There is a question on here about that. Some of the answerers said that lawyers don't have to be smart, they just use big words to look smart.
Don't you silly people realize that lawyers have to get into law school, pass the bar, etc? Could YOU do that? I'm not a lawyer, but I'm fed up with people saying lawyers aren't smart.
2006-09-08 04:58:27 · 10 answers · asked by mollyneville 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
TV -- Too many people believe what they see on "The Practice" or "Boston Legal." It's like with ER. They hardly ever lose patients on that show, so people go to the hospital thinking two shocks with a defibrillator is all that it will take.
When you are before a judge, you will need more than big words and smart looks. Most people do not want to dig through the statutes and case law themselves. Besides, there are areas of law that are very complicated with intricate rules and requirements. Yeah, there are bad lawyers. Here in Texas we have had lawyers fall asleep during trial, come in drunk, etc. Some people squeeze through law school by using others outlines and notes and pass the bar on the 5th try. It happens in every profession.
2006-09-08 05:17:56 · answer #1 · answered by Jena W 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Lawyers have to have intelligence and certainly successful ones have to be clever. Smart however is something different.
If lawyers were smart perhaps they would not be so greedy, so self serving, look more to serving justice than winning cases, look for truth rather than victory.
I am sure there are some good lawyers out there but if they were honest and served justice they would quickly be disbarred.
Courts are not interested in what is true, or just, but only in how the letter is interpreted. Lawyers defend clients to the ends of their ability when they know they are guilty, even of murder often twisting the truth deliberately to do so.
In virtually every country in the world lawyers are seen in a very bad light. Therefore is it smart to be a lawyer?
2006-09-08 12:09:39 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its not that the lawyers are not smart. You are correct, they are usually very smart. But they are book smart and not too smart in the common sense arena, they also have a bad reputation that they themselves have created because they are somewhat on the dark side, meaning they will walk that fine line, if not cross completely over it, of wrong, unlawful activity, and get away with it because they are the lawyers. People know this, and therefore their imagine of the profession takes on a different hue and the entire profession is labeled thus...not smart or all crooks. Sad sad but true.
Until the Law Profession cleans up its act, then they will be viewed by the general public as such.
2006-09-08 12:06:33 · answer #3 · answered by kickinupfunf 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree that in order to become an attorney, one does have to pass rigorous exams and take difficult coursework. They are either highly intelligent or highly dedicated or both.
I think the misconception that lawyers either aren't or don't have to be smart comes from people's dislike of lawyers, and too many people pass of anything they dislike or don't agree with as "stupid."
Personally, I don't have anything against lawyers as a group, because I know some in real life who are pretty cool. But I do understand where the broad dislike of lawyers comes from - because lawyers are paid to represent people who they may or may not agree with, and even if an attorney doesn't lie, they may withhold facts that could be damaging to their client. That's just their job. Some people simply don't think that's right.
2006-09-08 12:20:03 · answer #4 · answered by JenV 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i've never seen anyone say that, but you said you saw some answers about that so i'll take your word for it. lawyers do have to be smart to a point, but intelligence is not the most important part of the job. a lot of lawyers are successful just because they are very persuasive or good at arguing.
2006-09-08 12:02:28 · answer #5 · answered by Niecy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes I could be a lawyer
I just know some people who are about average intelligence in law school
You can be a lawyer of average intelligence - the question is whether you'll be a good one.
2006-09-08 12:07:07 · answer #6 · answered by theliberaloneforyou 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are very intelligent... people usually assume they are liars though because they use big words to deceive the laymen.
2006-09-08 12:03:46 · answer #7 · answered by Robert V 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well you are rigth just because they didnt win a case doesnt mean they are bad/dumb but they have bad days and so thats why they think that lawyers are dumb
2006-09-08 12:05:57 · answer #8 · answered by Neefs Portillo 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You've got a point,
however, all careers
need college.
I think a better complaint,
if needed, would be that
lawyers need to be effective!
2006-09-08 12:01:43 · answer #9 · answered by vim 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
they just know how to argue well
2006-09-08 12:04:01 · answer #10 · answered by ♥ YaHabibeDisney ♥ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