apropos reasons (a) and (b) in a previous post for forming a view that lawyers are all bad -

as to (a) if registering a few documents, etc to settle a will is so simple, why hire a lawyer at all? why not do it yourself and then a lawyer would not have to be paid or involved at all: an easy way to divest oneself of the need for a 'glorified officeboy'; and (b) if the family is so dysfunctional that a lawyer is required, why blame the lawyer?

Demos,

The article is not merely a "complaint about lawyers"! As is explicitly stated, the primary concern is not lawyers per se, but the dysfunctional MINDSET that is rife among legal practitioners and others abusing positions of power, who are given status and rewarded financially for applying this mindset in the prosecution of their duties.

If the term "simple-minded" applies anywhere, it is to that very mindset, which fraudulently divides the world into right and wrong, good and evil, black and white. Yet, of course, the mindset is not REALLY "simple-minded", since it is a wilful dumbing down of the complex into a palatable form of propaganda designed to manipulate perception. Whether in a court of law, a boardroom, the political arena, or within the most complex arena of all - personal and family relationships - this toxic mindset is always used to mischievous ends, and always in the service of power, if not downright tyranny.

As to your comment that "corruption and injustice is built into the system" and that unless one is willing to change the system, "complaint is hypocrisy", this seems to me to be tantamount to raising a white flag. If there are aspects within "the system" that are flawed, or wrong, what is hypocritical about laying them bare as a first step towards addressing them to a point of resolution? And surely, by improving anything within the system, we are to some extent changing the system itself, anyway. You gotta start somewhere!

jocelynne,

Nowhere did I claim that "lawyers are all bad"! This sweeping, simplistic statement is an instance of the very mindset I am decrying!

Re your "if registering a few documents, etc to settle a will is so simple, why hire a lawyer at all?" My position exactly! Re-read my post.

Re: "if the family is so dysfunctional that a lawyer is required, why blame the lawyer?" I didn't and I'm not. I was complaining about the lawyer's behaviour. And I didn't hire him!

I'm a first year Law student, and here is this guy telling me I made the wrong choice!?

Geez, thanks for that...

From my meagre experience so far, and I've learnt quite a bit about ethics - it seems our lecturers want to change the perceptions in society too, it depends on the lawyer.

Those doing Business/Law tend to think more heartlessly, which I've noted during discussions about law and morality.

One of the posts above had it the other way around I think, YVONNE was it?

She claimed something about justice and the law being different, or the law seeking justice not truth?

The law seeks truth and not justice is the way I understand it. Justice is often the end result of the law, but not always.

In Criminal Law in particular, which I've found the most interesting, much protection is afforded the accused - some over the top.

I can understand why people look at lawyers as immoral, because there are many dodgy ones out there.

Perhaps it depends on where you come from.

Unlike most who do this course, I come from a rather disadvantaged area, and saw many afflicted by hard drugs such as heroin, which was everywhere.

I saw a lot of good people destroyed. I would like to help those types of people.

Obviously they won't be able to pay, so it would go through Legal Aid.

That is also a common misperception about lawyers, as not all are rich. Most aren't, although I have never heard of a poor one.

The top percentage gets picked up by well-known firms, but most earn relatively normal wages.

The immorality part all comes back to the person though. Of course some will be bastards, but others won't. Especially those of us that have seen the other side, lived it even.