The Lawyer: Misconceptions About This Profession

Perhaps no profession is more misunderstood than that of the lawyer. The butt of jokes and derision by the populace, they are nonetheless the first people called when someone gets in trouble with the police, has a problem with another party that needs to be solved in court, or simply needs help with a legal matter. If they are so untrustworthy, why do people continue to use them? The fact is that there are a lot of myths about the profession and they continue to perpetuate in the face of overwhelming evidence.

The Ambulance Chaser

This is probably the biggest misconception about attorneys, particularly one who works in the personal injury field. The term itself conjures someone on the scene of an accident, just waiting to thrust their card in the hands of someone who was just hurt in a car wreck. Has such a person ever existed? Perhaps, but they were far from the representative for the entire profession. The bigger issue is that it paints the entire field of personal injury in a bad light, when most lawsuits in this category are designed to help people get righteous judgments to pay for medical bills and other necessities. It isn't about getting rich quick, which is something that is taking the American public a long time to understand.

They Make Too Much

Whether it's a period of good economic fortunes or bad, people tend to look askance at those who make more money. But the concept of the lawyer as someone who makes a lot of money is largely an inaccurate one. Yes, a person with a law degree should be able to make a comfortable living. However, "rich" attorneys are by far the exception to the rule. This doesn't even take into consideration the fact that attorneys work extremely long hours to make their money. Is it a better job than working the drive-thru at McDonald's? Certainly. But it isn't personal gold mining.

They Exploit the System

This myth is vibrantly alive thanks to Hollywood. In movie after movie, criminals get off because they had a silver-tongued defense lawyer who exploited a technicality the poor, sad-sack prosecutor was unable to protect. This is nonsense. Attorneys on both sides of the aisle are far too savvy and careful for this to happen in all but the rarest of cases. When someone is found guilty in court, they almost certainly were. When they are acquitted, it is very rarely due to a "technicality." Does it happen? Yes, but movies and high profile cases make it seem like it is happening much more often than it really is.