Wednesday Writs for 10/10

Em Carpenter

Em was one of those argumentative children who was sarcastically encouraged to become a lawyer, so she did. She is a proud life-long West Virginian, and, paradoxically, a liberal. In addition to writing about society, politics and culture, she enjoys cooking, podcasts, reading, and pretending to be a runner. She will correct your grammar. You can find her on Twitter.

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16 Responses

  1. L2 “Lawyers are not generally known for their politeness, but it takes some pretty bad behavior to cross the line into unacceptable.”

    I used to work for this guy:
    https://caselaw.findlaw.com/md-court-of-special-appeals/1691162.html

    Read between the lines and you will find that he was disbarred for being a jerk. He did stuff for years, including my time with him, that while not strictly kosher, had no repercussions. Until it did, because he pissed off another lawyer badly enough that the guy made it a Cause. At that point the guy had no problem finding any number of other lawyers who my former boss had pissed off over the years. and away they went merrily collecting evidence.Report

    • Em Carpenter in reply to Richard Hershberger says:

      It’s a fine line between being a “shark” of an attorney and being an unethical jerk. I’ve known both. The former manage to be a thorn in the sides of opposing counsel without violating the rules or ticking off the judge. I worked for one like that… I admired him greatly. I am personally can be a little “too nice” for litigation.Report

    • PD Shaw in reply to Richard Hershberger says:

      The L2 attorney comes across as mental. It’s one thing to be jerk with another attorney in private, but when the deposition disputes were brought to the judge, the attorney sniped at and argued with the judge. When the judge ruled that the deposition would continue in the presence of the Judge and the attorney continued in this behavior, it was analogous to speeding down the highway and seeing a cop car ahead and doing nothing to reduce your speed even though you know you are being watched.

      (As a procedural aside, I don’t know that Judges have this authority in my state. They generally refer bad behavior to the attorney disciplinary board, which has the power to either give a reprimand or suspend the license in increments of six months)Report

    • Em Carpenter in reply to Saul Degraw says:

      That is amazing.
      Stealing that link for next week’s Writs.Report

    • LeeEsq in reply to Saul Degraw says:

      Sometimes you come across good arguments for gate-keeping and exerting social control over people.Report

      • Jaybird in reply to LeeEsq says:

        A million years ago, I was one of the people who felt something vaguely similar to “outrage” at the Sarah Palin-themed “adult” movies being released.

        A million years later, I find out that there’s a game where you can bone the members of the Supreme Court and…

        nothing.

        There’s nothing there.

        “Shouldn’t you say something like ‘of course there is’?”, part of me rouses to ask.

        then that part of me quiets back downReport

        • LeeEsq in reply to Jaybird says:

          Most like because of my political affiliations, I really didn’t feel any outrage at Sarah Palin “adult” movies. I wasn’t even aware of them until way after the 2008 election. I don’t even think the Supreme Court dating simulator is bad in the sense of its’ outrageously immoral. Its just taking something that should be serious, not serious.Report

  2. Saul Degraw says:

    L2: My experience is that many lawyers are pretty good for professional courtesy. I’ve had some experience with older lawyers who like to use their physical size as an asset though.Report

    • Aaron David in reply to Saul Degraw says:

      heh. I have a friend who is a lawyer, at 6’9′ 400lbs. I was always fun to go drinking with him and his little brother (6’4″ 320lbs) as I was 5’7″ 150lbs (back then.)Report

  3. Jaybird says:

    L1: Our very own Burt Likko gave us a tour de force on Marbury v Madison back in 2015.Report

  4. FortyTwo says:

    I really miss Burt’s legal essays. I still owe him a hundred bucks.Report