Lawyers...Yuk
 

In my area there's an ad campaign going on to promote lawyers being good guys.
One ad describes how a black woman started her own business.... because of a lawyer.
Nice try, but this sort of thing keeps rearing it's ugly head. This asshat is out of control. Unfortunately it's just a common problem that has been magnified by this fool. A common problem of lawyers having the holier than thou attitude and the resources to threaten ordinary people with a huge bill to defend themselves against bullshit lawsuits.

Judges are even worse... they can do no wrong ...unless they piss off other judges or very powerful politicians. Is it any wonder they sit (hide)behind bullet proof benches.

They are going to have to come up with one hell of an ad campaign.

I agree...I love those "The adjuster works for the Insurance company" ads. Being I used to work in insruance claims. The majority of the attorneys take 40% off the top of any settlement you get. Some are more, depending on the amount a claimant receives. I hated the fact that people would get 1/2 or less (after paying taxes as well) of what they would have had they not hired lawyer.

I know many fine lawyers who take their ethical code seriously, don't overcharge, and sincerely want to help people.

Of course, I know asshole lawyers, too. In 20 years in the business, the good ones outweigh the bad.

People are people--some good, some stupid and venal--no matter what their profession.

There are plenty of problems with the system, but they aren't the fault of all lawyers. If you ever get charged with a crime, I'm sure you will be very happy to have one.

I agree, but lawyers, like cops and a few other professions, have an inordinate amount of power should they happen to be unethical--do you have any insight as to why cases such as the one described above are not dealt with more thoroughly (or at all?) by the Ethics Board?

Yea, I am not a big fan of Lawyers.

the above story does not describe a lawyers actions. It describes a plaintiff's actions--the fact that he is a lawyer is immaterial to the facts of the lawsuit, so it would not rise to the level of an ethical violation. He's only doing what millions of other litigious plaintiffs do. Sounds like he pissed off the judge, however, which is never a good thing, and he could be subject to sanctions (i.e., a fine) for filing a frivolous suit.

Plaintiff's would not be able to conduct these cases without lawyers looking to make a buck on the potential award.

Well, plaintiffs can and do conduct their cases on their own, pro se, and they are often as stupid as this one.

In addition, lawyers must follow their clients wishes, and I can tell you that many, many times, clients want to prosecute suits against the advice of their attorneys. That kind of litigious climate is the real problem, not lawyers wanting to earn a living like everyone else.

Yes, I agree there are problems with the system, but I'm sure glad the system is in place. Are there abusers of the system? Sure, absolutely, but there are as many greedy plaintiffs out there as are greedy lawyers.

But the difference is he isn't paying a lawyer to do all this harassment, he is in a position to do it himself, It costs him little or nothing and there is nothing to temper his judgment. Maybe we should require lawyers to hire lawyers like everyone else is forced to do.

Nobody is forced to, unless they are judged mentally incompetent to make the decision. But, lawyer or not, it is discouraged to handle your own case- "fool for a client" and all that.

and that adage is demonstrably correct in this case

Some smart guy a while back said something to the effect that: all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.

So all the Good Lawyers who fail to reign in their unethical professional colleagues are, in my opinion, just as guilty. I mean, if anybody can make it hard for someone to do something its a lawyer. So the inaction of the so-called Good Lawyers is especially troublesome.

Until the good ones step up to the plate and enforce their own code of ethics then they might just as well be bad. Which brings us back to Bruce's original point.

I have an idea for an ad campaign too. It goes something like this:

Shakespeare: "...let's kill all the lawyers."
Stand up comic: "...what to you call tossing 500 lawyers overboard?"
Narrator: "...the legal profession is broken. It was broken by the very people who built it. Let's disbar every attorney in the United States and make all of them re-apply to a citizen's board for the right to practice law. That way, all the good lawyers who apparently are content to let their legal brethren rape the legal system for their own personal enrichment can continue to serve the public and at least allow us to do the job they don't have the nads to do themselves."

Then we can start a pool. How long before Beestie is served with an injunction against airing the ad? I'll go first: 13 seconds.

I don't agree that the person spoken about in the opinion column posted has violated any attorney ethical standard. Stupid, yes--unethical no.

I read the disciplinary actions against lawyers in Texas every month, and I assure you that actions ARE taken by good lawyers against the bad. This kind of self-policing is similar to other professions, such as doctors and engineers, and it isn't a perfect one.

