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Grant

About the Author: Grant
grant@thelawstreetjournal.com

Grant is a recent law school graduate and focuses his legal practice on general corporate law matters. He hated law school more than most people and refused to study (if only this were true). When he isn’t at work, he spends his time watching the Indianapolis Colts and Indiana Hoosiers, playing guitar, piano, or drums, coaching a little league basketball team, or remodeling a house.

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