[Law Day Interview] Attorney Na-ri Park “I will sometimes ‘firmly’ persuade my clients”

After 17 years as a judge, I became a lawyer this year.
“Face the people who need help with the rest of their legal careers.”
The scene of ‘No. 10 disposition’ to a juvenile offender is still talked about
“I hope it’s not a bad memory, but an opportunity to look back on yourself.”

“Mom, would you please stand up next to OOO? (Tell your mother) ‘I’m sorry for causing you worry. This will never happen again.’”, “I will dispose of it. I will dispose of No. 10. You can appeal to the court within 7 days.”

A scene from the KBS 1TV documentary ‘Children in Crisis – Boy Goes to Court’, which aired in August 2013. At the time, Judge Na-ri Park of the Suwon District Court Juvenile Division, who seemed to have given leniency to juvenile delinquents and handed down the strongest punishment under the Juvenile Act, is still talked about even 10 years later. Thanks to this, he was nicknamed ‘Judge Pumpkin’, left the court where he had worked for 17 years, and began his second life as a lawyer this year.

On the 25th, to celebrate the 61st Law Day, I met Na-ri Park, chief attorney at Daeryun Law Firm.

Attorney Park said that half of his legal career was spent as a judge, and the remaining half was spent as a lawyer, so he began his career as a lawyer to help clients. Attorney Park said, “It was rewarding, but I wanted to spend the rest of my legal career meeting and helping people in need.”

Attorney Park stated that he was somewhat cautious about mentioning the 'Disposal No. 10' case, which became a hot topic. Attorney Park said, "Some people responded, 'It's cider,' but there were also comments like, 'Have you thought about what the child's life would have been like?' I was worried, too." He added, "I don't know what happened after that, but I hope that memory from that time will not be a bad memory in your life, but a good opportunity to reflect on yourself."

He added, "When I started working as a lawyer, I received a message through social media that I had previously been tried as a juvenile. The friend said, 'After the trial, he has calmed down and grown into a healthy member of society and is living a good life. Thank you.'

Attorney Park recalled that when he was a judge, the case in which he took charge of the first criminal trial alone and resulted in the first not guilty verdict was also memorable. He said, "It was a case of theft. I left an item in the bathroom, and when I went back, it was gone, and the defendant was accused of taking the item out due to time constraints. We carefully checked the CCTV, which was the only evidence, but it was judged not to be enough to prove guilt, so we found him not guilty. The prosecution did not appeal, so the acquittal was confirmed," he said. "I still remember the scene where the defendant was very grateful."

Regarding the recent hot potato of the judiciary, 'trial delay', he expressed his opinion, saying, "It is very frustrating, but there is no clear solution." Attorney Park said, "I heard that it takes more than a year just to set the first date for a criminal case without detention. It sometimes takes more than four years after the incident to be sentenced, which is too slow. However, it is not something that an individual judge can solve because it requires an overall plan to resolve it."

Lastly, regarding 'what kind of lawyer I want to remain as', he said, "You may want a lawyer who can go to court and clearly convey what he wants to say, but I think it is the lawyer's job to bring about a favorable 'result'," and emphasized, "Even if a client makes a specific request, you also need the charisma to firmly persuade it if it is not in the client's interest. I want to become a lawyer that clients can trust and follow."

The following is a Q&A with Attorney Park.

-After a long career as a judge, I began my second life as a lawyer. Was there a special occasion?
“I have been a judge for about 17 years. I started at the age of 27 and am now in my mid-40s. If I were to live as a lawyer until my 60s, I felt like I had passed half the time. Although it was rewarding, I thought it would be fun to spend the rest of my legal life using my experience so far to face and directly help people in need.

-Do you feel the difference between the work of a judge and a lawyer?
"A judge can predict the schedule for a month. He can predict and adjust what day he will work and what day he will write a decision. Lawyers cannot predict. Counseling can be scheduled suddenly, and the trial schedule has no choice but to match what the court sets. There is a part where you have to adjust to the court and the client. But it is fun. Judges do not come to you first, and they often feel uncomfortable around you. As a lawyer, there are people who need me. When someone asks for help, I try to respond. “I think that part suits me well because I have the heart.”

-The documentary scene in which he gave 'Disposition No. 10' to a juvenile delinquent while serving as a juvenile judge is still being talked about. What do you think is the reason?
"Actually, I don't usually do things like that during trials. At the time, there was a broadcast filming and the child's mother appeared. I thought that if I left the courtroom, the child wouldn't have a chance to interact with his mother or reflect on himself. But that couldn't change the already decided conclusion, so I handed down the sentence, and I think that impressed people."

-Is there any reaction you remember regarding the disposal of No. 10 at the time?
"When I became a lawyer and started using social media, I received a lot of inquiring comments. On the other hand, there were people who left comments asking, 'Have you ever thought about what your child's life would have been like after that?' I was also worried. I don't know what happened to that friend later, but I hope it is not a bad memory in his life, but a good opportunity to reflect on himself. In addition to that friend, I recently received a call through social media saying, 'I was tried as a juvenile by a judge several times in the past.' He said, ‘I’m grateful that he’s grown up to be a healthy member of society and is doing well.’ I thought he was very fortunate, and I hope that the friend who appeared on the show is also doing well.”

-In addition to the juvenile trial, please tell us about any other trials that were worthwhile or memorable.
"When I first took over as a single detective, I remember the first acquittal case. It was a case of theft. I left an item in the bathroom and when I returned, it was gone. When I checked the CCTV at the entrance, I was indicted on the charge that the defendant may have taken the item out due to time constraints. I checked the CCTV, which was the only evidence, carefully, but it was judged not to be enough to prove guilt, so I was acquitted. The prosecution did not appeal, so the acquittal was confirmed. I still remember the scene where the defendant was very grateful at the time of sentencing. It was a real injustice that was relieved. “I think about it and it sticks in my memory.”

-Recently, the issue of ‘trial delay’ in the judiciary has been discussed as a major topic.
"I heard that the first date for a criminal case appellate trial is not scheduled for a year if the defendant is without detention. In case of arrest, there is a detention period, so the first date is scheduled, so it keeps getting pushed back. In this case, more than four years have passed since the start of the first trial. There are delays in terms of justice because the time and time when the crime was committed has passed too much. Even in civil cases, there are many cases where it takes about a year. It is very frustrating, but I don't think there is a clear solution. “It is not something that can be achieved by working hard, but something that needs to be planned holistically.”

-Daeryun served as chief general counsel and head of the ‘General Litigation/Arbitration Center.’ What kind of work is it?
“My role is to guide junior lawyers to develop their expertise by allocating general civil cases and arbitration cases that do not fall into specific categories such as real estate or corporations, taking into account the lawyer’s aptitude or ability. I am also responsible for deriving appropriate agreements between companies and parties before they proceed to litigation. It is refreshing to take on a task that I could not do as a judge.”

-Do you have a goal of remaining ‘what kind of lawyer’?
“Clients ultimately want someone who will fight for their interests. In the end, it is about ‘winning a lawsuit.’ Of course, they may want a lawyer who can clearly convey what they want to say in court, but I think it is the lawyer’s job to bring about a favorable ‘result’. Even if the client makes a specific request, if it is not in the client’s interest, charisma is also needed to ‘firmly’ persuade the client. I want to become a lawyer that clients can trust and follow.”

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