My previous article painted a mixed picture about the legal profession. In this article I would like to further buttress my view that a lot of the time lawyers do an immense amount of harm. The legal profession is a necessary evil as long there is private property and disputes amongst people. But perhaps this article will serve as a warning in case you are thinking of going to court. It should also be of some use if you want to study law.
I will start by asking you again to read the following PDF. Link is below. It justifies and gives meaning to thinking like lawyers. I think it is excellent.
And I will continue with quotes related to the legal profession from two books – novels actually. These are real world facts although I have sourced them from novels.
The first quote is from the novel Whirlwind by James Clavell. This novel is based in Iran during the 1970s and the quote below gives the views of people in Islamic states about the legal profession in the West:
The driver-translator said sharply, ‘This is Islam. Islam has one law for all people, one punishment for each crime, and justice immediate. The law is God’s law, untouchable, everlasting, not like in your corrupt West where laws can be twisted and justice twisted and delayed for the benefit of lawyers who fatten on the twistings and corruptions and vilenesses or misfortunes of others . . .’
As the saying goes: Justice delayed is justice denied.
The Islamic way of life has survived for well over a thousand years. And I think one of the strengths that allowed it to flourish is that justice is immediate.
The second quote is from the John Grisham novel, The Firm:
Discussing the legal profession one of the lawyers portrayed in the book – while talking to a new recruit – said:
You will acquire a certain amount of cynicism. This business works on you. When you were in law school you had a certain idea of what a lawyer should be. A champion of individual rights; a defender of the Constitution; a guardian of the oppressed; an advocate for your client’s principles. Then after you practice for six months you realise that you are nothing but hired guns. Mouthpieces for sale to the highest bidder, available to anybody, any crook, any sleazebag with enough money to pay our outrageous fees. Nothing shocks you. It is supposed to be an honourable profession, but you meet so many crooked lawyers that you will want to quit and find yourself an honest job. Yeah, Mitch, you’ll get cynical. And it’s sad really.
John Grisham was a lawyer himself and knows what the legal profession is like. If you are thinking of getting into law then read his novels. You will learn what the profession is like. Likewise, if you are thinking of going to court you will find his novels useful and entertaining.
I’ll end here. Please explore this site for more articles that will interest you. Please also comment on the articles if you like them or even if you didn’t. Feedback from my readers keeps me going.
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