Ignorance

Against logic there is no armor like ignorance.
Laurence J. Peter

I have an opponent who is heavily fortified with a shield of ignorance. I know he thinks he is being a tough advocate, and perhaps he is. A lawsuit is about to be filed to solve a problem that has much better solutions outside of court.

I think many clients believe that lawyers deliberately complicate matters, or act the way they do, in order to run up the fees. Sadly, they may be right. Many lawyers love to project that they are tough. Clients want to feel like their lawyer is fighting for them.

Why exercise skill, judgment or creativity if the client will settle for toughness? Few things are easier than sending a nasty letter. Game on. Let the fee meter run.

There are many lawyers who have built handsome practices on this type of ignorance. Clients, and lawyers, ought to demand more. We ought to break out of the ignorance that allows toughness to substitute for common sense.