Comments on: Shakespeare and Lawyers: the Bar’s propaganda http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq breathless punditry and one-breath poetry with David Giacalone Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:58:52 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: David Giacalone http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/shakespeare-and-lawyers/comment-page-1/#comment-208635 David Giacalone Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:11:49 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/shakespeare-and-lawyers/#comment-208635 I salute you for all you do, Kevin. You are, sadly, far too rare in our profession, which does fairly little pro bono work per lawyer, and has left a giant portion of our society locked out of the courts due to the high cost of legal services, while (in some states) even fighting against services provided to help those appearing pro se. We need to stop blaming the media, it's really not the core of the public's dissatisfaction with the legal profession (which existed long before their was a media). This is not a public relations problem and a profession should not need cheerleaders. Of course, my main point in this essay is that by presenting a distorted picture of what Shakespeare meant, the profession merely makes it more difficult for the public to trust it. I salute you for all you do, Kevin. You are, sadly, far too rare in our profession, which does fairly little pro bono work per lawyer, and has left a giant portion of our society locked out of the courts due to the high cost of legal services, while (in some states) even fighting against services provided to help those appearing pro se.

We need to stop blaming the media, it’s really not the core of the public’s dissatisfaction with the legal profession (which existed long before their was a media). This is not a public relations problem and a profession should not need cheerleaders. Of course, my main point in this essay is that by presenting a distorted picture of what Shakespeare meant, the profession merely makes it more difficult for the public to trust it.

]]> By: Kevin Balkwill http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/shakespeare-and-lawyers/comment-page-1/#comment-208627 Kevin Balkwill Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:53:34 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/shakespeare-and-lawyers/#comment-208627 Well, I happen to be a cheerleader for the legal profession and a champion for access to justice in our courts. My colleagues and I have established weekly and monthly pro bono clinics in our community and often represent many individuals without cost, especially in dire situations. I am not paid by the State or local government, I am a sole proprietor who feeds my soul by the doing of good deeds. The problem in our society is not with the lawyers, but the media who continue to report the minutiae of negativity in the profession while skipping the positive things. Well, I happen to be a cheerleader for the legal profession and a champion for access to justice in our courts. My colleagues and I have established weekly and monthly pro bono clinics in our community and often represent many individuals without cost, especially in dire situations. I am not paid by the State or local government, I am a sole proprietor who feeds my soul by the doing of good deeds. The problem in our society is not with the lawyers, but the media who continue to report the minutiae of negativity in the profession while skipping the positive things.

]]> By: David Giacalone http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/shakespeare-and-lawyers/comment-page-1/#comment-189462 David Giacalone Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:19:38 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/shakespeare-and-lawyers/#comment-189462 Michael, As the above piece shows, I'm no cheerleader for the legal profession, but your assessment seems a bit exaggerated. Are you the Michael W. Slagle in <a href="http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:LnkpnFKpjuIJ:www.courts.state.va.us/opinions/opncavwp/0229953.pdf+%22Michael+W+Slagle%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&client=firefox-a" rel="nofollow">this case</a>? If so, I can see why you might be unhappy with some lawyers. More than a few of us, however, provide vital services and even help make the world a little better now and then. Long ago, I learned that angry hyperbole might win cheers from the choir but hardly ever wins converts. Michael, As the above piece shows, I’m no cheerleader for the legal profession, but your assessment seems a bit exaggerated. Are you the Michael W. Slagle in this case?

If so, I can see why you might be unhappy with some lawyers. More than a few of us, however, provide vital services and even help make the world a little better now and then.

Long ago, I learned that angry hyperbole might win cheers from the choir but hardly ever wins converts.

]]> By: Michael W Slagle http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/shakespeare-and-lawyers/comment-page-1/#comment-189461 Michael W Slagle Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:02:21 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/shakespeare-and-lawyers/#comment-189461 Lawyers are cancerous blight on society. They make a living by soliciting litigation for anything and everything possible. When they take a day off, they write instigate the writing of more laws to create a myriad of new ways that facilitate their solicitations. I will agree to disagree with Mr. Civarello, but only in his numbers. Ninety-nine percent of the body of practicing attorneys makes the one percent that is devastatingly malignant look like saints. The Bard and Dick the Butcher were correct: “…, let’s kill all the lawyers.” We can only wish.... Lawyers are cancerous blight on society. They make a living by soliciting litigation for anything and everything possible. When they take a day off, they write instigate the writing of more laws to create a myriad of new ways that facilitate their solicitations. I will agree to disagree with Mr. Civarello, but only in his numbers. Ninety-nine percent of the body of practicing attorneys makes the one percent that is devastatingly malignant look like saints. The Bard and Dick the Butcher were correct: “…, let’s kill all the lawyers.” We can only wish….

]]> By: Mark Civarello http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/shakespeare-and-lawyers/comment-page-1/#comment-188814 Mark Civarello Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:33:51 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/shakespeare-and-lawyers/#comment-188814 Ninety percent of the lawyers make the rest of them look bad. Ninety percent of the lawyers make the rest of them look bad.

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