It doesn’t take a keen cultural observer to note that our society and the public discourse are becoming increasingly less civil. Lawyers, who are often comfortable with confrontation and public speaking, often find themselves prominently reflecting this zeitgeist rather than resisting it. This is understandable. Being a lawyer doesn’t automatically confer on us some immunity to the forces and trends happening around us. We are as prone as anyone to feel the frustrations of our times, the isolating effects of technology and the instant gratification of expressing off-the-cuff reactions. But while we may not always act better, we do know better.
By Jonathan B. Amarilio