PROFESSIONAL ETHICS LJU4802
ASSIGNMENT 01
QUESTIONS:
1.1. The first reason as to why the author believes that lawyers are so unhealthy and unhappy after
doing every study of the career satisfaction of lawyers, every conversation was about
complaining about hours that they have to work. The long hours contribute to longer working
days with decreasing time for personal life or family. The view is that lawyers live to work and
not work to live, instead of dedicating themselves to the firm it seems as if they are sacrificing
their lives to the firm. The national law journal reported that 54 percent of lawyers complain
about hours worked, and not having enough time for family or personal lives. The same view is
found in the 1990 ABA study and the North Carolina study. These studies over the years have
showed that work hours have increased and continues to do so in law firms. Within private
practice the general rule of thumb is that the bigger the firm the longer the hours. The second
reason according to the author based on his experiences as to why lawyers are so unhealthy and
unhappy is because of money. Statistics show, that law students enter into the profession with
the main aim to make money, to seek to work in big law firms and to even choose to work longer
hours just for a higher salary. It is known that in big law firms in every rank you work it is in
everyone’s interests that you work inhuman hours, year after year and constantly be anxious
about retaining old clients and attracting new clients to make the most money possible and as a
result of long hours, year after year comes large salaries that all these associates are motivated
by. The third reason that the author believes that lawyers become so unhealthy and unhappy is
due to ‘the game’ , Money is at the root of virtually everything that lawyers don’t like about their
profession: the long hours, the commercialization, the tremendous pressure to attract and retain
clients, the fiercely competitive marketplace, the lack of collegiality and loyalty among partners,
the poor public image of the profession, and even the lack of civility. Almost every one of these
problems would be eliminated or at least substantially reduced if lawyers were simply willing to
make less money. This profession is known to be obsessed with making money but at the same
time while lawyers get caught up in the game enjoying these fantastic incomes, many are
dissatisfied with their personal lives. There are two choices, the first to make extra money and
have no personal life, or make a decent amount and have a personal life. Big law firms on the
other hand are a remarkably insecure and competitive group of people, they spend their whole
lives competing to win games that other people have set up for them. It is all about competition
and measuring their worth compared to others and trying to win the game of making the most
money, some lawyers don’t need the money, they just have the desire to win.
1.2. Billable hours can be said to be the amount a lawyer/organization will charge a client based on
the number of hours worked on their business project, on an hourly basis. Businesses,
entrepreneurs and lawyers all frequently use billable hours to charge their clients for services
they provide.
1.3. According to the author the reason why lawyers work so much is because of the money,
statistics show that majority of law students’ number one goal is to be financially well off.
1.4. It means that the time we live in, behavior is neither right or wrong but a matter of personal
choice.
1.5. The author compares a lawyer to a buffalo because just as how the buffalo does not think
logically about why they are stampeding. Lawyers do not think logically about why they are
ASSIGNMENT 01
QUESTIONS:
1.1. The first reason as to why the author believes that lawyers are so unhealthy and unhappy after
doing every study of the career satisfaction of lawyers, every conversation was about
complaining about hours that they have to work. The long hours contribute to longer working
days with decreasing time for personal life or family. The view is that lawyers live to work and
not work to live, instead of dedicating themselves to the firm it seems as if they are sacrificing
their lives to the firm. The national law journal reported that 54 percent of lawyers complain
about hours worked, and not having enough time for family or personal lives. The same view is
found in the 1990 ABA study and the North Carolina study. These studies over the years have
showed that work hours have increased and continues to do so in law firms. Within private
practice the general rule of thumb is that the bigger the firm the longer the hours. The second
reason according to the author based on his experiences as to why lawyers are so unhealthy and
unhappy is because of money. Statistics show, that law students enter into the profession with
the main aim to make money, to seek to work in big law firms and to even choose to work longer
hours just for a higher salary. It is known that in big law firms in every rank you work it is in
everyone’s interests that you work inhuman hours, year after year and constantly be anxious
about retaining old clients and attracting new clients to make the most money possible and as a
result of long hours, year after year comes large salaries that all these associates are motivated
by. The third reason that the author believes that lawyers become so unhealthy and unhappy is
due to ‘the game’ , Money is at the root of virtually everything that lawyers don’t like about their
profession: the long hours, the commercialization, the tremendous pressure to attract and retain
clients, the fiercely competitive marketplace, the lack of collegiality and loyalty among partners,
the poor public image of the profession, and even the lack of civility. Almost every one of these
problems would be eliminated or at least substantially reduced if lawyers were simply willing to
make less money. This profession is known to be obsessed with making money but at the same
time while lawyers get caught up in the game enjoying these fantastic incomes, many are
dissatisfied with their personal lives. There are two choices, the first to make extra money and
have no personal life, or make a decent amount and have a personal life. Big law firms on the
other hand are a remarkably insecure and competitive group of people, they spend their whole
lives competing to win games that other people have set up for them. It is all about competition
and measuring their worth compared to others and trying to win the game of making the most
money, some lawyers don’t need the money, they just have the desire to win.
1.2. Billable hours can be said to be the amount a lawyer/organization will charge a client based on
the number of hours worked on their business project, on an hourly basis. Businesses,
entrepreneurs and lawyers all frequently use billable hours to charge their clients for services
they provide.
1.3. According to the author the reason why lawyers work so much is because of the money,
statistics show that majority of law students’ number one goal is to be financially well off.
1.4. It means that the time we live in, behavior is neither right or wrong but a matter of personal
choice.
1.5. The author compares a lawyer to a buffalo because just as how the buffalo does not think
logically about why they are stampeding. Lawyers do not think logically about why they are
