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On December 5, 2013, a preeminently honorable man, perhaps the most admired in the world, passed away. That man was Nelson Mandela, and he was a lawyer.
Mandela's surpassing prominence came not from writing a groundbreaking law review article, or from dazzling court watchers with a brilliant closing argument in a high profile trial (save the historic "speech from the dock" that he gave at his own). Mandela's singular gift to civilization - his inspiration and leadership of South Africa's peaceful transition from Apartheid rule to multi-racial, constitutional democracy - will not be known by most people as the provision of a "legal service." Indeed, relatively few among the millions who revere Mandela will perceive the formidable legal mind at work behind his history-making achievements. But as much as anything, it was Mandela's mastery of the lawyer's art that enabled him to build a case that changed the world.
Mandela was a lawyer's lawyer. And his story is a lesson to all that living the lawyer's life, at its best, engenders the skills and character traits that can empower people to make a difference in their community, their nation, and beyond.
The Formative Years
Many people do not even know that Nelson Mandela was a lawyer. That is a shame, because he spent decades engaged in the study and practice of law, applying himself vigorously both as a law student and an attorney. Mandela first enrolled at the University of Witwatersrand Law School in 1943, where he began his LLB studies. By 1944, Mandela had gotten married and co-founded the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League. The next year, his first son Thembi was born. Mandela worked as a law clerk during the day and took classes at night. But the financial strain, racially hostile university learning environment, and emerging political responsibilities proved too much, and in 1949 he was forced to abandon his LLB studies.
The South African bar functions under a two-tiered system. A lawyer can serve either as an advocate, engaging in oral argument before the highest courts in the land, or as an attorney, primarily handling cases in the early stages of litigation or in the lower courts. Serving as an advocate required an LLB degree, but one could take...