Overlawyered: Chronicling The High Cost Of Our Legal System

“I work for a lawyer”

Reminiscent of the classic “Do you know who I am?”, this pronouncement may not always succeed in its intended effect, especially when it comes as a preface to an exposition of why it is “illegal” for a flight attendant to refuse to serve you any more alcohol. (Alex Wade, “‘I know my rights, I work […]

Reminiscent of the classic “Do you know who I am?”, this pronouncement may not always succeed in its intended effect, especially when it comes as a preface to an exposition of why it is “illegal” for a flight attendant to refuse to serve you any more alcohol. (Alex Wade, “‘I know my rights, I work for a lawyer'”, Times Online (UK), Nov. 24).

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2 Comments

  • Good reflections on why “I’m a lawyer” or its variants get negative reactions. Two others:

    * The implication isn’t that you’re right, but that you have access to sleazy tricks and secret knowledge that will help you prevail regardless of whether you’re right. Tricks mere mortals don’t have. You’re literally bragging about your ability to manipulate the system in your favor. Which as most realize, lawyers are able to do, to some extent. It’s really a pretty nifty encapsulation of why lawyers are held in such low regard these days. The poor shlub you’re up against is willing to stand on common sense and righteous indignation, but you appeal to naked and nearly arbitrary superiority based on membership in an exclusive club — which in turn appeals to a byzantine set of rules and regulations that often stray from common sense and whose complex twists are seen (often correctly) as favoring special interests, obsessed with technicalities and laden with traps for the unwary. It’s a little like asserting that because you’re one of the king’s men, you can beat up the serf just to entertain yourself. Even those of us who eschew egalitarianism are icked out by such grossly undemocratic sentiments.

    * The other implication is that you couldn’t just duke it out like a real American. You’re a grown-up tattle-tale, threatening to run to the teacher (now judge). And you’re resistant to the social pressures that check that instinct in others because you’ve mentally separated yourself from the rest of us stiffs.

  • David Wilson – wow, nicely said. I think I might steal that one.

    • By Deoxy