What class are lawyers?

[Misanthrope]

I want to pursue pre-law and eventually law school in the semi-near future. What are your opinions on lawyers? I know the ACLU is highly liberal.

[ColonelCossack]

I heard Fidel Castro studied as a Lawyer.

[DeBon]

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." - Ghandi

[Misanthrope]

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." - Ghandi

Fuck Ghandi...

[DeBon]

Fuck Ghandi...

The idea is the modern justice system is whack. Being a Lawyers is like being a land owner in my opinion, despite the differences between the two. Both are a cause of the worker's struggle though.

[Misanthrope]

The idea is the modern justice system is whack. Being a Lawyers is like being a land owner in my opinion, despite the differences between the two. Both are a cause of the worker's struggle though.

So legally defending someone against the police or state is like being a land owner? How?

[L.A.P.]

Vladimir Lenin, Fidel Castro, and other were all lawyers. Lenin specialized litigating for peasants in land disputes, and I believe there was some Marxist lawyer whom represented Huey P. Newton.

[Aurora]

A lot if not all lawyers are petit-bourgeois, they own their own practice. As was already noted Lenin was a lawyer. If you want to do it go for it, one of my cousins is doing law and working for a pretty famous radical lawyer.

[graymouser]

For the most part lawyers are members of the petty bourgeoisie. There are aspects of proletarianization of the legal profession; I've actually done a little work (through the consulting firm I work at) for companies that are sort of like lawyer sweatshops. Specifically what they do is have lawyers reviewing documents for legal cases in high pressure circumstances, timing them and making sure they're doing enough work in a certain time period - definitely the opposite of the typical petty bourgeois setup.

Plenty of radicals have been lawyers. It's expensive nowadays to get trained but it's a fine idea if you have the interest. There was even a Marxist elected as a judge in Detroit back in the '60s.

[Misanthrope]

Thanks for the support, guys!

[wunderbar]

I know the ACLU is highly liberal.

You also might want to look into the National Lawyers Guild. They were founded on the idea that human rights are more important than property interests, and they're the US affiliate of the IADL, which right-wingers accused of being a Soviet front group during the Cold War.

[Rusty Shackleford]

NLG kicks ass.

[Veovis]

It doesn't matter what class most lawyers are in; what matters is what class you identify with as a lawyer and what you do with your lawyering skills.

A lawyer who fights for the working class deserves a lot more respect than a lawyer who sues kids for illegally downloading music, for example.

[praxis1966]

I believe there was some Marxist lawyer whom represented Huey P. Newton.

I think you maybe thinking of William Kunstler who defended various Panthers on several occasions including at the notorious trial of the Chicago 7 (a group which included the likes of Bobby Seale, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden and Abbie Hoffman) after the '68 DNC demonstrations. He also defended the AIM members prosecuted in connection with the Battle of Wounded Knee as well as acting both as a negotiator during as well as defending prisoners after the Attica uprising... Dude was dope.

And yeah, you can do good work as a lawyer. Who do you think is going to defend all those ILWU members when they get prosecuted for today's events?

[Le Libérer]

WoP, I am considering the same thing. Right now I am working on my grad degree and if I still have the fortitude to stay in school, I want to practice AIDS law and Immigration Law. Being in the deep south on a Mexico border state, there is such a need to help immigrants.

I already work with these demographics as a social worker and have no legal resources in these areas. If I do go on to be a lawyer, I know I will be fufilling a huge need. Until then though, I'll just keep doing what I'm doing.

Plus my bestie is an indigent lawyer who's practice consists of the poor black population in my city. Shes worked to get so many people off bogus criminal charges. Institutional racism is at its peak in my state. I've seen her take a home made cake for payment for her services. She is what a lawyer should be. People before profit.

[eric922]

I'm considering it too, and thanks for mentioning the National Lawyers Guild, I'll look into them. Oh and another good lawyer group is the Southern Poverty Law Center, they fight for minority rights and monitor hate groups.

[Iron Felix]

He destroyed the British Empire. How about not fuck Ghandi.

[Misanthrope]

He destroyed the British Empire. How about not fuck Ghandi.

Lol, what?

[Ocean Seal]

He destroyed the British Empire. How about not fuck Ghandi.
Nope he prevented the destruction of the British Empire. He dissuaded the masses from revolution and kept them under the whip of the imperial oppressors freeing India in name only.

[praxis1966]

Kindly address the OP's post or don't post at all.

[La Comédie Noire]

I want to pursue pre-law and eventually law school in the semi-near future. What are your opinions on lawyers? I know the ACLU is highly liberal.

There's a lot of good you can do as a lawyer, including protection of activists, environmental issues, anti racist action, anti police brutality, gay rights, labor law, and much much more. However, being a socially conscientious lawyer can be a very hard life from what I've heard and some end up going into private practice because they're tired of the lifestyle.

But if you like sleeping in your office (which is in your one room studio apartment) and can develop a palate for Ramen noodles you will do just fine. :)


"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." - Ghandi



The idea is the modern justice system is whack. Being a Lawyers is like being a land owner in my opinion, despite the differences between the two. Both are a cause of the worker's struggle though.

