Do Ugly People Deserve Legal Protection?

[InterAlia1961]

You can't make this stuff up. It's this sort of thing that gives lawyers a bad name. http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/do_ugly_people_deserve_legal_protection_economics_prof_offers_reasons_for_a

[FalconJimmy]

Why do lawyers get a bad name when an economics professor writes an article?

[InterAlia1961]

Why do lawyers get a bad name when an economics professor writes an article?

Because some lawyer's going to try it based on Professor Bleeding Heart's interpretation of the data. C'mon FalconJimmy, certainly you could make an argument for such protection under the ADA, couldn't you? I think I probably could, especially if I were going to get a cool 30% of the award. But since I'm just a 2L, the more likely scenario is Gloria Alred will be the first to attempt it on behalf of some ugly Hollywood type. And Ms. Alred has legitimate research to back her up.

[FalconJimmy]

Why do lawyers get a bad name when an economics professor writes an article?

Because some lawyer's going to try it based on Professor Bleeding Heart's interpretation of the data. C'mon FalconJimmy, certainly you could make an argument for such protection under the ADA, couldn't you? I think I probably could, especially if I were going to get a cool 30% of the award. But since I'm just a 2L, the more likely scenario is Gloria Alred will be the first to attempt it on behalf of some ugly Hollywood type. And Ms. Alred has legitimate research to back her up.

Hmmm... well, I guess that's one way to look at it.  the other would be that attorneys function in society and are part of society.  To blame them for everything that occurs in society is something some people do.  However, I don't see how that reflects poorly on attorneys.  That reflects poorly on people who don't take the time to understand what attorneys and the judiciary do.  Attorneys don't file suit for themselves (generally).  They file on behalf of plaintiffs.  Attorneys also don't award large settlements.  That's done by juries (and sometimes judges.) 

So, what you're saying is that any time an academic, in any field, publishes anything, it makes attorneys look bad because some members of society might file suit and other members of society might award damages?

Yeah, not seeing it.  Then, perhaps we have different ideas of the role of attorneys in society.

[InterAlia1961]

Hmmm... well, I guess that's one way to look at it.  the other would be that attorneys function in society and are part of society.  To blame them for everything that occurs in society is something some people do.  However, I don't see how that reflects poorly on attorneys.  That reflects poorly on people who don't take the time to understand what attorneys and the judiciary do.  Attorneys don't file suit for themselves (generally).  They file on behalf of plaintiffs.  Attorneys also don't award large settlements.  That's done by juries (and sometimes judges.) 

So, what you're saying is that any time an academic, in any field, publishes anything, it makes attorneys look bad because some members of society might file suit and other members of society might award damages?

Yeah, not seeing it.  Then, perhaps we have different ideas of the role of attorneys in society.

So, you couldn't make an argument that ugly folks deserve protection under the ADA? Oh well.

Sure it makes lawyers look bad when an academic makes such a suggestion. We get to see the raw truth: academics believe, and rightfully so, that lawyers are hired guns...useful in enforcing policy which can't be enforced through popular means. If the power of persuasion doesn't work, get a lawyer to show 'em the persuasion of power in the courts. The public policy of late is all about the individual's right to equal treatment, whether they earn it or not. Professor Bleeding Heart wouldn't have brought the subject up if he didn't intend to do something about it. The only questions that remain is 1) who will do it, and 2) will it succeed?

What exactly is your view of a "lawyer's role" in society? This ought to be good. Oh, and by the way...Is it hard to breathe up there in your ivory tower? Air a little thin, maybe? 

[Morten Lund]

Hmmm... well, I guess that's one way to look at it.  the other would be that attorneys function in society and are part of society.  To blame them for everything that occurs in society is something some people do.  However, I don't see how that reflects poorly on attorneys.  That reflects poorly on people who don't take the time to understand what attorneys and the judiciary do.  Attorneys don't file suit for themselves (generally).  They file on behalf of plaintiffs.  Attorneys also don't award large settlements.  That's done by juries (and sometimes judges.) 

I couldn't agree more.  Much/most of what people like to blame lawyers for is less a function of lawyers and more a function of the nature of our society and our judicial system, or just unrelated entirely.

Of course, all too often the folks complaining about lawyers also seem to think that Shakespeare favored killing them first.