LAWCROSSING
THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF LEGAL JOBS ON EARTH
STUDENT PROFILE
www.lawcrossing.com
1. 800.973.1177
Nassry Banbek: Artist and Student at Abraham Lincoln University School of Law [By Heather Jung] Nassry Banbek, who just completed his first year at Abraham Lincoln University School of Law, had an unusual start in his law career. Prior to attending law school, he earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees in art. After realizing that art was not necessarily the best way to attain his goal of helping others, he decided to pursue a law degree.
“A major component of my artwork has
Angeles-based Abraham Lincoln University
for a show, and I flew out, and I was still
always been based in legal questions and
because of the convenient class schedule.
in class. The class was broadcast over the Internet,” said Banbek.
issues, mostly about issues of copyright, public and private image, defamation, negligence orders,” Banbek said. “So part
When he isn’t studying or working, Banbek
of that brought me, and there were certain
likes to keep up with his artwork. The
things I wanted to do in my life that I knew
summer before starting graduate school,
as an artist I couldn’t do, [such as helping]
he went to Paris to open his own art gallery,
people out.”
which he said was an unsuccessful venture, since he was not aware of the city’s rules
According to Banbek, his favorite part of
“There was no way that I could go to school
and regulations. Now he displays his work
studying the law has been getting to read
as a regular student during the day and
in public galleries, open galleries, and small
various cases.
be in law school; I had to have a full-time
galleries around Los Angeles, such as the
job. The classes set up through them are
Market Gallery. While he does traditional
“The cases that you have to read are so much
at night, and they’re archived, so it doesn’t
artwork such as painting, much of his work is
better than TV shows. It’s really funny. About
matter where my job takes me or my
theory and concept based.
a year ago, nine months ago, Dick Cheney
artwork takes me. I had to go to New York For one of his first projects, Banbek
shot his friend; I thought that was funny. I am in Torts now and reading torts cases; I read, like, five cases where someone shot another hunter, a fellow hunter. I am thinking, ‘God, this is hilarious.’ This actually does happen more commonly than you think. Some of the cases, they are funny. And the other thing is that it’s real; there is nothing fake about it. As an artist, there are very few things you do other than the physical artwork that’s real,” he said. When Banbek was looking at law schools, flexibility was a major issue. Because he had to pay back student loans from both his undergraduate and graduate studies, he had to work a full-time job, leaving only evenings available for school. He chose the Los
PAGE
Q. What do you do for fun? A. I call around to my friends to see who is having a gallery opening, so I go there. Or when I’m not studying, which is not much, I go and see live bands. Q. What CD is in your CD player right now? A. Kings of Leon. Q. What is the last magazine you read? A. Something to do with climbing; I climb—avidly. Q. What is your favorite TV show? A. The only show I watch is Heroes. Q. Who is your role model? A. Many. I’ve got a lot of everything.
copyrighted his soul. That copyright has since lapsed, but he is now working on another project which involves printing postcards with contracts on them that allow people to sell their souls to his soul. ON THE NET Abraham Lincoln University School of Law www.alu.edu/main/index.php The Market Art Gallery www.citymarketla.com/ArtGallery.htm Los Angeles Art Galleries art-collecting.com/galleries_ca_losangeles. htm