It just makes me sad when I read opinions like this, because they are uninformed. Most lawyers I know are wonderful people, who work long hours and give so much back to the community. Yet the good things are never noticed in favor of "oh, let's kill all the lawyers." It's just like anything else, I guess--good people go unnoticed and unlauded. Very sad.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know that's not true. You can represent yourself in court but you can't do the preparation before hand. That requires the cooperation of court flunkies and other lawyers, like that's going to happen.

No, it's true.

It is hard, and they'll make it harder in order to discourage you, but you can do it all yourself.

If the code of ethics that the legal profession holds itself to is silent on this issue then I can't imagine its worth very much.

In criminal law, the sentencing guidelines were designed to have the punishment fit the crime.

In civil law, the punishment is without limitation and generally proportional to how greedy the lawyer is. Even trivial offenses can result in penalties that, to use a phrase lawyers are fond of, shock the conscience.

But apparently, not so shocking as to merit even a token appearance in the legal profession's code of ethics? No wonder the public perception of the legal profession is right up there next to loan sharks. And why shouldn't it be? They'll both shatter your kneecaps over fifty bucks.

well, lawyers are abjured against filing frivolous lawsuits on behalf of their clients, certainly, as is the general public. It's very likely this man had monetary sanctions imposed on him by the court.

Filing a frivolous lawsuit is very unethical, to me. And if it's gotten to this point and he still hasn't been subjected to severe sanctions already, then I disagree that he's being effectively disciplined. Correct me if I'm wrong, but only the judge handling the case has the right to declare the lawsuit frivolous, right? Or can another lawyer bring a complaint without being directly involved in the case?

It goes to court in June. The only court involvement so far is him requesting the expansion of scope, which is when the judge jumped on him for being a dick. But, no sanctions were handed down that I could see.

Stop! Yer killin' me! Guffaw!!
:biglaugha :lol2:

I'll Sue Ya
by Al Yankovic


Lyrics:

I sued Taco Bell
'Cause I ate half-a-million Chalupas and I got fat
I sued Panasonic
They never said I shouldn't use their microwave to dry off my cat, huh

I sued Earthlink
'Cause I called 'em up and they had the nerve to put me on hold
I sued Starbucks
'Cause I spilled a frappucino in my lap and brr, it was cold

I sued Toys 'R Us
Cause I swallowed a Nerf ball and nearly choked to death, huh
I sued PetCo
'Cause I ate a bag of kitty litter and now I got bad breath

I sued Coca-Cola, yo
'Cause I put my finger down in a bottle and it got stuck
I sued Delta Airlines
'Cause they sold me a ticket to New Jersey - I went there, and it sucked

Yeah
If you stand me up on a date
If you deliver my pizza thirty seconds late

I'm gonna sue, sue, yes, I'm gonna sue
Sue, sue, yeah, that's what I'm gonna do
I'm gonna sue, sue, yes, I'm gonna sue
Sue, sue, yeah, I might even sue you
Ughh

I sued Duracell
They never told me not to shove that double-A right up my nose
I sued Home Depot
'Cause they sold me a hammer which they knew I might drop on my toes

I sued Dell Compueters
'Cause I took a bath with my laptop, now it doesn't work
I sued Fruit Of The Loom
'Cause when I wear my tighty-whities on my head I look like a jerk

I sued Verizon
'Cause I get all depressed every time my cell phone is roaming
I sued Colorado
'Cause you know, I think it looks a little bit too much like Wyoming

I sued Neiman Marcus
'Cause they put up their Christmas decorations way out of season
I sued Ben Affleck
Aww, do I even need a reason?

Uhh
If I sprain my ankle while I'm robbin' your place
If I hurt my knuckles while I punch you in the face

I'm gonna sue, sue, yes, I'm gonna sue
Sue, sue, yeah, that's what I'm gonna do
I'm gonna sue, sue, yes, I'm gonna sue
Sue, sue, that's right, I'm gonna sue you
Ughh, ughh, ughh

I'll sue ya, I'll take all your money
I'll sue ya if you even look at me funny
I'll sue ya, I'll take all your money
I'll sue ya if you even look at me funny
I'll sue ya, I'll take all your money
I'll sue ya if you even look at me funny
I'll sue ya, I'll take all your money
I'll sue ya if you even look at me funny

I'll sue ya, ha-ha ha ha-ha
I'll sue ya, whatchy'all think of that?
I'll sue ya, ha-ha ha ha-ha
Booya
I'll sue ya
Ughh

The Post editorial staff weighs in on the case.

That's good news, this asshat should be canned, disbarred and defrocked.

i hope he's disbarred. Him and that crazy guy who wanted to tar, feather and hang those Duke la crosse players.

