The Misery of a Lawyer

Written by Chris Uhl
The information contained herein is only to inform the public and does not create an attorney client relationship with the reader. You should always consult an attorney when seeking legal advice.

It is the holiday season once again. How quickly a year goes by. I attended a Christmas Brunch the other morning and was asked a few questions about the legal system. Why are all of my articles so down trodden? Why is a lawyer needed if the laws are our laws? I thought I would address the issue of the daily misery a lawyer endures in my column.

I am a trial lawyer practicing criminal and personal injury law. My daily routine goes from one misery to the next. Everyone I deal with calls me because they have a problem they need to fix. I am not the only lawyer with this type of day. Ask your lawyer what his or her day is like and I am sure it’s somewhat similar. Although I wouldn’t equate my day to that of an emergency room surgeon, I frequently deal with life and death cases. When my clients face a life prison sentence, it is a life and death situation.

So with all this in mind, it’s no wonder that the legal articles I write are sometimes depressing issues. The subject is the law and the law deals with human misery and troubles.

There are many different types of law in which lawyers can focus. You are well aware of the contingent fee personal injury, car accident, slip and fall lawyers that fill the airways with advertisement. You also have trial lawyers, criminal lawyers, business lawyers, tax lawyers, divorce lawyers, etc. All lawyers deal with the troubles and problems of their clients. The first person you call when you are wronged or in trouble is a lawyer. Lawyers are the people you love to hate.

Why do you need a lawyer if the laws are our laws? I have been asked this question many times and I always answer it the same way. The laws are created to help govern common problems. You technically do not need a lawyer. You can do anything yourself. But I ask, would you attempt to perform your own brain surgery if it were physically possible? How about bricklaying or concrete finishing? Would you take it upon yourself to build your own house if you were not skilled in that area?

The law has become very complicated. Why? I can sum it up with one word, exceptions. The law works as follows: A rule of law is written. A fact pattern occurs that was never considered for that law. The law is applied to that fact pattern and an exception is developed. This is a simplistic view, but now multiply that by the population of the United States and throw in the politicians of Washington, D.C. and Boston, MA. to make more laws. You can begin to understand why you might need a lawyer.

Remember when you hire a lawyer the lawyer is working for you and interpreting the law for you.

I wish everyone a safe and prosperous New Year. I will be back with some more legal misery and mumbo jumbo in the New Year.

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