« Typewriters Not Yet Obsolete...Law Firms Still Use Them |
Main
| New Legal Threats Database »
Lawyers Show Solidarity for Pakistani Lawyers...But Would They Do So With Their Pocketbooks?
Lots of lawyers in the blogosphere are showing solidarity and support for our
brave colleagues in Pakistan. The blogger and lawyer honor roll includes, Bruce MacEwen, David Giacalone, a group of criminal defense lawyers in San Francisco, Minnesota Law Blog, Scott Greenfield, Maryland State Bar Association, Barry Barnett of Blawg Letter, the ABA and John Katz. All of this support is admirable and I hope that the power of the blogosphere will be felt internationally to help restore sanity and the rule of law to Pakistan.
But I think that these posts bypass the more difficult question: What would we lawyers do if asked to represent Musharraf and his regime? Would lawyers readily set aside their personal beliefs and take the job? That wouldn't be an unusual result; after all, as lawyers, we can ethically represent those with whom we disagree -- and indeed at times, lawyers must do so to achieve a greater principle (think, for example of the lawyer representing the reprehensible Phelps family to protect our broader First Amendment rights). Or would most lawyers decline, as was the case with lobbying powerhouse, Cassidy & Associates, which according to the Blog of the Legal Times withdrew from a $1.2 million contract with Pakistan that it signed less than a month ago. What do you think?
Posted by Carolyn Elefant on November 8, 2007 at 04:47 PM | Permalink
| Comments (1)