[quote=njtosd]People hate lawyers for a number of reasons. One of those reasons is that lawyers don’t tend to show up when life is going well. No one wakes up, goes for a hike and then says “this is a great day, I think I’ll call my lawyer.” Instead, lawyers are called when marriages go south, children are arrested, business deals sour or the IRS is looming. None of these are life’s high points. If the outcome is good, people resent having to pay for what they feel they fairly deserved. If you lose, they paid you for nothing. My area of law is a bit different, so it’s more fun.[/quote]
My first-hand experience is different.
There was a rule in the legal immigration process that kind of made little sense. AILA fought (successfully) to add the right to appeal, not to change, or repel the rule.
My former company was involved in a lawsuit with a bigger company. I know we were ‘right’. The process lasted 2+ years, all of the company profits and some more went into that and we dropped it without spending enough to see our day in court.
I thought the lawyers are there to help people navigate the legal system in pursuit of truth and/or justice. I understand now that lawyers care first, second and third about billable hours. It just feels slightly unfair that lawyers get to set the rules of the game they are playing.