Lawyers occupy a unique place in society. They are loved by some, distrusted or hated by others. More often than not, our perception of lawyers is shaped by the way the profession is portrayed in popular literature, on television, and in film. Many people think that lawyers only serve to help the wealthy, while others view them either as protectors of the innocent or as amoral defenders of the guilty. But do we really know the many roles that lawyers may play, the aims and goals of the profession, and whether lawyers meet those goals?
Why Good Lawyers Matter endeavours to provide an accessible look at lawyers in modern society. With contributions by leading commentators, this informative, thought-provoking collection contends with the questions of what is a lawyer, and what role lawyers do—and should—play in society.
Table of Contents
Foreword: The Lawyer: A Material Witness
George Elliott Clarke
Preface
The Honourable Thomas A. Cromwell
Part I: What is a Lawyer?
“Better . . . or Worse?” The Satisfactions and Frustrations of the Lawyer‑Client Relationship
Daphne Dumont
Was Lincoln Right?
Augustus Richardson
Lawyer or Liar? Breaking Down Public Perception
Stephen G.A. Pitel
Lawyers, Guns, and Money: Lawyers and Power in Canadian Society
Adam M. Dodek
Part II: What Role do Lawyers Play?
Why We Love to Hate Lawyers
Dean Jobb
The Better Part of Average
Patrick Healy
Why Do We Regulate Lawyers?
Alice Woolley
Lawyers, Snails, and Bottles: The Creeping Pace of Change in the Law
Melina Buckley
Part III: What Role Should Lawyers Play?
More and More Lawyers; Less and Less Justice
Roy McMurtry
The Great Canadian Lawyer: A Manifesto, Eh
Jocelyn Downie & Richard Devlin
Post-9/11 Lawyers
Trevor C.W. Farrow
Guiding Lawyers To Be the Best They Can Be: The Fundamental Ideals of the Legal Profession
Stephen T. Goudge