Unjust Misconceptions

 Through various class discussions, the assigned reading, and through my own experiences, I’ve realized the unfortunate reality of the public misconception of lawyers and the role they play in the legal system. Lawyers protect, prevent, and resolve issues, but many people view them as creating problems, capitalizing on existing problems, and wasting time. This view has been a topic of discussion between myself and several people I’ve encountered since beginning law school, and it is quite upsetting to sit and think about it, but it is also an interesting commentary on the lack of understanding on what lawyers actually do. 

A while ago, I had lunch with someone who asked me what I do for work. I responded that I was in law school and explained to him my plans for the future, and surprisingly, he responded with, “I hate lawyers.” Not only did this catch me off guard, but it also intrigued me. He then explained that in his experience in working with lawyers in his line of work, lawyers slow deals down, don’t understand how businesses work, and ruin good deals. I found this to be a huge misconception layered with a misunderstanding of the role of lawyers actually play. 

Lawyers aren’t there to slow deals down and ruin good deals, they are there to protect deals by ensuring they are complete, thorough, and contain protections and resolutions. They may slow down a closing of a deal by doing the very job they are hired to do, but they are doing it to cover bases that often get overlooked and undervalued. They are a value-add in the business world, but it struck me as odd that this was viewed as a negative. From a perspective of a corporate business, I could see how a lawyers’ involvement may slow the momentum of a big deal, but, shouldn’t the thought of knowing a contract contains provisions that protect the parties in the wake of a breach be something positive? Shouldn’t having someone hired to be extremely detailed, thorough, and knowledgeable in that field be valuable? 

I think this conversation was a result of a larger misunderstanding that the public has about lawyers. Given the public mistrust of lawyers Benikov discussed in his book, this isn’t wholly surprising to me, but it is an unfortunate reality. It, however, does motivate me, as someone planning to join the legal field, to educate others and work hard to hopefully be a part of a generation of lawyers who can restore confidence in the profession.