"Falling in love" with the weak fate

For the people of Ho Chi Minh City, lawyer Truong Thi Hoa is a very familiar name. Because, for the past half century, accompanying the city after liberation, she has devoted herself to her profession, to volunteer activities, to providing free legal support to the poor, to participating in law-making, writing dozens of books and appearing on talk shows, giving advice for the city's development... I had the opportunity to meet her again on a cool day. Her law office, tinged with time, is nestled modestly in a small alley in the center of Ho Chi Minh City. She is still the same as the time I met her a few years ago, with a small figure, a gentle smile, a gentle demeanor and a slow, expressive voice, except that her hair has turned more gray. She kindly chatted with me in the office, which used to be a busy place, absorbed in her work, with thick stacks of files neatly arranged.

Lawyer Hoa is always modest and sparing when talking about herself. But in reality, her life has been devoted to the legal profession, the judiciary, the development of Ho Chi Minh City, and the countless disadvantaged and disadvantaged people who need support, legal advice, and defense in court.

Lawyer Truong Thi Hoa studies documents at the office.

Ms. Truong Thi Hoa was born in Tra Vinh but chose Saigon-Ho Chi Minh City as the place to study and work. After the country was unified in 1975, when the city had not yet established a bar association, she worked at the legal research center under the Ministry of Justice, the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam; at the same time, she was an active member of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Children's Protection Association, the Women's Charity Association, and the Ho Chi Minh City Bar Association from the early days of its establishment. It was during that transitional period, when the country faced many difficulties, that she "became acquainted" with many disadvantaged people in society.

She said that at that time, small traders had a very difficult time doing business, goods were scarce, and women were very miserable. During her legal research, Ms. Hoa approached them to understand their thoughts, wishes, and legal problems. Some people had lent money before liberation, but after liberation, they sought out the revolutionary government to settle their debts, and many people had the intention of fleeing because of their heavy debts. With her reputation, she consulted and mediated many such cases, advising debtors not to flee, "if you owe money, you must admit it," and not to get into trouble because of a lack of legal knowledge.

Society has developed a lot, but there are still many poor people who come to her office for support. She said that the disputes are often about inheritance, because they cannot find a common voice, so after the division of property, each sibling only gets more than ten million VND, but the family affection is no longer intact. Seeing that, she feels very sorry and is inconsolable. Therefore, after liberation, she was one of the pioneers who brought the light of law to the poor and disadvantaged through propaganda, dissemination and legal education activities organized by socio- political organizations.

Lighting up justice with kindness

Although she is a "big tree" in the profession, she always addresses everyone she meets very politely, whether they are rich or poor. When talking to people who are the same age as her children and grandchildren like me, she is the same. The female lawyer confided: "Each case is like a human fate. Disadvantaged people often do not clearly recognize their problems, so the consulting role of lawyers is very important, helping them clearly see their own rights and be protected according to the law. I have met many disadvantaged people and felt the sincerity and simplicity in the way they presented themselves. There were cases where I only needed to say a few words to share, they were moved to tears and I could not hold back my tears. Those were the moments that made me feel remorseful and even more determined to accompany them."

In the story, reminiscing about memorable times, she stopped many times to take off her glasses, her eyes filled with tears. Ms. Hoa could not remember clearly how many cases she had consulted and supported during her 55 years of practice, how many radio and television programs she had conducted to bring legal light to the community. Not only did she give free consultation, many poor people were also "given" some extra money for travel by her.

For her, the legal profession is a noble profession, so she is always willing to participate in community activities. She is very happy that young lawyers today have a spirit of community service, love volunteer work and share with the needy. In the courtroom, whether it is a small case or a complicated case, she always maintains a standard demeanor, behaves with humanity, sees each case not only as a legal dispute but also as an opportunity to heal, to do good, and to have justice enforced. Now, Truong Thi Hoa Law Office is still a familiar address for many generations of young lawyers to learn. She still comes to the office every day, reads files, and carefully records every detail. The image of a small woman in a white ao dai sitting next to an old bookshelf is a beautiful symbol of dedication and kindness.

The person who "passes on the fire" of the profession

Among the lawyers in Ho Chi Minh City, lawyer Truong Thi Hoa is one of the few people of the first generation of lawyers who received formal training and participated in the construction of the city's legal and judicial system. Her career has accompanied the development of the city, she is like a historical witness in the legal field of the city, from the early trials of the young judiciary to the increasingly complete and transparent legal system as it is today.

With a wealth of experience, capacity and prestige, lawyer Truong Thi Hoa also teaches at universities. During her 20 years of teaching at the Judicial Academy, she has "inspired" many generations of students, so that later she always feels happy when seeing her former students standing in court with her, with a dignified demeanor and solid arguments. She happily said: "I am always proud and moved to see the young generation of lawyers increasingly mature, professional and ethical."

Not only is she an exemplary lawyer, Ms. Truong Thi Hoa is also a person with many contributions in the fields of academia and culture. She and her husband, researcher Tran Huu Ta, have compiled and published 28 books, including many valuable works, such as the book series "History of press regimes in Vietnam" and "Dictionary of Vietnamese historical figures" which are highly appreciated by scholars and readers.

Holding the book “Citizens’ Inheritance Rights” in her hand, she “showed off” to me that this is a popular book about law close to life, well received by many readers, and has been printed in more than 25,000 copies. Indeed, those books not only reflect her extensive knowledge but also demonstrate her devotion to her profession, justice and society.

At an age when many people have chosen a leisurely life with their children and grandchildren, lawyer Truong Thi Hoa is still diligently working on legal documents. She added: “While I am still lucid and still have people's trust in me, I will continue to work and pursue the journey of providing legal aid to the disadvantaged, especially poor women, the elderly, and the disabled. I hope that the development of the country's lawyer team must go hand in hand with building social trust in the law, so that each lawyer becomes a companion of the people on the journey to justice.”

“After a long career, amidst many changes in life, lawyer Truong Thi Hoa still keeps her professional flame burning brightly. Her demeanor, gestures, words, and arguments exude the warmth of kindness. She left behind not only sensible defenses but also lessons of compassion and devotion to humanity” - that is the feeling of journalist Vu Thoai Diem, editor of many legal advice programs of Ho Chi Minh City Radio and Television, about her idol.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-su-dieu-tra/cuoc-thi-nhung-tam-guong-binh-di-ma-cao-quy-lan-thu-17/nu-luat-su-cua-nhung-phan-doi-yeu-the-912814