Badua, Mae Ann Y.

Legal Counseling
3B

Reaction Paper on
“Dignity and the Legal Profession”
By Atty. Evangeline S. Sarda

Our existence as human being is complementary with our

missions or goals in life. It somehow tells us what we want, what we
need, and what we aspire of in due period of time. Personally, I do
believe that those reasons of our existence, being alive, here and
now are primarily based on that goal. Most probably, the way we
crave for something that will fulfill our existence could be based on
palpable experience, external things. In usual and plebeian way of
life, it is actually true and might be for it manifests giving value by
fulfilling all the potentialities that we have given by someone’s gift of
life.

Good looks, money, material possessions, fame and popularity

are maybe our external or sentient goals in life. It seems to be
appearing temporarily in our world but then it may sometimes our
source of survival. If we are just contented with what we have and
what we are, it can manifest a realm of mediocrity. It would be
irrational for us to neglect to become what nature has meant us to
become. So, be human in nature because we are human beings. We
want that money and material possessions. Those are the things that
make us to endure life in the competition for survival. We incline also
to have or to possess fame and popularity. Are we an approval
addict? Pleasure seeker? Maybe, we are. But this desire will
somehow cater to be honored and to gain respect just only in
different means. Thus, it represents a desire for an increase of one’s
selfhood. I am not incriminating those individuals who are aiming for
those things. From my view of point, material things will not actually
define us; rather dignity defines who we are as a person and it also
taught us what we should become in order to become fulfilled.

Some say that dignity is not something that you find within
everyone; that it is a question of philosophy. Some also say it is
human nature to be undignified and it must be taught by parents or
teachers. Others think that we are all born with the knowledge of
proper behavior, and it is the law which makes some people acts
undignified.

I myself believe that dignity is inherent in all of us, that we are

all born with a common knowledge about how to act around others,
and we choose whether or not to abide by that sense. We are all born
with a sense of dignity, and as we grow older our action bring us gain
or lose to that dignity and what others see within us. In relation to the
legal profession, Human dignity is a sense of how we respect others
and how we respect ourselves. If you mistreat people and show no
respect towards them, they will see you as a person with a low sense
of dignity. And it is important in the legal profession that lawyers must
possess and observe dignity towards their clients. If you treat people
with the respect that they deserved and act with a tasteful manner
towards them, they will see you as a person with a high sense of
dignity. Without such behavior, it would be hard to keep a job which
involves rendering legal services that needs interaction with others,
and it would be hard to find lifelong clients that would respect you as
you are and not only as their legal counsel.

When others see you as someone with high dignity, your legal
service is more likely to be accepted by the clients. But dignity should
be reciprocal, if you act respectful towards others, they should treat
you the same. And lastly, Lawyers must see their clients as their
equal.

We are all something, but none of us are everything. Meaning

that we are all equal, some might have more money than others, and
some might have more power, but we all fit within one mold of heart,
brain, and soul. And that is what Dignity in legal profession means.