# Get your ignorant ass in here, JohnBckWLD **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 4, 2002, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901 "2002-10-04T22:00:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901/41 "2002-10-07T07:14:34Z")
**Sublight** , that was one of the pithiest COMPLETE TRASHINGS I’ve seen in quite some time. Bravo. ---
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901/42 "2002-10-07T14:00:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by 45/70 \* > \*\*Well the way they howled, it looked like they had their families all killed , their houses burned down and every other evil thing perpetrated on them. Lots of thin skin around here. \*\* Wow, what a jackass. I thought you had wisely ran away. Instead, you came back to prove your stupidity runs both wide and deep. Nice. It’s sad your so jealous of the legal profession that you feel the need to pointlessly slander it in the hopes that your pathetic excuse for an existance will seem better, but for a moment. I mean, the legal profession, along with the medical and accounting professions have a wide range of accurate and on point critisisms. You, of course, managed not to find a single one. Heck there are thousands of good attorney jokes. You missed those too. I guess you are a sad, ignorant hateful little person lashing out to make yourself feel better. Hope it worked. ---
**Author:** ![45\_70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/5f9b8f/32.png) [@45\_70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/45_70)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901/43 "2002-10-07T15:07:20Z")
This place is so much fun. Just look at all that jump and degrade to make themselves feel better. Such is life and it is so much fun to watch the goings on. ---
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901/44 "2002-10-07T16:23:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by 45/70 \* > \*\*This place is so much fun. Just look at all that jump and degrade to make themselves feel better. Such is life and it is so much fun to watch the goings on. \*\* Too right. People who post demeaning things like this > [@](#): > > It’s always nice to hear an oxen gored. The volume of the bellow generally denotes the place where they were gored. minty is walking funny. do it just to makes themselves feel better. Why are you so down on yourself, **45/70,** that you feel the need to degrade others? Share – you’ll find lot’s of people here who will lend a shoulder to cry on. Sua ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901/45 "2002-10-07T16:27:17Z")
All this pro bono bullshit is just because these lawyers want to get into Cher’s pants. ---
**Author:** ![Fionn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fionn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fionn)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901/46 "2002-10-07T16:51:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by 45/70 \* > \*\*This place is so much fun. Just look at all that jump and degrade to make themselves feel better. Such is life and it is so much fun to watch the goings on. \*\* How sedate is your life that this thread counts as jumping and howling, **45/70**? ---
**Author:** ![Abe\_Babe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3ab097/32.png) [@Abe\_Babe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abe_Babe)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901/47 "2002-10-07T16:53:29Z")
Hell, I’ll be glad to to pro bono work for no other reason than to stay _out_ of her pants. She scares me. ---
**Author:** ![Abe\_Babe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3ab097/32.png) [@Abe\_Babe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abe_Babe)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901/48 "2002-10-07T16:56:30Z")
Cher’s of course, not **Fionn’s** (but if you send me a picture. . . ) ---
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901/49 "2002-10-07T19:29:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Scylla \* > \*\*All this pro bono bullshit is just because these lawyers want to get into Cher’s pants. \*\* No, no, no. We do it 'cause we want to get into Susan Sarandon’s pants. sheesh! Sua ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901/50 "2002-10-07T19:38:35Z")
[…quietly reconfirming Minty on my list of most admired…] ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901/51 "2002-10-07T19:51:50Z")
🆒 But really, I do it all to impress Jodi Foster. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901/52 "2002-10-07T19:54:05Z")
Don’t ya hate it when the Board inserts a page break between your post and the one you were responding to? The smilie was, of course, directed to the estimable Mr. **Libertarian**. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901/53 "2002-10-08T16:52:19Z")
Holy principles, Batman - a lawyer supports the death penalty but donates the effort on behalf of a condemnee? I don’t have to agree with the principle to admire its holder. Now you’ve retroactively spoiled my last six months of lawyer jokes. \*(grumble grumble grumble) Regards, Shodan Well done, sir. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901/54 "2002-10-08T18:08:13Z")
Thanks for the kind words, Shodan, but I honestly don’t see any incompatibility between supporting the death penalty in principle and opposing the conviction and sentence of a particular person for a capital crime. I’d elaborate, but of course, I cannot. ---
**Author:** ![Truth\_Seeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Truth\_Seeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truth_Seeker)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901/55 "2002-10-08T23:15:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by minty green \* > \*\*Thanks for the kind words, Shodan, but I honestly don’t see any incompatibility between supporting the death penalty in principle and opposing the conviction and sentence of a particular person for a capital crime. I’d elaborate, but of course, I cannot. \*\* Maybe I can elaborate for you. Even attorneys who support the death penalty – _especially_ attorneys who support the death penalty – believe that someone facing the death penalty ought to get the fairest shake possible. **Minty** might think his client was Osama bin Laden and Hannibal Lector’s love-child but that would not prevent him from doing his level best for his client. Lots of people have trouble with this idea. But an ethical attorney like **Minty** knows that it isn’t his job to substitute his personal opinion for the judgement of a court. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901/56 "2002-10-09T00:48:23Z")
No offense, Truth Seeker, but I’d be more comfortable if people didn’t speculate about my personal opinions in this particular matter. And while you are correct that there is no requirement that a lawyer personally agree with the position of a client, there is also no incompatibility between personally supporting a law and opposing (personally or professionally) it’s application in a particular case. ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2002, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901/57 "2002-10-14T22:15:25Z")
