Now that I’ve emerged from my cave, I’m afraid that people who met me while I was in there are a bit shocked at what kind of a bear I really am. I seemed more panda-like back then, eating bamboo and leaving the nice people alone. Look at me, I’m so cute. Look, the panda is pregnant. Look, the panda is having twins! Look, the panda is staying home to raise her twins! She joined a playgroup! A multiples group! Look! Panda is um. . . what the. . what the fuck is happening to the Panda? Holy shit. That’s no panda! That’s a grizzly. RUN!! RUN!!!
I am scaring my new friends.
Those who knew me before my long winter of rest – the girls upstate (New York, not Dannemora or Green Correctional), my husband, my best friend, they knew I’d have to come out eventually – they knew it long before I did. There are these people that prosecutors and some lay people (read: non-lawyers) call “True Believers” And true believers, dear 9 readers, are scary. Because they believe, truly, that everyone deserves not just a defense, but a kick ass defense. They believe that even when people do really bad things, someone needs to stand between them and the government. They believe in the Constitution and the Rule of Law.
Back in the olden days, when I was a baby lawyer and prosecutor, I didn’t understand this phenomenon. I thought defense lawyers just did this cause it was their job, you know, like brick laying or working at Wendy’s. They didn’t really BELIEVE the stuff they said. They only said it cause they have to.
I will admit, sometimes you do an internal eye roll at some of the stuff your clients tell you, but the stuff I say, the stuff I write – I BELIEVE. Because if I don’t, no one else will. And if I do, others will too.
I believe in the law, I believe in my position within it, I believe in the right of every person accused of even the most heinous crime to have the most able defense available to them. I am a true believer.
And true believers are grizzlies.
Let me tell you- going back to the way my brain used to think before kids – I can't even remember the technicalities of lawmaking and I was up on the Hill for over 3 yrs and besides our paid lobbyist, I know the more of the process than anyone in our industry association.
Grrrwowrrr! Actually, I guess that sounds more like a mountain lion. But I'm working my way up to grizzly!
Nice site, very informative. I like to read this.,it is very helpful in my part for my criminal law studies.
With Pam Lakatos, I think you're up to at least 10 readers, my grizzly friend.
(I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the comment before mine is spam.)
E. McPan beat me to the growling comment. Glad you're back!
How unsettling to think I am not the only one who thought these things. Amazing how wrapped up some of us get in our own worlds, never realizing we are not unique. Another bubble burst. Oh well, at least I lasted this long.
And I find myself in excellent company. Keep up the good work.
Mirriam: If you are up to 10 readers, as Bennett claims, that must put me at about 6. Thanks for a great post.
Great post!
We all change due to our careers. I think that to be passionate and not hate yourself at the end of the day, you would have to really believe in what you're doing. It's not a matter of believing your clients or not, it's giving them that fair chance.
Awesome. Look at you! You really are a grizzly. 🙂
Nice piece.