Nava Moshtael Law Personal Statement PDF

Does the law truly embody justice? Mahsa Amini\'s death in 2022, while in the custody of Iran\'s \'morality\' police, compelled me to rethink justice under an authoritarian regime that suppresses women\'s choices. At just nine, I was obliged to comply with the mandatory veiling law while visiting I...

Does the law truly embody justice? Mahsa Amini\'s death in 2022, while in the custody of Iran\'s \'morality\' police, compelled me to rethink justice under an authoritarian regime that suppresses women\'s choices. At just nine, I was obliged to comply with the mandatory veiling law while visiting Iran, my parent's homeland. This law's criminalisation of women\'s right to bodily autonomy not only provoked Amini\'s tragedy but also deepened my disillusionment with a system that institutionalises injustice, exacerbated by The Taliban\'s recent ban on women\'s public voice. Concerned by the law\'s perpetuation of gender inequality across cultures, I read Helena Kennedy\'s Misjustice: How British Law is Failing Women. Her analysis led me to reflect on how the law reinforces male-dominated norms, shaping society\'s internalisation of what is \'right\' and \'natural\'. Curious about this relationship between law and morality, I explored contrasting opinions on the five-year sentencing of Just Stop Oil protestors in The Guardian, noting the tension between public nuisance laws and the moral imperative of climate activism. The parallels between the Iranian regime\'s perversion of the law to conceal human rights violations and the UK\'s punitive response to environmentalists\' right to protest are troubling; both prioritise order over civil liberties, which could deter the public from engaging with critical issues. Having attended a parliamentary debate where the Justice Secretary discussed UK prison overcrowding, I found it paradoxical that non-violent offenders were being incarcerated; should we not focus on prosecuting those who deny and aggravate climate change instead? This question inspired me to enter Oxford's Big Think Competition, which commended me for investigating whether oil companies could be charged with \'climate homicide\'. Reading a Harvard Law paper led me to conclude that their environmental negligence and reckless endangerment enable the required 'culpable mental state' for prosecution. Participating in competitions has refined my legal reasoning, research, and referencing skills. In the NU London Essay Competition, I was awarded a scholarship and Finalist prize for arguing that Parliament should reform UK copyright laws to prioritise innovation over profit by expanding the public domain. I pursued my interest in intellectual property law during my work experience, where I delivered a closing argument on the Colin v. Cuthbert case, accusing Aldi of trademark infringement. To further hone my oral advocacy, I competed in the Robert Gordon Debate Finals which sharpened my teamwork, time management, and public speaking skills. Presenting and defending cases to an audience of over five hundred was exhilarating, showcasing abilities crucial for excelling in mooting competitions. Moreover, English Literature has honed my ability to analyse social structures through various critical lenses, revealing how literature reflects and condemns societal attitudes towards the law. Whereas Spanish has strengthened my communication skills and broadened my cultural awareness, enabling me to integrate insights from international legal systems and precedents. Alongside my studies, I have run a Book Club, participated in the Law Society and volunteered as a Peer Educator, Spanish Prefect, and Student Mentor. These responsibilities have allowed me to develop my interpersonal and organisational skills by advising students and leading interactive lessons. Working as a charity shop assistant has further demonstrated my commitment to community service, a value I am eager to cultivate through pro bono work at university. From witnessing legal corruption in Iran to scrutinising UK law, I have realised that the law\'s embodiment of justice is an ideal that often falls short in practice. This drives my determination to master the challenging intricacies of legal systems, empowering me to defend and advance the rights of marginalised communities as a future solicitor. 19^th^ sept: Does the law truly embody justice? Mahsa Amini\'s death in 2022, while in the custody of Iran\'s \'morality\' police, compelled me to reconsider justice under an authoritarian regime that suppresses women\'s choices. At just nine, I was obliged to comply with the mandatory veiling law while visiting Iran, my parent\'s homeland. This law\'s criminalisation of women\'s right to bodily autonomy not only provoked Amini\'s tragedy but also deepened my disillusionment with a system that institutionalises injustice, exacerbated by The Taliban\'s recent outlawing of women\'s public voice. Concerned by the law\'s perpetuation of gender inequality across cultures, I read Helena Kennedy\'s \'Misjustice: How British Law is Failing Women\'. Her analysis led me to reflect on how the law reinforces male-dominated norms, shaping society\'s internalisation of what is \'right\' and \'natural\'. Curious about the relationship between law and morality, I explored contrasting opinions on the five-year sentencing of Just Stop Oil protestors in The Guardian, noting the tension between public nuisance laws and the moral imperative of climate activism. The parallels between the Iranian regime\'s perversion of the law to conceal human rights violations and the UK\'s punitive response to environmentalists\' right to protest are troubling; both prioritise order over civil liberties, which could deter the public from engaging with critical issues. Having attended a parliamentary debate where the Justice Secretary emphasised UK prison overcrowding, I found it paradoxical that non-violent offenders were being incarcerated; should we not focus on prosecuting those who deny and aggravate climate change instead? This question inspired my commended entry into Oxford\'s Big Think Competition, where I investigated whether oil companies could be charged with \'climate homicide\'. Reading the Harvard Environmental Law Review led me to conclude that their environmental negligence and reckless endangerment could constitute the required \'culpable mental state\' for prosecution. Participating in competitions has refined my legal reasoning, research, and referencing skills. In the NU London Essay Competition, I was awarded a scholarship and a Finalist prize for arguing that Parliament should reform UK copyright laws to foster innovation by expanding the public domain. I pursued my interest in intellectual property law during my work experience with the University of Law, where I delivered a closing argument on the Colin v. Cuthbert case, accusing Aldi of trademark infringement. To further hone my oral advocacy, I competed in the Robert Gordon Debate Finals: working as a team under time pressure to present and defend our case to an audience of over five hundred was exhilarating, showcasing skills crucial for excelling in mooting competitions. Moreover, my A-level in English Literature has sharpened my ability to read critically, revealing how literature reflects and condemns societal attitudes towards the law, while Spanish has broadened my cultural awareness, enabling me to integrate insights from international legal systems and precedents. Awarded the Harvard Book Prize for academic excellence and endeavour, I balanced running a book club and serving as Spanish Prefect. These responsibilities allowed me to be trusted as a role model ~~and organise charity events,~~ inspiring me to become a Student Mentor and Peer Educator, where I enhanced my interpersonal skills through advising my mentees and leading interactive lessons. Volunteering as a charity shop assistant affirmed my commitment to community service, which I intend to continue through pro bono work at university. From witnessing legal corruption in Iran to scrutinising UK law, I have realised that the law\'s embodiment of justice is an ideal that often falls short in practice. This drives my determination to master the challenging intricacies of legal systems, empowering me to defend and advance the rights of marginalised communities as a future solicitor. 25^th^ September Does the law truly embody justice? Mahsa Amini\'s death in 2022, while in the custody of Iran\'s \'morality\' police, reinforced my perception of the dissonance between the letter of the law and the spirit of justice. At just nine, I was obliged to comply with the mandatory veiling law while visiting Iran, my parents\' homeland. This law\'s criminalisation of women\'s right to bodily autonomy provoked Amini\'s tragedy and deepened my disillusionment with a system that institutionalises injustice, exacerbated by the Taliban\'s recent outlawing of women\'s public voice. Concerned by the law\'s cross-cultural perpetuation of gender inequality, I read Helena Kennedy\'s \'Misjustice: How British Law is Failing Women\'. Her feminist commentary led me to reflect on how the law victimises women by reinforcing patriarchal norms, shaping society\'s internalisation of what is \'right\' and \'natural\'. Curious about the relationship between law and morality, I judged contrasting opinions on the five-year sentencing of \'Just Stop Oil\' protestors in The Guardian, noting the tension between public nuisance laws and the moral imperative of climate activism. The parallels between the Iranian regime\'s perversion of the law to conceal human rights violations, and the UK\'s punitive response to environmentalists\' right to protest are troubling; both prioritise order over civil liberties, which may deter public engagement with critical issues. After attending a parliamentary debate where the Justice Secretary stressed UK prison overcrowding, I found it paradoxical that non-violent offenders were being incarcerated. Should we not focus on prosecuting those who deny and aggravate climate change instead? This question inspired my highly commended presentation in Oxford\'s Big Think Competition, where I examined whether oil companies could be charged with \'climate homicide\'. Reading the Harvard Environmental Law Review led me to conclude that their negligence and reckless endangerment could constitute the required \'culpable mental state\' for prosecution. Participating in competitions has refined my legal reasoning, research, and referencing skills. In the NU London Essay Competition, I was awarded a scholarship and finalist prize for my argument that reforming UK copyright laws to expand the public domain would foster innovation. I pursued my interest in intellectual property law during my work experience with the University of Law, where I delivered a closing argument on the Colin v. Cuthbert case, accusing Aldi of trademark infringement. To further hone my oral advocacy, I competed in the Robert Gordon Debate Finals. Working as a team, under time pressure, to present and defend our case to an audience of over five hundred was exhilarating, showcasing skills crucial for excelling in mooting competitions. Moreover, by analysing how authors reflect societal attitudes towards the law, English Literature has sharpened my ability to read critically. Meanwhile, Spanish has broadened my cultural awareness through studying the transition from Franco\'s dictatorship to democracy under the 1978 Constitution. Awarded the Harvard Book Prize for academic excellence and endeavour, I balanced running a book club and serving as Spanish Prefect. These responsibilities established me as a trusted role model, motivating me to become a Student Mentor and Peer Educator, where I enhanced my interpersonal and organisational skills by advising my mentees and leading interactive lessons. Volunteering as a charity shop assistant affirmed my commitment to community service, which I am eager to continue through pro bono work at university. From witnessing legal corruption in Iran to scrutinising UK law, I have realised that the law\'s embodiment of justice is an ideal that often falls short in practice. This fuels my determination to cultivate an in-depth knowledge of legal systems and precedents, empowering me to defend and advance the rights of marginalised communities as a future solicitor.