Eulogy To The Legal Profession
My essence as a human being, that would easily fit on my tombstone with room to spare could, and, perhaps should be “Loving and Faithful Husband, loving Father, Grandfather, Friend and Lawyer”. This post addresses only “Lawyer”.
I have always loved being a lawyer. I went to one of the finest prep schools in the country, and my undergraduate education was first rate by any standards. I was already married in 1962 when I started law school in 1962. I recall coming home after the first week of law school, and telling Barbara “I learned more this past week than I had learned, cumulatively, my entire life.
Maybe five years ago I was seriously ill it took one of the most gifted surgeons in the world to diagnose my problem, and, then successfully fix it. I was in intensive care for over two weeks. Barbara stayed in a chair next to my bed the whole time and only left my side to change clothes or buy me popsicles she, literally, willed me to live and without her I would have simply cashed in my chips.
There is nothing, like lying there not knowing if one’s life was over to make one reflective. I rarely think about things of this nature, but, at one point Barbara asked “if you make it, will you retire?” I promptly answered “no, I never want to say ‘I used to be a lawyer’, I always want to be one “.
I rather talk to lawyers, debate with lawyers, go to Bar meetings and try to solve problems that effect millions of people every day. I always loved it when I knew I made a positive difference in a life of a client or the lives of an entire family.
I have represented some of the smartest, richest people in the world, and many without any money whom I represented for free. I never took a shortcut or tried harder for a client who paid a lot. I won more than I lost, got many more good results than bad, but I lost some and got unsatisfactory results from time to time, but not for lack of doing the best I could.
Becoming President of The Florida Bar, a Jewish lawyer from a boutique firm who never went to a Florida school was the non practicing highlight of my professional career. I am told I made a real difference, and I am proud of that.
Now after about 58 years, I am embarrassed and ashamed of what was for centuries, a noble profession. Thousands of lawyers have now sold their soul for the sake of power and money. They have made a mockery of the law, abused the legal system, thrown our Constitution to the wind and ignored the concept of Separation of Powers.
Most know better, but not all. 66 out of 100 U.S Senators have legal training. 249 members of the House, about 57% have legal training. Every single Republican who has supported Donald Trump and tried to interfere in his legal problems should be disbarred. They have to know that their failure to speak out flagrantly violates the oath they took when becoming lawyers.
We have a Supreme Court that has become a totally political animal. On top of that at least two Justices have been so unethical, they should be removed.
The concept of a level playing field is no more. “Justice is Blind” no longer exists. Justice now has 20/20 vision.
I wish these were jokes, but they are not. The third branch of government is in Hospice and we are charging our cell phones on the life support system.
This is not disagreeing on a legal issue. This is burying the legal profession in a grave so deep that our Democracy is at risk.
RIP ——————————- See you tomorrow. At least that is my plan. —————————— Go Ukraine