If I become a lawyer, will I lose my morals!?!?!?

Question

I really want honest opinions, not stereotypical bashing

Answer 1

Well, let's see... popular stereotypes tell us that you will become a minion of the great dark lord himself, cursing the innocent and flinging them into cages.

Seriously though, the fact that you're worried about "losing your morals" means you probably grew up with a good set of morals. Don't let anyone take that away from you!!! We can always use more good humans in this world. If someone or your job forces you to compromise your morals, seriously consider saying "goodbye!" and looking for a job that won't force you to go against your belief.

We can always use good lawyers too ;) so don't give up at the first obstacle, you'll make it if you push through... and just think, someday you might be able to start your own practice and put your morals to good use! (all the while bringing more like-minded people, morally upright people, to work for you!)
Sound pretty awesome right?

Cheers and good luck!

Answer 2

No you will not lose your morals. You just have to do what is right, what you morally feel is just, and don't get swept up into winning at all costs. It is a battle but because ones personal morals are often times higher than the rules of professional conduct and ethics. Ask yourself what motivates you to be a lawyer? Most judges applaud criminal attorneys both defense and prosecutors as being more courteous and ethical than their civil counterparts. What type of law do you want to practice. I simply try to remind myself that in Criminal Law you do not want to become the criminal. For example, with the death penalty you do not want to become the murderer.
Contrary to popular belief and TV culture being a lawyer is not about simply getting people off. You don't lie to the court about someones guilt. Everyone has a role and a job today with rules that must be followed strictly.

Answer 3

It is variable depending on your initial mores and what type of law you decide to enter. When you become an attorney, your sole consideration is defending the party that hired you to receive the best possible respresenation. That is subject to a wide interpretation on both side.

To your client, it could mean finding loopholes even if they are guilty; if they have deep pockets, that could be to your advantage. If your morales prevent you, you can strike a deal where they serve time, but your client has the right to search for a more devious lawyer that will get them out of the situation and not to expect to receive repeat business from a client that could be financially very profitable to you in the long run.

In reality, it depends on your conscience and what you can live with and your values and how deep their pockets are.

Answer 4

You don't lose your morals by becoming a lawyer. Rather, the loss of morals by lay people is what makes the legal profession necessary. How conveniently the lawyer-bashers forget what it is that brings people to the courthouse and to law offices in the first place. Unfortunately, if you become a lawyer, part of your job will be to assume other people's culpability. What do you know? A husband and wife will beat each other and their kids, and commit all sorts of immoral things before they finally call it quits -- but in the end, when you represent one of them in the divorce, it will somehow be YOUR fault that their family disintegrated.

Answer 5

You can depending on what kind of lawyer you become, for example if you are into criminal defense and a murderer walks away because you win his case, then you will not have much for morals. Now if you are a prosecuting attorney and the muderer gets alot of time because you won the case, you would be loved by his family and many around who also had a loved one killed. Your morals would be in the right place.
Also, if you were into Family Law, please make a very fair court order for child custody. I got a terrible one and it is really miserable for us all, and it was all about money.

Answer 6

Seriously, I know many people who incurred over $100k in educational expenses only to go work for poor people, making $25k, if they don't have morals, then no one does. Law school is like any other congregation of highly educated/intelligent people... some care about money, almost all care about power, and others want to do something that makes them feel good. Although, no one likes a lawyer joke more than lawyers.

Answer 7

Depends on what kind of lawyer you become. If you become a Corporate lawyer, and you're a Liberal, you just flushed every last one of your morals down the drain.

However, if you're a Liberal and go into something like Human Rights law and environmental, you keep most of them.

Answer 8

probablly. i mean you will need to defend whoever you are assigned to, regardless if you think he/she is guilty or innocent. And if you think (or KNOW) they are guilty you will have to try to prove they are innocent or that they somehow deserve only a bit of punishment.

Or if/when you have you own office, will you turn away those whos morals you dont agree with or who you think are guilty?

Of course, a criminal lawyer isnt the only one out there.

you can be a divorce attorny, a legal lawyers for companies, etc. but still they all have an element of you having to close your eyes

Answer 9

You would probably have to change your ideas on what morality is. Some people see things on a small scale like this person is guilty, it is wrong to get him off and that person is innocent and it's wrong to prosecute her.

Other people see the value of being part of and improving the systems that exist in our society. The justice system works to keep things as fair as possible by lawers doing their duty as well as they can.

Answer 10

You will be able to objectively view the facts; determine whether it is worth your time to take the case; and zealously advocate on the behalf of your clients.

Or else you could be disbarred.

You don't lose your morals; you realize that many things in life are not black and white; and not every wrong has a real remedy.