The release of Curtis Wilke’s book on the “rise and ruin” of Dick Scruggs, “The Fall of the House of Zeus”, has reopened discussion of a subject I addressed in a June 5, 2008 post, On the outside looking in at “the perspective of honest lawyers”.
As someone who is two-plus years older and still not a lawyer, I remain on the “outside looking in” – although, definitely, both “older and wiser” on “the perspective of honest lawyers” in terms of the anger they feel at Dick Scruggs for tarnishing their profession. Like all growth, growing “older and wiser” was painful at times. However, the aches and pains of aging paled to the heartache I felt while gaining wisdom from the anger of “honest lawyers”.
Simply stated, not all who make the claim are “honest lawyers” but the truly honest are easily identified. “Honest lawyers” also express anger toward the system of justice that failed in so many ways. They rage and rail about the “good ole boy network” that closed rank to protect Judge Lackey and remained silent about the government’s conduct. Honest lawyers seek no advantage and decry a system that viewed Grady Tollison’s contact with Judge Lackey with a closed eye. Honest lawyers trade on their skill, have no connections to tout, and never ever toot their own horn in public.
Consequently, the belief expressed in my closing statement is one I believe even more today than when I hit “publish”:
To the whatever extent honest lawyers have not been honest people – fair and just in their treatment of all involved in USA v Scruggs and the Katrina insurance cases – they have corrupted the legal system as much, if not more, than those they blame.
My archived post follows: Continue reading “On the outside looking in at”