I've dealt with lawyers four times. Didn't matter if they were representing me or prosecuting me, they all sucked. Law is just a foreign language designed to keep normal people confused. It's a lot like medicine.

Some lawyers are good. I have a friend who works for the SEC--he's helped bring down some corporate bad guys.

Most of the lawyers I know are decent people. I've worked with a LOT.
The head lawyer from NM that BushCo. fired for being honest, and his eight friends are prime examples.
Don't like lawyers don't use em', very simple.
I was a very honest insurance agent, most that I knew were, for some companies. Many company's policies are not, but most people don't want honest insurance agents, then bitch because they don't have enough insurance when the get into an accident. Can't have it both ways.
Same with lawyers. They want a bull shark working for them, but want everyone else to have an honest John.
Can't have it both ways.
Don't want cheaters in the world, don't ever cheat, if you do, don' bitch.
Don't want bad lawyers, don't sue when you slip on a spill you should have seen because you need to be looking where you are going, try to get more than your car's worth from your insurance company after an accident or try to take the guy that hit your car for all he's got.
When everyone who discusses this does not and will never try any of these things... then we can talk about lawyers.

Then I can talk lawyers. I've had lawyers harass me, not for clients but for personal gain in one case and personal satisfaction (meanness) in a couple others. They didn't get it, but it was a huge pain in the ass.

Prime examples of what? You know these 8 lawyers and you can personally vouch for them? And because you know a LOT of lawyers (how many - 20? 30? 50?) then you extrapolate that ALL lawyers are no different from the lawyers that you know even tho Bruce, for example, who also knows a LOT of lawyers has the exact opposite experience with lawyers as you.

But I will take your advice.

When I have built a career legally extorting millions of dollars money from people not because its the right thing to do but simply because I get to line my pockets with money I didn't earn and that the good lawyers with whom you are so well acquainted are content to sit back and let me get away with it then I'll remember what you said and say... "yeah, I guess I shouldn't bitch since I'm one of them."

But I'm not one of them.

I just left the legal field - worked for attorneys (at various levels of administrative support) since 1989. My last bosses were so wrapped up in advancing their political and financial-advisor careers that the last thing on their minds was "practicing law" - they left that to inexperienced associates and paralegals... it used to be that attorneys were in it to help people. Now, the almighty dollar is king. Screw the clients, screw the employees, what's in it for them?!?!?!

Don't miss that life!!!

Not many emulate Atticus Finch these days, that's for sure.

I'm not afraid to admit that there are good, honest hard-working attorneys out there. I know there are. Thank God for the EFF and even the ACLU even though I don't always agree with them. Thank heaven for pro bono attorneys and those who defend the poor and indigent.

But then there's ATLA (the American Trial Lawyers Association) who have essentially created a situation such that any politician who attempts to craft legislation preventing tort reform will be politically castrated.

There are some simple things that can be done to fix the lawsuit craze but ATLA who is well represented on Capitol Hill won't hear of it and no one within the legal profession will stand up to them. That, more than anything, is my problem with lawyers. They stand up for each other even when they know they shouldn't.

Neither lawyers nor their clients should not be permitted to share in punative damage awards. Change that and the lawsuit problem will vanish overnight.

I wonder how many lawyers have quit the ATLA for their position and dirty tricks? And how many feel it's not right but won't voice their opinion for fear of censure... open or covert.

I worked with hundreds of lawyers, knew around fifty to seventy at different times.
I could care less if you or Bruce believe me or not.
I did work with a lot of assholes, in no way did I imply that I did not, what I stated was that they were in the minority.
Nor did I state you were one of them. I stated that no one who will ever use the system for their benefit other than to indemnifying themselves can complain about it.

My youngest daughter will soon be entering law school. She wants to specialize in women's issues, but I am working to straighten her out. I think I'll go to humor and post a few lawyer jokes now.

Make no mistake, I know lawyers that are basically decent people, too. But even they occasionally get pissed at someone and almost invariably reach into their legal bag of tricks to respond. Sure, it's what they know best, but it's an imbalance of justice that soils the legal system.

In the lawsuit I was involved in, my lawyer was a saint and the other one was a sleazebag.

Did you miss the humor thread or are you serious?

I'm joking.

About my lawyer being a saint, at least. I hardly know anything about her at all. Their case was so pathetic that she didn't have to do much.

I suspected it was an lawyer joke.
I also suspect those words are uttered more often in all seriousness.

I've been fortunate to have decent lawyers help me thus far. Hopefully, I won't need them too much over the next 60 or so years.

You've got the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus on Speed Dial, don't you?