[Jump-TONE Lecture] Spreading Our Knowledge to Every Corner Possible—Attorney Hsieh Meng-yu

Attorney Hsieh Meng-yu is involved with Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association, handling environmental litigation cases. Before joining Wild at Heart, Attorney Hsieh worked as an employed attorney at a regular law firm. After handling certain cases at the time, he began to wonder, "Must it continue like this?" In short, the litigation process and outcomes did not align with his inner ideals.

As for why Attorney Hsieh wanted to join an NGO, the reason is actually similar to most people's. He said: "I initially just thought that while I am young and energetic, I should pay more attention to and invest in human rights and related issues." However, his perspective changed after joining Wild at Heart through exposure to these types of cases, which eventually became his primary work content and gradually fostered ideas of "intergenerational justice" and "speaking up for others who cannot speak for themselves."

"If there is no path, we must find a way to forge one!" Attorney Hsieh also shared that the biggest difference between an NGO attorney and a regular attorney is that NGO attorneys consider more than just winning or losing a lawsuit. To them, the value of losing lies in the opportunity to discuss the inadequacies of current regulations! A judge's duty is to ascertain facts and apply the law, but sometimes a law is clearly a bad law—raising the question of whether something that is "legal is also constitutional"—which can be tested through a defeat in court.

Finally, Attorney Hsieh also mentioned that peers from legal training are very important. Aside from sharing case information, only legal professionals truly understand the grievances that legal professionals vent, so he urged everyone present to cultivate good relationships with one another!