I Heart Lawyers

I don’t get to have a lot of Sally Field moments. That is, I don’t often get the opportunity to say, “You like me! You really like me!” As a trial lawyer, the opposite is true quite a bit. Do you know what a great way to ruin a party is? Answer “trial lawyer” to the question of what it is you do for a living. This is especially so if said party is one filled with doctors who work with your nurse wife, and who politely utter “oh," followed quickly by some half-serious joke about medical malpractice attorneys. Then walk away. Stat.

And we’ve all heard the jokes, most of which end up with the lawyer being dead:

How do you stop a lawyer from drowning? Shoot him before he hits the water.
What do you do if you run over a lawyer? Back over him to make sure.
Where can you find a good lawyer? In a cemetery.
Hear about the terrorist that hijacked a 747 full of lawyers? He threatened to release one every hour until his demands were met.

There are a lot of people out there who don't seem to like lawyers. I know this because jurors tell me they don't like lawyers and the lawsuits we file when I ask them about it in jury selection. But, I will submit to you that those beliefs are mostly unfounded. For the most part, lawyers are in the profession to help people and make a difference and not because of a desire for fame or fortune. This is especially so with trial lawyers, who often represent injured individuals or the accused.

Lawyers from my firm routinely volunteer their time to help the community. Professional lawyer associations like the North Carolina Bar Association and the North Carolina Advocates for Justice sponsor events where lawyers can donate their time to help the community as well.

Now the point of this post is not to whine about how people don't like my profession. I enjoy a lawyer joke as much as the next person and there are some lawyers who I also don't like. Rather, the point is that before you bash a trial lawyer for being a trial lawyer, think about all the good things we do as well. Few of us actually live up to those stereotypes.

And remember, you shouldn't tell lawyer jokes. Lawyers don't find them funny and other people don't think its a joke. :-)

Disclaimer: The views of the author are his own. Some cynical readers out there may point out that lawyers do make a relatively good living doing what they do despite wanting to "help people." They are entitled to this belief and the author will concede their point to some degree. It is true that the author could have helped people by joining the Peace Corps. However, this was unappealing to his wife. The author blames Coach, Tiffany & Co., Saks, and Target for his wife's disapproval.

Author's Note: This blog will transition from a daily blog to a kind-of-sort-of daily blog.

Correction: In his blog regarding the 2010 Census, entitled "Count, Barackula," the author stated that he "does not endorse nor is affiliated with any particular party, group, or candidate." The author's wife pointed out that the author is wrong, which she frequently does with great pleasure. The author thinks its her main hobby. Anywho, the author is a fan of the Facebook pages Elaine Marshall for U.S. Senate and Kerry Sutton for Durham County District Court Judge. The author is also an active member of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice, which is an organization that also engages in political activity from time to time. The author apologizes for any confusion. Oopsy.