REALLY?

 
 
               Recently there was a “Love Your Lawyer Day” – really.  This one was so bad that Hallmark was not associated with it.  I realize it is an unusual hobby, but I do like to celebrate all the ethnic based holidays like St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Columbus Day and German American Day.  I get in the spirit(s) of those events and each nationality.
               Even as a lawyer for over 42 years, I am not seeing this newest day to celebrate lawyers.  I have always been proud to be a lawyer and I am still offended by bad lawyers, advertising by lawyers, and lawyer jokes.  I just never thought one should counter bad lawyer jokes with an equally bad holiday.  It seems a lawyer marketer created this event in 2001 and it is slated to fall upon us on the first Friday of each November.  Again, I must ask why?
               The American Bar Association (ABA) even got into it this year with a resolution encouraging others to call their lawyer and express their gratitude for them.  Lawyers in turn were supposed to contribute to charitable causes or work pro bono on that date.  So it seems the original intent was somehow to create goodwill as a way to combat lawyer jokes, advertising by lawyers, or bad lawyers?
               Despite the role of lawyers in the formation of our country and in our law, we have managed to develop some really bad ones who have helped shape an image leading to tons of bad lawyer jokes.  I am thinking the “Love Your Lawyer Day” created by lawyers to feel better about themselves is a bit like the “Kick Me” sign taped to the back of a jacket.  Unless someone comes up with a signature drink for this event, I just do not see it doing better than the “Talk Like a Pirate Day”, which is actually kind of fun when you do it in court.
          As the Judge said to me that day:  “Rum is the reason pirates never ruled the world.”  No wait, that was a country music song.