David Molson

“Anthropology changed my worldview, it makes you question your assumptions, opinions and re-examine your beliefs. I think this is called learning. It also helps you explain changes in your thinking. That was my dropping off point when I decided to enter law. In other words, how can I positively impact the world, make a decent living and do something I like. Some choose to do research. I chose to help people directly through my profession.

As a lawyer you take an oath to the profession. That oath does not differentiate people into creeds, regions, marginalize or not. You are there for the community. I represented large corporations, refugees from violence, persons charged with criminal acts, and offences. So my experience is very much grounded in helping people. Whether they are rich or poor or marginalized or not they all deserve legal counsel and they all have a story to tell. You as an advocate must get inside their head, understand their assumptions, biases, and mistaken opinions in order to help them. This is reducing anthropology to the micro level of analysis.
Needless to say all of my education at Carleton, my interactions with the Professors there, was extremely valuable to my later professions.”