William Neukom - What's So Bad About Lawyers?

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/fora/showthread.php?t=1486

William Neukom, current President of the American Bar Association, takes issue with the predominantly negative image the American public holds of lawyers and the U.S. legal system.

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William Neukom discusses "Advancing the Rule of Law in the U.S. and Abroad."

In August, Neukom takes over the helm of one of the world's largest professional organizations and one of the most influential groups in law, politics and society. He faces growing concerns that democratic rule of law is being threatened in an increasingly stormy world climate. Hear Neukom identify the battlegrounds and present the American Bar Association's key goals. - The Commonwealth Club of California

William H. Neukom, a partner in the Seattle office of K and L Gates, is president of the American Bar Association. His one-year term began in August 2007 at the adjournment of the association's Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

Neukom was Microsoft Corp.'s chief lawyer for nearly a quarter-century. As executive vice president of Law and Corporate Affairs, Neukom managed Microsoft's legal, government affairs and philanthropic activities for 17 years. Previously, he was the firm's lead counsel while working as a partner at Preston, Gates and Ellis. Neukom rejoined Preston Gates in 2002.

As Microsoft's lead counsel, Neukom led the company's efforts to establish, distribute and protect intellectual property rights around the world. He was instrumental in securing the landmark legal victory in Apple Computer v. Microsoft Corporation, a copyright case which spanned 1988 -- 1995. Neukom also led Microsoft's defense of antitrust claims brought by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Department of Justice and the European Union, which culminated in consent decrees in 1994 and 2001.

Before joining Microsoft, Neukom was a partner of Preston Gates and Ellis LLP, where he had a general practice with emphasis on litigation, commercial law and nonprofit organizations.

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[MexiEmpleadoCorrupto]

All lawyers just want our money they scare their clients to pay more for a case but Laywers can or cant win a case it depends on A BAD OR GOOD judge. But wait if a lawyer is a friend of a judge ( in divorce cases for example) what could happen? nah there is not a perfect justice system even in US the rare is people crticized other legal systems but in US there is corruption,discrimination and shit... be quite..

[buyandby]

Sunnygorl you are right. Isn't that why we use parliamentary procedure even though we have no parliament? The pyramid guys with the square and compass have permeated the entire system, worldwide.

Justice is a joke, and the biggest joke is that people in this country think we are rich in justice!! At least in "Third World Nations" they know the rules, and how to play the game. Here they change the rules to suit their daily needs. 333666999, I hope the Rothchilds die off real soon Mr. Pro Boner

[buyandby]

Lawyers are corrupt politicians and patricians with training wheels. Practicing for the day when it will be expected of them to be inherently corrupt.

I too have yet to have a single interaction with one single ethical lawyer. I wouldn't enjoy having a drink, or god forbid, a meal with, because there is no way I could stomach their presence while eating. They are cogs for the insurance co.s, for the govt agencies, or the corps. It is useless to ask if they have a conflict of interest.They do!

[sunnygirl213]

All Bar Associations throughout the world are signatories and franchises to the international Bar Association located at the Inns of Court at Crown Temple, which is physically located at Chancery Lane behind Fleet Street in London. Although they vehemently deny it, all Bar Associations in the U.S., such as the American Bar Association, the Florida Bar, or California Bar Association, are franchises to the Crown.

[cdsdelt]

good lawyers are pro bono pinthias? all pro bono? really? will you pay to put bread on my table as i work 80 hours a week lawyering pro bono. screw you.

[MrCounsel1]

In a society as complex as ours, where numerous entities interact with others, and where the English language is so imperfect, lawyers are imprescindible to negotiate and establish meaning to communications. Were it not for lawyers, procedural and substantive inequities would paralyze innovation, the economy, and social interactions. I believe people have deep misunderstanding of the role of lawyers and hold them in contempt due to the publicized nature of their work.

[DIZZZZY1975]

Lawyers are good people, unless they choose not to be. The same could be said of most professions. The best lawyers are those that succeed in translating their earned income into passive and/or porfolio income. Such an attorney has no reason to steal,is usually truly happy in his or her life, and seems to enjoy the company of many satisfied clients.

[pinthias]

Tom Waits said it... Killers thieves and LAWYERS... you will whore your own children for money and rationalize it with semantical debates later...

in a courtroom.

Fuck you scumb.

Good lawyers are pro-bono

[thejobloshow]

It's just a stereotype. However, stereotypes derive from somewhere and the imbalance of justice in society best justifies the generalised negative view of the legal profession even though to think that way might be narrow-minded.

[Tadeusz598]

My perception is that lawyers are disliked for a number of reasons connected with greed -exploiting the woes of their clients to make money, most obviously in divorce cases, and by encouraging people to litigate following accidents (which are often their own fault). This results in increased insurance premiums or taxes for the general public and a wimpy "risk-averse" culture. The public are also not impressed when lawyers use technicalities to obtain aquittals.