I feel that I should first address the issue behind the question- why law school?- before I answer the question with my personal reasons. Most people who have asked me this question ultimately end up informing me that the legal profession is a dishonest profession in one way or another. Some have the decency to say that we could use more honest lawyers implying that I would join the ranks of the few honest lawyers in the field. Others seem to believe that I will be tainting myself in some way by becoming a lawyer. Believe me when I say I have no misguided ideas about how my chosen profession is popularly viewed. It is not that I don't care. I simply believe this view to be inaccurate.
No profession is inherently dishonest. I will certainly grant that there have been and probably continue to be dishonest lawyers in the world. However, as far as I'm aware there is no stipulation or notice is the universal lawyers manual that says a lawyer must be dishonest. As far as I know, there is no dishonesty quota that must be met to maintain bar approval. In fact, as far as I can tell, lawyers still maintain complete control over their actions and each choice that they make. My point is there is such a thing as an honest lawyer and I'm not cynical enough to believe that there is even a scarcity of such lawyers in existence.
The legal system is an adversarial system. That is the fancy way of saying that it pits one side against another side. I believe that the tendency is for one side to view the other side as dishonest because they believe so wholly in their position. Really each side represents two different points of view. A judge makes the ultimate decision as impartially as possible for a human being. It is a lawyers job to try to influence a judge's opinion. Judges know the law well. Therefore, it serves lawyers best to honestly try to persuade a judge with thoroughly research of the law.
I plan on being an ethical (which obviously includes honesty) lawyer. However, bringing morals to a corrupt field is not one of my objectives for becoming a lawyer simply because I believe that not only my morality but my professionalism will best be benefited by honesty in a field such as this. Recently in a article I read on being an honest lawyer, I found this prayer by Sir Thomas Moore, patron saint of lawyers:
"Lord, grant that I may be able in argument, accurate in analysis, strict in study, candid with clients, and honest with adversaries. Sit with me in my desk and listen with me to my client's plaints, read with me in my library, and stand beside me in court, so that today I shall not, in order to win a point, lose my soul!"
This is the type of sentiment I hope to convey in my every day dealings throughout law school and beyond.
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