24 August 2004

Should BigLaw be forced to Serve?

I respectfully dissent disagrees with Carolyn Elefant's assertion that BigLaw associates should be impressed to fill the lack of people defending the indigent.

Personally, I don't think the associates should be drafted. The courts should start at the top. Start requiring the senior partners at BigLaw firms to give up a week at a time under threat of a mandatory ten day contempt charge if the senior partner doesn't appear (even if he sends an associate). Announce that this policy will be set in place in exactly thirty days from this date.

I bet the system would get fixed - pronto.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Actually, that's what I had in mind when I wrote my post. Though I certainly don't have a problem with biglaw associates handling criminal cases (so long as there are more experienced attorneys whom they could call on for assistance), honestly, firms aren't going to volunteer associates. But as you point out, they'd use their pull with the bar to fix the system if it came to that.