# Pro bono bullshit **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 9, 2010, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132 "2010-09-09T02:43:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 90
**Author:** ![Redpill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Redpill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redpill)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132/1781 "2010-10-16T20:24:12Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > > [@Redpill](#): > > > > So, we shouldn’t even look into whether it is written out or expected. > > Um. Right. Right. Your turn. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132/1782 "2010-10-16T20:40:44Z")
No, I think what you wrote speaks for itself. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132/1783 "2010-10-16T21:12:57Z")
> [@Redpill](#): > > > [@Blalron](#): > > > > I’m going to laugh my ass off when that happens. It’ll be almost as good as the comeuppance **Rand Rover** received after he “danced upon the grave” of health care reform. > > It’s great that you’ll be enjoying the comeuppance unlike the people in need who now don’t know if the lawyer actually cares and wants to help, or putting in a halfhearted effort because he has to. Some help is almost always going to be better than no help. ---
**Author:** ![Redpill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Redpill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redpill)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132/1784 "2010-10-16T21:33:43Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > > [@Redpill](#): > > > > It’s great that you’ll be enjoying the comeuppance unlike the people in need who now don’t know if the lawyer actually cares and wants to help, or putting in a halfhearted effort because he has to. > > Some help is almost always going to be better than no help. No, because it will muddy the waters for people seeking total help, further wasting their time and harming their legal position. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132/1785 "2010-10-16T22:11:09Z")
What’s all this about lawyers and adoption? Be poxed if I were to adopt a lawyer. [Muffin, Evil Family Lawyer, solving the population problem one child at a time] ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132/1786 "2010-10-17T02:21:38Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Bosstone, thew whole issue here is that you, SFG, EL, and others are not understanding the scope of the “reponsibilities” that a lawyer takes on my becoming a member of the bar. A lawyer does not promise to do pro bono by taking the oath. After you’ve had time to read and digest the article, following your promise (of no more worth than any of your other promises in life, obviously) to respond to it, all you can come up with is _that_ same sociopathic crap? The same line, constantly repeated from your fetal position in the corner as if it will somehow protect you from that bad old world out there and all of its morals and standards and expectations you just can’t understand? 😃 Poor little putz. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132/1787 "2010-10-17T03:08:23Z")
Can anyone here remember ElvisLives making a single intelligent post in his entire SDMB career? Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132/1788 "2010-10-17T04:06:21Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Bosstone, thew whole issue here is that you, SFG, EL, and others are not understanding the scope of the “reponsibilities” that a lawyer takes on my becoming a member of the bar. A lawyer does not promise to do pro bono by taking the oath. Whilst they _may_ not _directly_ promise to do Pro Bono (and a lot of people would argue that in fact they do), they _do_ promise to behave in a professional way, to use their skills and experience to serve The Court and Justice, and to refrain from activities or behaviours that might have a negative effect on the public perception of the Legal profession or bring it into disrepute. And the meta-point (or “subtext”, if you will) of many (most?) of the posters in the thread is that going on the internet and loudly proclaiming your disdain for the entire concept of _Pro Bono_ and calling anyone who disagrees with you names, whilst bragging about how much money you earn and how awesome a lawyer you are isn’t really in line with those “responsibilities” or the professional standards one might expect from a member of the Bar either. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132/1789 "2010-10-17T04:48:04Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Can anyone here remember ElvisLives making a single intelligent post in his entire SDMB career? Anyone? Fair question, but polls belong in IMHO! ---
**Author:** ![pinkyvee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6de8d8/32.png) [@pinkyvee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkyvee)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132/1790 "2010-10-17T20:31:49Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Bosstone, thew whole issue here is that you, SFG, EL, and others are not understanding the scope of the “reponsibilities” that a lawyer takes on my becoming a member of the bar. A lawyer does not promise to do pro bono by taking the oath. I am a nurse practitioner. If I want to do volunteer work, I will. If I do not, I won’t. It’s called freedom. I could care less what RandRover makes per year. It’s his choice to volunteer his services/skills/knowledge , or not. I don’t even care if he disdains pro bono … the point is that HE is entitled to freedom of choice. I have total distain for others who would impose their choice on another person, when it is really none of their concern. Butt out. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132/1791 "2010-10-17T21:18:14Z")
> [@pinkyvee](#): > > > [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > > > Bosstone, thew whole issue here is that you, SFG, EL, and others are not understanding the scope of the “reponsibilities” that a lawyer takes on my becoming a member of the bar. A lawyer does not promise to do pro bono by taking the oath. > > Butt out. Butt out of what? **Randi** is the one who came in here to bitch and moan about the responsibility he undertook when he became a lawyer. Maybe he should butt out of the legal profession. ---
**Author:** ![pinkyvee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6de8d8/32.png) [@pinkyvee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkyvee)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132/1792 "2010-10-17T22:02:10Z")
Maybe he should practice law the way he wants to. It’s his right. He also has the right to bitch and moan and rant. Bitching and moaning may make him an unpleasant fellow. But, it does not make him wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132/1793 "2010-10-17T22:08:56Z")