Wasn't Gandhi a lawyer in the British Imperial system?

[praxis1966]

There's a lot of good you can do as a lawyer, including protection of activists, environmental issues, anti racist action, anti police brutality, gay rights, labor law, and much much more. However, being a socially conscientious lawyer can be a very hard life from what I've heard and some end up going into private practice because they're tired of the lifestyle.

But if you like sleeping in your office (which is in your one room studio apartment) and can develop a palate for Ramen noodles you will do just fine. :)

My point exactly. As long as there's capitalism, we're going to need revolutionaries. And as long as there's revolutionaries, we're going to need good lawyers. We do get up to some shenanigans every now and again... lol And apart from the areas you mentioned, there's always immigration law, Legal Aid, and criminal defense (assuming you're working out of a public defender's office as opposed to private practice).


Wasn't Gandhi a lawyer in the British Imperial system?

Yes.

[Tablo]

You guys don't know shit. Most lawyers are very much so working class. Not all lawyers are self-employed and defending people in court. Most work for firms and big corporations doing paperwork.

[ColonelCossack]

Hey guys I think it's spelt Gandhi...

[Misanthrope]

There's a lot of good you can do as a lawyer, including protection of activists, environmental issues, anti racist action, anti police brutality, gay rights, labor law, and much much more. However, being a socially conscientious lawyer can be a very hard life from what I've heard and some end up going into private practice because they're tired of the lifestyle.

But if you like sleeping in your office (which is in your one room studio apartment) and can develop a palate for Ramen noodles you will do just fine. :)



My friends dad just recently won an environmental case against a local corporation for pollution harming the local population and he is doing very well financially. I'm going to have to believe what you are saying though, after all this is America, where power rules and labor isn't an issue unless it's "killing middle class jobs". Doesn't demotivate me though:)

[Misanthrope]

My point exactly. As long as there's capitalism, we're going to need revolutionaries. And as long as there's revolutionaries, we're going to need good lawyers. We do get up to some shenanigans every now and again... lol And apart from the areas you mentioned, there's always immigration law, Legal Aid, and criminal defense (assuming you're working out of a public defender's office as opposed to private practice).



Yes.

My friends dad just recently won an environmental case against a local corporation for pollution harming the local population and he is doing very well financially. I'm going to have to believe what you are saying though, after all this is America, where power rules and labor isn't an issue unless it's "killing middle class jobs". Doesn't demotivate me though:)

[Le Libérer]

Its when you own your own law practice it becomes bousie. My plans include working for an organization anyway.

[Salyut]

Southern Poverty Law Center. :thumbup1:

Thing is; you make like 40k tops as a public defender. Might be less - I saw the figures back in '08. No idea what working for the SPLC or other organizations would get you, but probably way less then doing tax law for some corporation.

[eric922]

I'll have to say I do have some problems with the ACLU. Their main focus is the Bill of Rights, and they will defend anyone, and that is where I have a problem.

They have defended Nazis before and while I won't say we should silence them or not allow them to speak, I also don't think I could defend their right to spread hate and intimidation.

[eyedrop]

As far as I'm aware lawyers who aren't corporate brown noses doesn't have it so terrible as plenty of the poster here picture. They don't have the super-high lawyer wages but they certainly aren't almost starving.

They are certainly far above the poverty limit, usually far above the median wage as well.

I once met an Argentinean lawyer fighting against indigenous peasants in Mexico getting pushed off their lands and he certainly had more cash than the average Mexican worker (since he worked in Mexico it's fairer to compare him to Mexican workers).

[eric922]

As far as I'm aware lawyers who aren't corporate brown noses doesn't have it so terrible as plenty of the poster here picture. They don't have the super-high lawyer wages but they certainly aren't almost starving.

They are certainly far above the poverty limit, usually far above the median wage as well.

I once met an Argentinean lawyer fighting against indigenous peasants in Mexico getting pushed off their lands and he certainly had more cash than the average Mexican worker (since he worked in Mexico it's fairer to compare him to Mexican workers).
Never mind I think I misread your post.

[Le Libérer]

Southern Poverty Law Center. :thumbup1:

Thing is; you make like 40k tops as a public defender. Might be less - I saw the figures back in '08. No idea what working for the SPLC or other organizations would get you, but probably way less then doing tax law for some corporation.
Well I make almost that now, with out going into student loan debt which will eat up whatever more I would be making. Its just not about the money. I have worked as a social worker, counselor, now I work as a resource development specialist writing grants. Had I cared about the money, I would still be jetting around the world as arm candy with a music exec I dated or would have taken myskills corporate.

When you sell you soul for money, or people you are suppose to be helping, you lose your dignity, Making money doesnt replace that. And thats exactly what happens when people do that, nothing is enough and greed sets in.

I really want to fill a gap in services to my clients and more so, prove to myself I can accomplish it. Both are my motivation.

[Die Neue Zeit]

You guys don't know shit. Most lawyers are very much so working class. Not all lawyers are self-employed and defending people in court. Most work for firms and big corporations doing paperwork.

I think they're called paralegals.