Dear Colleague,
For this column I am going to depart from my usual “beat” of outlining trial tips and strategies. I should have written this column closer to Thanksgiving, for this column reflects my being thankful for a system of justice that, with rare exception, is devoid of corruption on the bench.
One fortunate aspect of advocacy training is being invited to teach in other countries. It has taken me around the world. For the most part, these forays into other legal systems have been interesting and rewarding. To a person, the advocates I have trained are serious, dedicated professionals.
However, some experiences have been discouraging. That discouragement comes from the fact that many advocates are practicing their craft in a corrupt system. I am not going to name the country since that is not the purpose of this column. In addition, I have been in more than one country where corruption is present in the judicial system.