A popular meme
is, “Don’t confuse your internet research with my whatever degree.” I have a law degree. My law degree has some value, my 25 years of
practice add value to the degree.
You take a difficult
test to enter law school. Then you take
a harder test to practice law. There are
four years between those tests. You are
tested in law school, but it’s not the tests that are hard. The hard part is they verbally beat the crap
out of you daily. It’s called the
Socratic method. It involves argument
through questioning. They give you a
case to read. The case can be
short. There’s a lot less reading in law
school than college, but you have to read much more closely. You must understand every word. Then you go to
class. If you miss class you fail. Someone gets called on. The professor keeps track, everyone gets
called on the same number of times in a semester, but randomly. Law school is very fair that way.
“Ms.
Lindquist, tell me about the case.” Everyone
is called by their last name, respect, and so it begins. He asks, “What does
this case stand for?” “Are you stupid?” “What about this?” “Are you an idiot?”
One of my
best friends in law school was a teacher.
He marveled at the Socratic method, it defied everything he learned when
he received his bachelors in education.
The Socratic
method teaches critical thinking. It
forces you to expand your mind. That’s a
far cry from internet research where you look up things you want to know and with
which you agree. Couple this with
joining like-minded groups where everyone agrees. That’s mental masturbation, lots of stroking,
not a lot of stroking in law school. Even
more fascinating is when I am told I must read between the lines of the internet
research. I must interject their
interpretation between the lines. We can’t
do that in law school, only judges can do that.
Lawyers are persuaders. Judges
are deciders. You want a decision on things
between the lines? Prove them with facts.
How badly
can you hurt yourself with your own research?
Billy sues Sally for $100k for services rendered. Sally responds she does not owe $100k plus she
lent Billy $500k for a failed business for which he personally signed a
promissory note. Billy wants to go to
trial NOW. Sally is a liar. He knows he will win. Billy’s lawyer wants to prepare, ask
questions and get copies of documents.
The lawyer explains trial requires a lot of preparation. In fact, very few cases go to trial. Billy’s lawyer is not even sure with his best
efforts Billy will win. Billy knows what
his lawyer wants, money. Billy will not
pay for preparation. Billy knows all he must
do is tell the Judge his story and he wins.
Billy insists he needs the lawyer
because Billy doesn’t know all the legal technicalities. Billy doesn’t want to lose on a
technicality. Billy doesn’t know what he
doesn’t know. He is not open to learn. He certainly isn’t going to tolerate being
called a stupid idiot. When he loses in
court, who does he blame? Not himself. Do not mistake your internet research with my
law degree.
