From Second Circuit Chief Judge Dennis Jacobs:
Pro bono work primarily is an “antisocial” and self-serving activity lawyers use to develop their skills, firms use to recruit and “give solace” to associates, and nonprofits use to further a political agenda, Judge Jacobs argued.
In particular, litigation against the government and government officials and impact litigation are attempts to improperly expand the courts’ reach in legislative matters, the judge said.
These were his remarks to a gathering of the Federalist Society in Rochester, NY. More at The Daily Record, Legal Blog Watch, and the American Constitution Society blog.
Judge Jacobs then goes on to deride pro bono practitioners for “honor[ing] each other, sometimes over and over.”
I’m sorry. I guess the 400 hours that I spent in New Orleans helping indigent families clear title to their damages homes were purely for my private benefit–and perhaps their private benefit. No public good (or bono publico) arose from that work. It certainly didn’t improve property values in New Orleans by allowing neighborhoods to be cleaned up and rebuilt. Nor did it improve overall morale in the city. It definitely didn’t reduce homelessness or overcrowding in the city’s residential areas.
Oh, and all those indigent criminal defendants? If they really needed representing, they’d hire somebody.
Tags: courtwatching · The Wealthy and their Wealthy Lawyers · Things that are not okay2 Comments
I wonder what industry’s pocket HE’s in? Or is he just a capitalist through and through? We’ve seen what capitalists have done for us lately.
There are definitely not enough lawyers doing pro-bono work. I know this for a fact.
Worse than a capitalist, he’s a Federalist. Those being the people who believe that property rights are more important than human rights.
The truly disgusting thing about pro bono work is that nobody pays for it. Greed is good, dontcha know?
These are the people who can tell you with a straight face that the best way to deal with orphans is to auction them. The highest bidder, after all, is the party who values them most.