{"id":4049,"date":"2005-08-31T13:15:12","date_gmt":"2005-08-31T17:15:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/formerlyknownas\/2005\/08\/31\/its-love-litigating-lawyers-d"},"modified":"2011-08-05T14:57:27","modified_gmt":"2011-08-05T18:57:27","slug":"its-love-litigating-lawyers-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2005\/08\/31\/its-love-litigating-lawyers-day\/","title":{"rendered":"it’s “Love Litigating Lawyers Day”"},"content":{"rendered":"
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T<\/em><\/strong>hank goodness for my StatCounter<\/span><\/a> Keyword Analysis page — it reminded me that August 31st is “Love Litigating Lawyers Day<\/em><\/a>.”<\/em> It seems that <\/span>Evan Schaeffer<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Beldar<\/span><\/a> are too humble to bring up the topic. Even <\/span>Overlawyered<\/em><\/span><\/a>.com has overlooked it, as has <\/span>How Appealling<\/em><\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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\"hugSmallN\"<\/span> Last March, I wrote a post<\/a> describing my unsuccessful search for Hug a Lawyer\u00a0 Day or a Lawyer Appreciation Day. The closest I could find was today’s designation of Love Litigating Lawyers Day, which is mentioned on a couple of Celebrations Lists. Although our post is the #1 Google results for queries like lawyer appreciatin day>, I’m sorry to say that I have no additional details about how the day is celebrated or who sponsors it (of course, I have my suspicions<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

update<\/strong><\/em>: See “we all missed Be Kind to Lawyers Day on April 8<\/a>” (April 15, 2008)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The best I can do — in true Prof. Yabut and skepticalEsq<\/em> fashion — is to collect a few of my favorite quotations about litigation and trials, for you edification<\/span><\/p>\n

Let’s start with some observations from Abraham Lincoln<\/a>‘s notes to law students: <\/span><\/p>\n

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“Discourage litigation<\/em>. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can. Point out to them how the nominal winner is often a real loser — in fees, expenses, and waste of time. As a peacemaker the lawyer has a superior opportunity of being a good man. There will still be business enough. <\/span><\/p>\n

“Never stir up litigation<\/em>. A worse man can scarcely be found than one who does this. Who can be more nearly a fiend than he who habitually overhauls the register of deeds in search of defects in titles, whereon to stir up strife, and put money in his pocket? A moral tone ought to be infused into the profession which should drive such men out of it.”<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

If that’s too serious, here’s a bunch from Poetic Justice<\/em><\/a>, edited by Jonathan and Andrew Roth (Nolo Press, <\/span><\/span>1994):<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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As a litigant, I should dread a lawsuit beyond almost anything else short of sickness and death.<\/em> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

— Judge Learned Hand<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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The houses of lawyers are roofed with the skins of litigants.<\/em> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

– -Welsh proverb<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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A lawsuit is a fruit-tree planted in a lawyer’s garden.<\/em> \"scales<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

— Italian proverb<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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The lawyer’s prayer: God grant that disputes may arise that I may live.<\/em> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

— Spanish proverb<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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May you have a lawsuit in which you know you are right.<\/em> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

— Spanish Gypsy curse<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Lawyer: A fellow who is willing to go out and spend your last cent to prove he’s right.<\/em> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

– Anonymous<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"hugSmall\" Finally, the always-insightful Gore Vidal has noted<\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

For certain people after fifty, litigation takes the place of sex.<\/em><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"tiny If you prefer cartoons, here’s a goodie from Wiley<\/a> and one with Lawyer Snoopy<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

For those who want something meatier to chew on, go to the ABA webpage on <\/span>
\nChoosing Mediation Over Litigation<\/a>. If you’re one of those lost souls who fears <\/span>
\nthere just isn’t enough litigation in America, we suggest checking out our Dec. <\/span>
\n2003 post <\/span>Are There Really Too Few Trials<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

W<\/strong><\/em>hen you\u2019re finished celebrating litigators today, don\u2019t <\/span>
\nforget that Aug. 31st is also National Box Car Day, <\/span>
\nTrail Mix Day, Eat Outside Day and Mutt\u2019s Day<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

clear and cold
\nthe snap
\nof her attorney’s briefcase<\/span><\/p>\n

… by Ed Markowski<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

tagging along
\nwith an ice cream cone
\nthe senior partner<\/p>\n

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long deposition–
\nthe lawyer’s
\n“at the risk of repeating myself”<\/p>\n

… by Barry George<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

litigation bags —
\nthe associate’s
\nhalf-closed eyes<\/p>\n

.. by dagosan<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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