“It’s the attainment of justice and fairness that gives lawyers their buzz.”
This sentiment was shared by The Hon Michael Kirby during one of his many visits to UTS Law School in the 2000s. However, in reality, there’s little to no buzz for a lawyer doing pro-bono work for medicinal cannabis cases. Having spent five years on this type of work, I can attest to that. It’s more of a grind, involving listening to heart-wrenching patient stories and organising doctors’ letters, which feels more like trying to hold back the tide than practising law.
The lack of excitement comes from an inability to “change the law” in the traditional way by going to courts, arguing the unique facts of your case, setting a precedent, and altering the law (a significant oversimplification).
