“The most important thing for a lawyer is loving justice,” says Sok Sam Oeun, Executive Director of Cambodian Defenders Project who’s been a lawyer since 1989.
According Sam Oeun, a person can be lawyer after having a bachelor certificate of law and one-year training with a lawyer. Students are also required to understand English, as most of good documents are written in English.
After studying law, they need to study more specialized techniques, which are not taught in law school. Sam Oeun explains, “Techniques here mean questioning techniques, noting techniques, investigation techniques, trial techniques, etc.”
“They have to find lawyers who are very skillful and then learn from them,” says Sok Sam Oeun. Elaborating what type of mentor students should choose he says, a good lawyer has to follow the ethic of lawyer which means every word is based on law, adding “we have to understand about the rights of plaintiffs, defendants, and victims.”
By following these steps, a student can become a good lawyer. However, It’s hard for even a good lawyer to win a case if there is corruption in the court.
Sam Oeun encourages those who want to be lawyer to fight corruption, “To be a good lawyer, we prepare for the future, not for today. We have to challenge if we see any law is not fair enough.”
As a message to high school students who want to study law as well as students majoring in law, the experienced lawyer says, “Ask yourself whether you want to be a good lawyer or just a lawyer who is good at earning money?” he says emphasizing, “For those who really love justice, please study the law.”