minty green: I’m neither a coward nor ignorant of the facts. I’m glad to see that your beef with my stated opinion that: _“pro bono work is **usually** nothing more than an inexpensive marketing ploy for up and coming attorneys that can’t afford 1-800-WHIPLASH late night TV spots. Or worse yet, to open new doors, new targets, new ways of making a 1/3 down the road via legal precedent”_ turned into a thread that could be entitled, “oh minty, we’re so blessed to have someone as civic-minded, generous and intellectual as you on the boards.” As a gentleman, I will commend you on your pro bono efforts. At the risk of sounding patronizing, I think it’s commendable that you volunteer your time to assist the indigent. My problem with you is your condescending attitude and the way you skirted the issues presented to you in the original thread through the elementary pre-law tactics of ignoring the facts and yelling over your opposition. I’d really like some answers to the following questions. Please enlighten me, a member of the great, unwashed masses, with your superior knowledge and intellect:[list=a] [li]Isn’t increased litigation driving malpractice insurance providers out of business and limiting the availability of obstetricians and gynecologists?[/li][li]If all the lawyers you know do pro bono out of selfless dedication to their craft, why is it 1/3 of firms who [responded to a Chicago Council of Lawyers poll](http://www.chicagocouncil.org/library/works/studies/probono/summary.htm) indicated that the availability of court-awarded fees in cases that otherwise would be pro bono is an incentive to take on such work while still others use pro bono work as: (1) a recruiting tool, (2) a litigation training tool, (3) an associate retaining tool, (4) a state tax incentive (as is the case in Virginia), (5) a marketing tool to sign paying cases or (6) a less expensive way to enhance the image of the legal profession when compared to hiring a public relations consultant?Am I more reprehensible than the attorneys making $7,500/hour on their 10% contingency fees using the economic damage principle with regards to the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund?[/LIST][/li] How ironic, on the same hour of the same day I’m called into the pit for my distaste of our civil law system, a jury in LA awards a 64 year-old woman with lung cancer $28 Billion. My one error in my post about the “wrongful life lawsuit” thread was labeling all attorneys as leeches. For that I apologize. I will, however, continue to point out the greed & the corruption that permeates the legal profession. Will we ever see an end to wide-ranging abuses in the system? Probably not. Not as long as lawyers write & interpret the laws while others yell, scream and name call instead of looking inward and cleaning up the mess they’ve created. P.S. Anthracite - Thanks for the heads up on the sig line limitation, I wasn’t aware of it. black455: Yeah that was me. The dipshit, book-snob who still feels public libraries shouldn’t be wasting valuable space and tax payer funds on VHS copies of “Dude, Where’s My Car”. ---
**Author:** ![happyheathen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5e925/32.png) [@happyheathen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happyheathen)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2002, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901/58 "2002-10-14T22:51:41Z")
Just for giggles: do lawyers do pro bono work for plaintiffs in legal malpractice cases? ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901/59 "2002-10-15T11:58:04Z")
It took you a _week_ to come up with a response that almost completely avoids the reason I called you out? Look, punk, I didn’t flame you because of that tiny little hard-on you have for the notion that plaintiffs’ lawyers are the bane of the republic. Whatever. I don’t start Pit threads over tired old cliches like that. Besides, your idiocy on that point was more than thorougly shredded in the GD thread where you first tried to raise it. Nope, you got called out because you baselessly slandered the entire legal profession by claiming that pro bono–_charity_–is “usually” just a marketing ploy or an excuse to create new law favorable to the lawyers. That assertion has been thoroughly rebutted by the posters in this thread, who have duly noted, among other things, that “marketing” through pro bono work is impossible because the great majority of it is _not_ performed in any field related to the attorney’s paying practice. Of course, I should have known it was too much to expect you to fire up the .09-volt battery that passes for your brain and actually address those points. Much easier to just repeat the original imbecility and refuse to acknowledge that your assertions have already been refuted. If you close your eyes, the sewer looks exactly like the high ground–still smells like shit, though. Now crawl back under the rock from which you came, vermin. ---
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901/60 "2002-10-15T17:30:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JohnBckWLD \* > I’d really like some answers to the following questions. Please enlighten me, a member of the great, unwashed masses, with your superior knowledge and intellect: > Isn’t increased litigation driving malpractice insurance providers out of business and limiting the availability of obstetricians and gynecologists? Yes, it is, and tort reform is necessary. Equally necessary is an end to the abject failure of the medical profession to fulfill its self-regulatory obligations and revoke the licenses of incompetent physicians. A real self-regulatory process would greatly decrease the insurance rates, by lowering the number of malpractice lawsuits. [QUOTE] [li]If all the lawyers you know do pro bono out of selfless dedication to their craft, why is it 1/3 of firms who [responded to a Chicago Council of Lawyers poll](http://www.chicagocouncil.org/library/works/studies/probono/summary.htm) indicated that the availability of court-awarded fees in cases that otherwise would be pro bono is an incentive to take on such work while still others use pro bono work as: (1) a recruiting tool, (2) a litigation training tool, (3) an associate retaining tool, (4) a state tax incentive (as is the case in Virginia), (5) a marketing tool to sign paying cases or (6) a less expensive way to enhance the image of the legal profession when compared to hiring a public relations consultant?[/li][/QUOTE] Nice way to falsify your citation. According to your link, almost 1/3 of small firms consider the availability of fees: > [@](#): > > Monetary factors relating to the decision to take a pro bono case are also correlated with the size of the firm. While the availability of court-awarded fees usually is not a factor in the decision to take pro bono cases in the large firms, nearly a third of the respondents from small firms indicated that the possibility of a fee award makes a substantial difference in their firm’s decision. Shockingly, you didn’t include on your list of reasons why firms engage in _pro bono_ work “value to the community,” even though that was the **most-cited** reason for doing _pro bono_. You also happened to overlook the “duty of the law firm” even though that reason was roughly tied with “training value” for the second most-cited reason for doing _pro bono._ Do you think we can’t read, you putz? As for the WTC business, I’ve already responded. Sua [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-ignorant-ass-in-here-johnbckwld/130901.md?page=2)