Comments on: Can We Lawyers Please Stop Patting Ourselves on The Back?

By: Elder M R K Tuck

Elder M R K Tuck — Thu, 11 Aug 2005 07:16:46 +0000

I must agree with Ms. Elefant. Clocked our hours mean nothing without actual results. Legal “advice” versus legal “assistance” is the issue. Thank you ABA for the stats, but a more explicit description of services renedered might qualify your expressed efforts. Is free effective; for the greater, or to make the good look greater? Free surgery – thanks, but no thanks! However, effective advisement would make a difference even in the medical field.

By: Elder M R K Tuck

Elder M R K Tuck — Thu, 11 Aug 2005 07:16:00 +0000

By: Cindy Zatzman

Cindy Zatzman — Wed, 10 Aug 2005 06:33:20 +0000

I loved the points. Last year I actually gave away more hours in pro bono services than I billed to paying clients. It makes a difference. In fact, on the conclusion of one of those cases, I went out with my client to her favorite “hang out” — and heard a great deal about what the layman thinks about our profession, and WHY they think what they do. As to the medical profession not serving the poor — look around. Hospitals cannot turn away the indigent in need of emergency service; a lawyer can send a woman home to get beaten to death by an abusive spouse. Makes you stop and think.

By: Cindy Zatzman

Cindy Zatzman — Wed, 10 Aug 2005 06:33:00 +0000

By: anon

anon — Mon, 08 Aug 2005 12:48:10 +0000

Read Posner’s book, please. Law is not a cartel anymore. That’s why pro bono is outdated (not a profession of privileged “gentlemen” anymore; there is competition in the market) and the billable hour system was required (because of teacher’s pets). Surgeons don’t do pro bono (or there is not a profession-wide statement that every doctor owes that) because they still have a strong cartel, but they’re getting like lawyers too. See hospitals advertising on billboards.

By: anon

anon — Mon, 08 Aug 2005 12:48:00 +0000

By: Mike Adams

Mike Adams — Sun, 07 Aug 2005 23:17:38 +0000

Bravo! Excellent point. More evidence of how single-minded our profession can be about billable hours. Could you imagine a group of surgeons indicating that they gave away 20 million hours per year of free surgery without any indication of the effectiveness of their services?

By: Mike Adams

Mike Adams — Sun, 07 Aug 2005 23:17:00 +0000