There are tens of thousands of lawyer jokes and memes out there lambasting the profession. However, no matter how much someone says negative things about lawyers, it’s funny how things change the minute they actually need one.
That’s why, in 2001, Nader Anise, founder of ALPIA (American Lawyers Public Image Association) started a campaign of “No Lawyer Bashing Jokes for a Day”. It is now celebrated on the first Friday in November and while it is meant to create a day in which lawyers are actually revered rather than criticized by the public, lawyers need to take use this day to take pride in what they do.
In a very well written post published a few years ago by Stephen Futeral, a South Carolina Attorney, says that without lawyers, we may have rules, but that only the strongest (“might makes right”) would survive. His argument is that lawyers have, over the years, protected those without voices or with weaker voices. He reasons that without attorneys there would be no Women’s Rights, Civil Rights, Criminal Justice or Consumer Protection.
But more importantly, he while he is pragmatic in his conclusion, saying that he knows “There are greedy lawyers, lazy lawyers, and unethical lawyers,” he contends that a world with lawyers is still better than one without:
“ . . . there are great lawyers out there who, every day, do good deeds both small and grand. These are the lawyers who guide you through your divorce, who protect you when you’ve been in an accident, who help to ensure you work under equal conditions, and the list goes on. I’m not asking you to love lawyers or even like them. Instead, I just want you to imagine what our world would be like if there was no one to champion reason, fairness, freedom, and our rights in a civilized society.”
So, to all of the ethical, great lawyers, regardless of the area of law in which you practice, please take pride in what you do.
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