> [@pinkyvee](#): > > Maybe he should practice law the way he wants to. > It’s his right. Nope. Does not work that way. All lawyers are licensed to practice law only in accordance with the dictates of their governing bodies. Whether we like it or not, we are not free to practice law any way we want to. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132/1794 "2010-10-17T22:22:16Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > > [@pinkyvee](#): > > > > Maybe he should practice law the way he wants to. > > It’s his right. > > Nope. Does not work that way. All lawyers are licensed to practice law only in accordance with the dictates of their governing bodies. Whether we like it or not, we are not free to practice law any way we want to. Okay, but how 'bout RR’s right to post a thread here bitching about his workplace oppressing him? Don’t you think he’s allowed to post such a thread without all of us coming here to inform him that he’s wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, incorrect, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, factually mistaken, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132/1795 "2010-10-17T23:34:17Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > > [@pinkyvee](#): > > > > Maybe he should practice law the way he wants to. > > It’s his right. > > Nope. Does not work that way. All lawyers are licensed to practice law only in accordance with the dictates of their governing bodies. Whether we like it or not, we are not free to practice law any way we want to. Agreed, Muffin. But we are also not bound to do everything that you think we are bound to do. > [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > > [@Muffin](#): > > > > Nope. Does not work that way. All lawyers are licensed to practice law only in accordance with the dictates of their governing bodies. Whether we like it or not, we are not free to practice law any way we want to. > > Okay, but how 'bout RR’s right to post a thread here bitching about his workplace oppressing him? Don’t you think he’s allowed to post such a thread without all of us coming here to inform him that he’s wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, incorrect, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, factually mistaken, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong? If what you think I’m wrong about is whether I have an actual obligation to do pro bono (or aspire to do pro bono), then I’m still waiting for someone to inform of that. So far we have lots of assertion that I’m wrong and only a couple of arguments, both of which were terrible (which is probably why the proponent abandoned them way back). ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132/1796 "2010-10-17T23:44:36Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > Okay, but how 'bout RR’s right to post a thread here bitching about his workplace oppressing him? Don’t you think he’s allowed to post such a thread without all of us coming here to inform him that he’s wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, incorrect, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, factually mistaken, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong? I don’t think RR’s posts in this thread have violated his license in any way at all. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132/1797 "2010-10-18T18:57:40Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > the rules don’t apply to them because the courtroom flag doesn’t have a gold fringe on it. God help us all if Basil Marceaux Dot Com gets elected–no more gold-fringed flags! > [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > I still maintain that **Redpill** ’s bladder is within **Rand Rover** ’s body. \*Somebody’s \*clearly taking the piss. > [@Colibri](#): > > Custer enjoyed fighting Indians, too, and was overjoyed to find that big encampment of Sioux. I laughed. > [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > This thread provides ample evidence to show which of us is the stupid one. I couldn’t have put it better myself. > [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Takes that long to cherry-pick, these days? He gave the housekeeper the weekend off to shut her up after she walked in on him faceplanted into a giant mound of cocaine. > [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Double spaced, wide margins, 12 point type, though, right? 14 pt. > [@may\_be\_ignorant](#): > > While I dont know much about Rand Rover or the pit in general, a few of the posts on the first page were clearly people envious of what he pro bably makes. Most of the others just seem to be people who have nothing better to do than pick at certain people on the internet daily. I never ceased to be amazed at how useful and descriptive a username you picked when you registered here. Thank you for that. > [@Mona\_Lott](#): > > It is time for the mods to put this thread out of its misery. Personally, I’d prefer if they’d put \*\*Randy \*\*out of \*our \*misery. > [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > [text snipped] Judith L. Maute, Changing Conceptions of Lawyers’ Pro Bono Responsibilities, 77 Tul. L. Rev. 91, 146 (2002). My god, it’s almost as though \*every other credible authority \*agrees with our interpretation that \*\*Randy \*\*is a shirker and not worthy of his license! > [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Bosstone, thew whole issue here is that you, SFG, EL, and others are not understanding the scope of the “reponsibilities” that a lawyer takes on my becoming a member of the bar. We’re such _fools_ for disagreeing with a single man who’s long been established as a greedy, unprincipled, lazy douchebarge, when almost every other lawyer and authority on the subject, including the rules you agreed to follow, back us up. What_ever_ were we thinking! > [@pinkyvee](#): > > Maybe he should practice law the way he wants to. > It’s his right. > He also has the right to bitch and moan and rant. > > Bitching and moaning may make him an unpleasant fellow. But, it does not make him wrong. You know what I hate? People who put carriage returns after every sentence. What the fuck is wrong with you? Is it your way of demonstrating that we can just skip the content of what you have to say, because it’s bound to be retarded? If so, you should have warned me. Because I read your posts. And you’re a fucking idiot. > [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > Don’t you think he’s allowed to post such a thread without all of us coming here to inform him that he’s wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, incorrect, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, factually mistaken, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong? You forgot a “wrong.” ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132/1798 "2010-10-18T19:13:00Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > [Quote=Vinyl Turnip] > the rules don’t apply to them because the courtroom flag doesn’t have a gold fringe on it. God help us all if Basil Marceaux Dot Com gets elected–no more gold-fringed flags! [/QUOTE] I’ve since learned that I had it backwards, and that the crackpot theory is that courts displaying a flag \*with \*a gold fringe are illegitimate. I apologize for my shoddy research and hope it has not too severely damaged the integrity of this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132/1799 "2010-10-18T19:22:44Z")
[QUOTE=may\_be\_ignorant] While I dont know much about Rand Rover or the pit in general, a few of the posts on the first page were clearly people envious of what he pro bably makes\*. Most of the others just seem to be **people who have nothing better to do than pick at certain people on the internet daily** (bolding added). [/QUOTE] If you object to this you threaten the entire structure of the Internet. Commie. \*Besides, I have it on the best authority that he’s actually a part-time 7-11 clerk who has to collect refundable cans and bottles just to pay his ISP provider. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132/1800 "2010-10-18T23:57:16Z")
SFG (and any others who care to comment): what exactly do you think that article shows that I am wrong about? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132.md?page=89) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132.md?page=91)