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You know, I've been practicing law now for over 20 years, and the thing that annoys me most about it is not the law itself-I love it really. The thing that's most annoying are the lawyers who practice it.

The bickering and continuous consternation that takes place during litigation is not only incredible-its simply debilitating. Some lawyers actually BECOME their client and express the same or worse emotions you might expect their clients to express. Its not only unprofessional, its downright disappointing. Lawyers have no exclusivity on rudeness. I expect them to be as polite and professional as any other individual you encounter. It depletes the pride you would ordinarily have for one's profession and it causes a lack of respect to ensue whenever the words "lawyer" or "attorney" are mentioned.

I therefore have come to dislike the practice of law rather than the law itself. For years I have tried to help people who, when they are in some sort of legal jam, come to me for advice. I started as a deputy district attorney some years back, and eventually went into private practice in the area of Civil Rights litigation. Never did I act unprofessional or allow the other side to intimidate me by doing so. However, as I've grown older, I've discovered that most lawyers-yes most-have forgotten who they were before they took the bar examination. Oh, I know some of them were wanting of a genuine personality before they studied law. However, there is a real surge of "power" when you undertake a study that is long and arduous and that not many others pursue, i.e., Doctors and Lawyers.

Like any other profession, I guess, the "bad" ones give the "good" ones a poor reputation overall. But we must all strive to reflect the values we hold dear in every undertaking we choose to pursue in my opinion. It is our responsibility if the phrase "treat others as you wish to be treated" has any meaning whatsoever.

If you ever need a reputable lawyer for any reason, rest assured, they're out there. Trust in your own feelings and look them up on a state bar website before you retain one. Don't get me wrong, I do love lawyering, I've just simply come to realize that there's a big difference between lawyers and me.

Learn more about this author, Colin Preseley.
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