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: BootStraps and Lawyers

Gladiators v Knights, and other ramblings.

By BootStraps

Yesterday in trial advocacy we watched a clip of Gladiator. It was the scene in which Proximo was talking to Maximus about them finally going to Rome. Proximo was telling Maximus to not kill too quickly...win the crowd.....

All of us kinda laughed because it is kind of an intense moment to just be thrown into. ANYWAY, our professor went on to describe that this clip relates to many old lawyers. Trial Lawyers are Gladiators. Most lawyers see this scene as an old lawyer trying to teach a young lawyer.

I found this analogy interesting, but in the end false.

I always thought of Lawyers as Knights. We are exclusive and adversarial and very much apart of the aristocracy, but we are not the top. We don't fight unless a lord tells us too. (Business and or individual). Without a fight and without a battle we are nothing but suits...or suits of armor.

Gladiators though they win the crowd are slaves that have no part in the running of anything. Though an argument could be made that we are indeed slaves that just means we are slaves to law firms (other Gladiators) which may make the Gladiator quote that much more accurate. Whatever.

I guess we can be classified as both, but I like the Knight Analogy...As for the Knights.

In my criminal defense clinic we arrange the tables in the room to a square. Close to the door 4 professors sit at the head of the square. 1 older and distinguished lawyer who has seen it all, an older lawyer who is almost bitter and refuses to change much, a younger male lawyer who is smaller in stature and firey, and a tall attractive (but not smokin hot) women who dresses well. Then there is the rest of us filling up the sides of the tables.

Over and Over we are taught in the clinic that the first impression of us is bad. Criminal Defense lawyers...we wear the black armor. I always kinda laugh at this because we are more like knights anyway. I can't help but think when I am daydreaming and bored that this room of 30 people is like the dark den of knights. The things we laugh about and the way we plot to win cases would shock most people, but there we are. I describe the professors in a way that you can see the demographic. It just seems like a recipe for some dark knight school.

What a weird post.....

Full post as published by BootStraps and Lawyers on November 29, 2007 (boomark / email).