Law Personal Statement Example 37

Law and its complexities in being both precise yet open to interpretation; impartial yet sensitive to society's ever changing morals and philosophy has been of great curiosity to me. It is both an art and science. My enthusiasm to pursue the course at higher education started from a personal interest in criminal law from a situation in my country - the running of the Khmer Rouge Trials.

I'd figured it was simple: the defendants had murdered, the effects still echoing today, and all of Cambodia knew. They had to be guilty. Instead, it turned complicated when I questioned family members, took part in a public discussion over the issue and continued to follow proceedings. From lack of decisive evidence after 30 years, to the definitions of the charges, to being a complete dilemma to the Cambodian people, my eyes opened to the complexity that law was.

My dissatisfaction and parallel fascination led me to delve further into the technicalities of criminal law, and when I could, I tried to test them objectively against the trial I'd made my very own case study. By then I'd exposed myself even further into Tort, Family and Contract and still have only abstract ideas of law.

I'd formed in the literary perspective of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure that law was a structure; in "L'etranger" by Albert Camus it became a protection; in History, I learned that its interpretation could be fatal, and a single implementation revolutionary; in biology, the developing and precision in gene technology was being accepted in a concept of idealism and morals; in geography, that law went beyond a single society into others through the economy; in critical thinking, it was immersed in ethics where precision was vital.

Apart from developing the analytical skills, constructive reasoning, and articulate expressiveness that I think are essential skills in legal studies, the variety of my A-level subjects has also taught me open-mindedness and the capability to look widely into an issue, conceptualising responses at each perspective.

The decision to read law in the UK was made in particular to the course, where I believe I will benefit most. The long history and colourful societal change of the UK will enable me to view the evolution of law at its best (well proven in its Literature).The UK also has its fair share of immigrants, has dealt with racism. Where better to read law in a country where the fairness of its courts would have been challenged by bias?

There has been little chance of involving myself in law-related work experience as there is not much opportunity to do so here, but it is an objective I hold for the gap year before entering university in 2009. I hope to join a small law firm in Phnom Penh, and continue, as I am now, to follow and watch the on-going Khmer Rouge Trials.

However, I have had responsibilities that have helped me gain the maturity and practical applications that I feel will be contributable to studying law. My organisational and leadership skills were enhanced by being elected thrice as House Captain to my Sports. Working with a team has enabled me to balance and understand important differences of individualism and "Team". Although I lack confidence in articulating views orally, the position had boosted me a little, and I know that it will be one of the many attributes that law will allow me to achieve.

Volunteering during Summer School to help in Sports classes and also to ease the busy administration office by doing any paper-pushing jobs have helped me understand what it is to be relied on for a system to work. I suppose a school is a mini society with its own laws and regulations wherein students conform.

To balance out a busy academic schedule, I take part in physical activities and immerse myself in creativity. As a keen volleyball and badminton player, I am usually in the chosen participants in a game and I will continue the activities, if possible, into university. In the form of creativity, I play the piano and I enjoy creative writing. Words are a powerful tool, and my understanding as well as use of them allows me to appreciate its importance in law. I am also an enthusiastic reader of The Economist and The NewScientist which are available in Cambodia.

As my school and Cambodia's first A-Level candidate, I hope to further my education so that I can be part of my country's developing generation. My aim is not to study law and immediately return to preach what is right and what is wrong. I wish to understand the Law as a pillar of society and its imporant role in our lives, as we are only usually aware of the law when we are obstructing it.

Every country differs and has its quirks, but law remains the structure that judges upon situation accordingly, oblivious to status or personal bias. Although I know the law is not Justice, am I perhaps too optimistic? I hope to find out.