counsel's feel good factor

I was on my way back from the court on friday, came this sms from a client:

"Hi. Its me. Thanks for all your help, I got released. You said its impossible, you never did it before, but here we are: I'm on the bond, on a rock. You must be proud of what you did back there. Would definitely start a new life. Here's my thanks and appreciation."

I smiled.
Friday is my legal aid day. Its like a compulsory services we give to the society. (I'd always like to think of it as something that we lawyers give back to our people, by helping them back.)
The guy is a 'client'.
Legal aid clients are just like normal clients, they need legal representation, but can't afford one.
So there.

They guy is a first time offendor, charged with section 411 of possesing a stolen item. And since the stolen item is a motorcycle, he must serve the mandatory imprisonement of 6 months. Having serve a span of a week in a jail, he shivered in fear. So i tried my luck with the magistrate by gambling the client's fate by pleading THE s.294. Bond of good behaviour.
Something that the court rarely grants.

I sense panic when the magistrate took longer than usual in writing off the mitigation notes. But yeah. After chuckling and checking the cases i gave (which I didn't bring. Hoho! But she made me undertake to bring it later in the evening) she gave a praise or two and said "bond of good behaviour granted. 3 years, for rm3000".

His mom hugged me.
He had only been mistaken.
Okay. Small time hero, I know. But I feel so good.

I am so being a pro bono lawyer someday.

Catch all the big fishes you want. Feast on them. But help the lil fishes off the net. Set them free.