Liberals and Biglaw Forum

[GettingReady2010]

I think a more interesting discussion would be centered around progressive/lliberal lawyers working in law enforcement capacities.

As an AUSA, in the DA's office, FBI, etc.?

Yes, I think I would experience more internal struggle (or at least as much as I would working Biglaw, but not for the same reasons) working for certain DA's offices, for example.

Edit: I didn't answer your question. What type of internal struggle are you referring to?

As in where my heart is versus where my office's policies and political agendas are, not to mention my "would-be" obligation to the people to carry out said policies and agendas of the elected DA, like it or not. One obvious example would be pushing for a sentence of death, when one is opposed to the death penalty. That isn't to say that conservatives aren’t anti-death penalty, though.

Edit: I believe most DA's offices will ask you if you would have a problem with the whole death penalty thing pre-employment, in offices that do pursue such sentences.[/quote]

Yep, this is probably true. Except, in this instance there might be a possibility that the office would just not have you handle capital cases.

Something that I think would get you flat our rejected is if you said that you have a problem prosecuting drug offenses or something.

[splittsville]

Yeah, until they start working dehumanizing hours and the government takes half their paycheck and redistributes it.

There are plenty of liberals who worked dehumanizing hours, paid plenty of taxes, and are still flaming liberals. I'm going to be starting Biglaw in a few months, and while I'm not excited about the taxes I will pay, I completely accept them.

I wouldn't have been able to go to law school without the government underwriting my student loans. As a lawyer, I would make no money at all if the government wasn't enforcing the rule of law. While I may never need social services, I will sleep a bit easier knowing that I will get unemployment benefits if I get laid off, and food stamps will keep me from going hungry if things get really bad. Even if I never end up on social services I benefit from them. My neighborhood is safer because the city has provided public housing- keeping people off the street who might be desperate and homeless to the point of criminality. So when I pay my taxes, I'm paying for services rendered and for insurance. Is there inefficiency and waste? Sure there is, but no system is perfect- and it is our job as citizens to advocate for the best run government possible though speech and the ballot box. And sure, there is an argument that the government is trying to do too much- even a hard-line communist would draw the government-involvement line somewhere. If you feel that way- just advocate for it. But ranting about "redistribution" is just ineffectual whining.


As to the OP, there is no conflict with liberals (as defined by membership in the American left) as long as one is not of a categorically anti-corporate ideology. However, there are some populist conservatives who would have issues with biglaw. Biglaw is a quintessential part of the "Coastal Elite" that a lot of conservative populists like to rant about.

YOUR neighborhood is safer, while those relegated to public housing suffer and the surrounding neighborhood suffer. Public housing is the most harmful form of government "service." To me, this is one of the worst things the government does... Unemployment and food stamps are OK, if properly monitored.....

/rant

[articulably suspect]

I think a more interesting discussion would be centered around progressive/lliberal lawyers working in law enforcement capacities.

Yep, this is probably true. Except, in this instance there might be a possibility that the office would just not have you handle capital cases.

Something that I think would get you flat our rejected is if you said that you have a problem prosecuting drug offenses or something.

Maybe. There's a whole slew of things that could get to someone. There are plenty of laws and policies that I've thought were ineffective and unfair for years, so it would be strange to be in a position in which I was, I don't know...in a way supporting them as opposed to railing against them? Not that makes any sense. Anyway, there’s always compartmentalization, I suppose

[ajmanyjah]

YOUR neighborhood is safer, while those relegated to public housing suffer and the surrounding neighborhood suffer. Public housing is the most harmful form of government "service." To me, this is one of the worst things the government does... Unemployment and food stamps are OK, if properly monitored.....

/rant

Yes, because people who are homeless and live in areas with rampant homelessness suffer less.

[romothesavior]

Not having a 'tar is TTT and it makes me immediately disregard anything you say.

HTH.

[bk1]

Not having a 'tar is TTT and it makes me immediately disregard anything you say.

HTH.

[MJMD]

Ok, I'll bite. I'll give you that Germany is doing outstanding. I'll be completely honest and unbiased and tell you that I have no idea why Germany is thriving. I've never been able to figure it out.

It's called "Codetermination". Ask a labour lawyer. Then observe the grotesque payouts presently being issued in the United States to incompetent managers, responsible for the ruination of their companies. Then ask yourself why one country is so much more effective and efficient.

[Renzo]

Ok, I'll bite. I'll give you that Germany is doing outstanding. I'll be completely honest and unbiased and tell you that I have no idea why Germany is thriving. I've never been able to figure it out.

It's called "Codetermination". Ask a labour lawyer. Then observe the grotesque payouts presently being issued in the United States to incompetent managers, responsible for the ruination of their companies. Then ask yourself why one country is so much more effective and efficient.

Amen. Also, compare Jamaica and Barbados. Both faced economic crises at roughly the same time. One nation pursued a cooperative, European style labor policy (Barbados, the third most developed nation in the Western Hemisphere, behind the US and Canada); the other followed a US style self-interested labor policy (Jamaica, where rampant unemployment has driven the crime rate sky-high, and a hugh chunk of the economy depends on foreign aid).

[Iuvo]

Ok, I'll bite. I'll give you that Germany is doing outstanding. I'll be completely honest and unbiased and tell you that I have no idea why Germany is thriving. I've never been able to figure it out.

It's called "Codetermination". Ask a labour lawyer. Then observe the grotesque payouts presently being issued in the United States to incompetent managers, responsible for the ruination of their companies. Then ask yourself why one country is so much more effective and efficient.

Amen. Also, compare Jamaica and Barbados. Both faced economic crises at roughly the same time. One nation pursued a cooperative, European style labor policy (Barbados, the third most developed nation in the Western Hemisphere, behind the US and Canada); the other followed a US style self-interested labor policy (Jamaica, where rampant unemployment has driven the crime rate sky-high, and a hugh chunk of the economy depends on foreign aid).

Sometimes I wonder why we live here.

[goles5]

"Sometimes I wonder why we live here."

Move to Greece?

[MJMD]

"Sometimes I wonder why we live here."

Move to Greece?

From this month's Harper's Index:
"Estimated amount the Greek government will lose (this year) due to tax evasion: $18,000,000,000"

[Iuvo]

"Sometimes I wonder why we live here."

Move to Greece?

I like Gyros but I don't like them that much.